Michael J. Fox recalled working with Crispin Glover on Back to the Future in his newly released memoir, Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum.
“Nobody puts Crispin in a box. But that didn’t prevent the camera crew from literally building a box around him,” Fox, 64, wrote in the book, which was released on Tuesday, October 14. “As George McFly, Crispin had his own ideas as to how and where his character should move.”
This often caused “tension” with writer Bob Gale and writer-director Bob Zemeckis — but they solved their creative disputes during one particular moment on set. (Elsewhere in the book, Fox recalled overhearing a “firm” discussion between Zemeckis and Glover.)
Fox recalled filming a scene with Glover, now 61, where their characters were having a conversation around a clothesline. (Fox played Marty McFly in the iconic movie while Glover took on the role of his dad, George McFly.)
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“As Crispin approached the camera, he was meant to stay in a lane between the clothesline and me. But Crispin had a different plan,” Fox wrote. “My guess is that he saw George as a wanderer, a free spirit who traveled in random patterns — in this case, perpendicular to the camera.”
After “drifting out of frame,” one crew member “fabricated a miniature corral made of sandbags and C-stands, trapping Crispin into adhering to the parameters of the shot,” Fox claimed.
Despite the initial issues with the scene, Fox still praised the “downright hypnotic” Glover.
“I loved working with him. His talent was unquestionable, although his methods sometimes created friction,” Fox added. “Still, I respected how he remained true to George (as he understood and embodied him).”
Fox also wrote that he was familiar with Glover before they worked together — but sharing the same stage was something very different.
“I knew Crispin Glover prior to Back to the Future. I wouldn’t, however, say I was prepared to act with him — there’s no way to prepare for Crispin,” Fox shared. “With Chris Lloyd, I had an inkling of what he was up to. Neither he nor Crispin ever did the same thing the same way twice.”
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The difference between Lloyd (who played Doc Brown) and Glover came with the latter being “a trained theater actor,” Fox explained.
“Chris was much more locked into the script, so there was that constant to depend on,” he wrote. “I never knew what Crispin was going to say or do. I’m not sure he knew, either.”
That being said, Fox did reach out to Glover with a letter while writing this memoir — an ode to Back to the Future.
“Your performance is richer and deeper every time I see it. In fact, I skip over my bits to watch yours,” Fox’s letter to Glover read. “Granted, we didn’t talk much during production, so I never had the chance to say that you are a brilliant actor, and I was thrilled to work with you.”
Future Boy is out now.
