This summer we celebrated the 25th anniversary of “Back to the Future” and even though it’s months later, I felt it interesting to reflect on what could have been…or rather, what would not have been.

Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly

As most “Back to the Future” fans know, Eric Stoltz was cast in the role of Marty McFly for 6 weeks of filming before Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg deemed him “too intense” for the role and let him go.

Thanks to Gary David Goldberg, the BTTF was then able to get Michael J. Fox, their first choice for Marty.  Fox had at first been unable to play the role, due to a scheduling conflict with his TV series “Family Ties” but now Goldberg allowed him to juggle the two projects, and the rest is history! For a while, this picture was one of the ones in existence of Stoltz as Marty McFly.

Interesting Note: The costume that Eric Stoltz is wearing was described as Marty’s 1985 outfit in the novelization of Back to the Future by George Gipe. A T-shirt with a U.S. Patent Office facsimile on it [of a guitar], and green [Converse] shoes.

Production started on November 26, 1984 and by Christmas, Spielberg had declared Stoltz wrong for the comedy.

Steven Spielberg, says that Zemeckis checked with him before making the switch.

“[Zemeckis] showed me the first five weeks of shooting that he had put together, aAnd he said, ‘I just don’t think we’re getting the laughs I was hoping we would get.’ ”

Spielberg feels the decision “was absolutely correct.”

The switch!

Eric Stoltz as Marty staring at George McFly

Michael J Fox as Marty staring at George McFly

Would Michael J. Fox have skyrocketed to international star if Eric Stoltz had remained Marty McFly?

Doubtful.

Would we be celebrating the anniversary of this film? Not likely.

http://www.kristensheley.com/bttf/cut.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wudNasQbv0&feature=player_embedded

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1320509/Eric-Stoltz-Original-Marty-McFly-Back-Future-bumped-Michael-J-Fox.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

STATE OF THE NATION – ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The “State of the Nation” column by Brandon Jones began on a website called Crazed Fanboy to discuss topics that the regular media were not reporting or barely discussed. While there was a strong political tone, there were no limits to topics or arenas discussed.

As the relationship with Crazed Fanboy deteriorated, the partnership between Robert Herriman (author “Insights”) and the Brian strengthen to for the current “Desk of Brian”.

Just as we have John Does or Average Joes, we created the “Regular Guy” approach to sorting through the news, adding our own commentary and opinions, fused with contributors from all over the globe.

Read past articles of “State of the Nation” by Brandon Jones click here

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