Photos Of Michael J. Fox & Tracy Pollan At The Emmys 40 Years Ago

At the 78th Emmy Awards this year, Michael J. Fox took the stage to accept the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award. During his speech, which earned the beloved actor two standing ovations, Fox gave a special shoutout to Tracy Pollan, his wife of nearly four decades. "I thank Tracy and our kids for their sacrifices, for their patience and for their love. You have no idea," the "Teen Wolf" star said. Fox's wife really has been by his side through it all. She was there to watch him accept this special award, too, marking the couple's first Emmy Awards appearance in 13 years. 

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Fox and Pollan's complementary all-black ensembles were certainly not among the many fashion flops at the 2026 Emmys. And, there was something particularly sweet about their coordinating looks after so long away from the glitzy event. The longtime couple also wore black at the 39th Primetime Emmy Awards, in 1987. While this photo of the pair looking dapper in all black may have been snapped a whopping 40 years ago, Fox earned an award that night, too, taking home the coveted outstanding lead actor in a comedy series gong for playing Alex P. Keaton in "Family Ties."

The 1987 Emmy Awards marked the second year in a row Michael J. Fox took home the outstanding lead actor in a comedy series award for "Family Ties." And, in fact, he went on to do it the following year as well. Fox's "Family Ties" run broke a record; the actor's first Emmy made him the youngest-ever recipient of the award, and he still holds that title to this day. Interestingly, that's far from the only way "Family Ties" changed Fox's life. It was also the start of his love story with Tracy Pollan. They memorably played a couple on the series and went on to become one offscreen too. 

"She's my best friend, my partner," the "Back to the Future" star gushed of Pollan in a 2025 interview with People. "Tracy's the first person I check in with and the last person I check in with." She isn't just his partner in life either; Pollan is also Fox's partner in work. The "Family Ties" star is on the board of her hubby's nonprofit, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Evidently, these two never get sick of each other. And, as such, they'll appear on many Emmys red carpets to come.