Bill Reiter in Leo and Me starring Michael J. Fox, Brent Carver ca.1981

[@corrupt200]

Actually the clip is from c.1976, so MJF was 15 at the time. He emigrated to the USA in 1979.

[@corrupt200]

Actually this show is from the miid to late 70s (c. 1976-1978). Michael J Fox moved to the US in 1979. Interestingly enough several other people involved in this show got diagnosed with Parksinsons arounf the same time MJF did.

[@FMHammyJ]

RIP Brent Carver....

[@debranass2672]

He look younger than his actual age. This been like that until the 1990s. He was 20 in 1981. He was 18 in 1977.

[@mcmlxvi]

Not the brightest light in the school's Christmas tree, are ya? He was 15 when they filmed this and his character was supposed to be 13.

[@flannerymonaghan-morris4825]

Well even now he’s still like that.

[@jasoncantellaven3064]

It was the same for Family Ties that started in 1982. I think Michael J Fox was 21 but the character Alex that he played was 17 years old at the start. Look at Back to the Future from 1985 he was 24 but played Marty McFly who was still at school in the film. Quite a age gap there!

[@emmaknopa]

Lol at the time that this was made, michael j fox was like 16-17, but he looked about 10!!! Lol

[@georgemuniz3117]

I think he had late puberty like Haminations.

[@jasonbourne8529]

What a shame, Michael J Fox and 3 others from this show ended up with Parkinson's disease. They were definitely exposed to something.

[@blueskye6372]

Yes. Sad indeed. 😒

[@sebastianwrites]

They 'think' they cause a virus... but then you look at the environment they were working in, and if these aren't artificial sets they do appear to be archaic?

[@bufnyfan1]

Fox believes they may have been smoking contaminated marijuana during breaks in the tapings. For some time smuggled marijuana was sprayed by authorities with paraquat a chemical to deter smoking it. Only a theory but could explain the cluster of Parkinson's cases on the set.

[@BillReiter]

Alex Easily answered. I looked in my library of bits and pieces of old shows and there it was. One of the things that I did early on in my career was buy a Beta VCR machine (Beta Rules!) and whenever I was being interviewed or on a TV commercial or TV show I would make sure to tape it. My only regret is not taping the entire "Leo and Me" that this segment came from. I would also ask directors or producers of the TV things I performed in if I could have a copy of the performance. Bill R.

[@roberto4188]

The Internet Archive shows 5000 results for Leo and Me. The show doesn't show up immediately.

[@bullaro59]

I cant believe thats michael J. fox. its crazy how much his face changes over the years

[@patriciacarlyle9456]

Well I didn't look at who posted this at first, reading through the comments and I went BILL REITER! I always thought you were funny. I was just a kid and haven't seen all of your stuff but I will sub now and watch everything

[@pendizzy6352]

I had Mr.Jones in gr 8. He was a great teacher ...

[@something1963]

put more episodes on

[@brianandcliffparker-heather]

I auditioned for this show. I was in Grade 3, and the CBC had sent out a request to schools around Vancouver for an 8 year old, blonde, blue eyed boy to try out for this. I never wanted to be an actor, but my teacher put me forward, and the CBC asked me to come in. I had about 30 minutes to learn the script. I had to pretend I was running around a track with another actor. When I finished, they literally said "don't call us, we'll call you"! I must have really sucked. Michael J Fox got the part, and my mother always said "that should be you" when she saw Michael on any show or movie.

[@BillReiter]

BlackStallionWoman Michael did say stuff. A lot of stuff. He and Brent Carver were the stars of Leo and Me. I only taped this part of the show cuz it had my main speaking bits in it. In retrospect, I should have taped the whole show. But don't get me started about "... in retrospect". None of us want to go there.

[@sportjunkie5286]

That's ok were not mad aboot it

[@actorquizzes2620]

LITTLE MICHAEL J FOX AWH

[@dorotagniedziejko7841]

Could you upload some full episodes of this show? I've been looking for them, but I couldn't find anywhere. :(

[@dadbeerd9368]

A large majority of people who also worked in this series got Parkinson’s disease.

