Cast
- Meredith Baxter-Birney as Elyse Keaton
- Michael Gross as Steven Keaton
- Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton
- Justine Bateman as Mallory Keaton
- Tina Yothers as Jennifer Keaton
- Brian Bonsall as Andrew Keaton (seasons 5-7)
- Marc Price as Irwin "Skippy" Handelman
- Scott Valentine as Nick Moore (seasons 4-7)
- Tracy Pollan as Ellen Reed (season 4)
- Courteney Cox as Lauren Miller (seasons 6-7)
The show had been sold to the network using the pitch "hip parents, square kids". Originally, Elyse and Steven were intended to be the main characters. However, the audience reacted so positively to Alex during the taping of the fourth episode that he became the focus on the show. Fox had received the role after Matthew Broderick turned it down. Coincidentally, Meredith Baxter had previously starred alongside Matthew Broderick's father James (as his daughter) on the TV series Family.
Supporting cast and characters included neighbor Irwin "Skippy" Handelman (Marc Price), Mallory's Sylvester Stallone-esque boyfriend artist Nick Moore (Scott Valentine) and Alex's feminist artist girlfriend Ellen Reed (Tracy Pollan, whom Michael J. Fox later married in 1988). In season 3, episode 17 Elyse gave birth to her fourth child, Andrew (who was played by Brian Bonsall from season 5 onward). Garrett Merriman played baby Andrew. Bewitched actor Dick Sargent guest starred as Elyse's father Charlie in Season 1.
Read more about this topic: Family Ties
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