[@BillReiter]

BlackStallionWoman- Thinking about it...I wouldn't have posted the whole Leo and Me. I would only have posted those scenes with dialogue by Michael if there was interplay between my character and his. In this particular episode there wasn't.

[@titily]

Wow, a couple of Middlegate people,,, I went to school with Mike at Morley, and recall seeing you many times in Super Valu. Great posts here, this is all fantastic stuff Bill, I had heard or read somewhere you were in the house band at Ralf's Wooden Barrel as well, do you have anything stashed away from that time in your life?

[@peppyblonde12]

brent carver is my great uncle

[@BillReiter]

As an interesting sidebar. Fred Carotonuto's son is currently a huge star on television. Fred's boy is none other than Fred Ewanuick - the star of "Corner Gas" (Hank Yarbo. His latest hit series is "Dan For Mayor". The apple doesn't fall far from the tree in this case. Mr. Ewanuick's father Fred was the cut-up Sam Butera (of Louis Prima fame) type sax player in Bill Reiter and Fat Back Caine. Freddie Caratonuto was a joy to be on stage with and a helluva soulful Rhythm 'n' Blues musician.

[@BillReiter]

conorsmitheire I know. I watch so much U.S. T.V. that I sometimes find my ear drawn to the different pronunciation of words like "out", "house" and "about" by my fellow Canadians. I know you hear them as, 'oot', 'hoose' and aboot'. As a professional actor certainly wanting to forge my own identity and having never taken an offered class by A.C.T.R.A. (Canada's actor's union) to learn how to "speak American", I understand your amusement at the "oot and aboot" differences in speech.

[@BillReiter]

Gawd, don't I wish I did. What a great time that was. Eating all the little custard and chocolate/vanilla desserts in the Wooden Barrel fridge during twenty-minute band breaks. The great guitar players we had in the band (HELP ME LOU CROCKETT!) Lou was the keyboard player and arguably the leader of the group, BILL REITER AND FAT BACK CAINE. Although, with EastEnders Jimmy (Vincinzo) Ricci on drums and Freddie Caratonuto on tenor sax it would have been an extremely tuff lot to lead.

[@thehumancrayon3264]

Cracked is usually right on the money, but this doesn't look all *that* bad. Certainly wouldn't call it terrible.

[@BillReiter]

titly Oh! And thank you for hooking my site into your B.C. history links group on Facebook. Much appreciated!!

[@BillReiter]

Corrupt200 Well, now I'm back to my original confusion cuz that's what I thought - that Leo and Me was done over a two year period during the late '70's and then I read that they kept it in the can and finally aired it in 1981. So.... now, as I say, I am more confused. Maybe somebody behind the cameras and connected to Leo and Me can tell us more.

[@justinlampel2408]

4 people working on this show developed Parkinson’s disease. Strange.

[@movieman203]

Doc. You disintegrated Einstein!

[@BMG19FUNNYDIE]

You can tell it's Canadian TV after like 2 seconds 'out'. Ha.

[@BillReiter]

peppyblonde12 Well, peppyb you got a very, very talented greatuncle there. That's for sure ! ! !

[@BENY0HAMA]

Cracked sent me

[@titily]

Hey Bill, me again, I am going to hook your page here to my British Columbia history links group on Facebook, as you are indeed a part of it. Just finished watching dog pound shuffle part 5 where you had a bit part as a bus ticket agent (1975)

[@peppyblonde12]

lol fun fact i was named after his last name carver

[@nealroberts5844]

It's hard to believe he's 16 in this show he looks 12

[@kaikechan5531]

Marty MCFly

[@BillReiter]

titily Yeah, I've got that on beta tape. lol JasMan and I are doing some work on the site this Friday. Maybe I'll post that. I love that H.B.C. coat of mine. Still have it. Maybe some day I'll fit it again. lol2

[@conorsmitheire]

when to get the guns 'oot' lol

[@titily]

@BillReiter Now, to get you to join FB and hook up with the rest of the clowns :-)

[@kingshearer2]

Not as good as 'Back to the Future'