Happy Back to the Future Day!
It’s a little known fact about town that "Back to the Future" was the partial brainchild of St. Louis native Michael Robert “Bob” Gale.
In the movie, Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, uses a DeLorean time machine to travel back in time where he meets his high-school parents.
Two more movies were made in the series, "Back to the Future Part II" in which McFly travels to today Oct. 21, 2015, and "Back to the Future III," in which he travels to the old West.
In honor of St. Louis’ connection to all things hover board, winged-doors and '80s vested, we’ve gathered a number of St. Louis connections between the films and our fair city from previous interviews with Gale, production credits, or as they appear in the movies.
1. Writer Bob Gale was born in University City on May 25, 1951.
2. Gale was inspired to write the film by a trip from his home in Los Angeles to his parents' house in St. Louis. There he found his father’s yearbook and wondered what it would be like to travel back in time and meet him.
3. In "Back to the Future" Marty McFly encounters the initial construction on the subdivision called Lyon Estates where he’ll grow up in the 1980s. The lion statues out front were inspired by similar statues in the Loop.
4. In the first Back to the Future Marty McFly (“Hey, McFly. I thought I told you never to come in here!”) plays famous St. Louis rocker Chuck Berry’s "Johnny B. Goode."
5. Gale produced all three Back to the Future films: "Back to the Future," "Back to the Future Part II" and "Back to the Future III."
6. In "Back to the Future Part II" there’s a joke that when McFly travels to the year 2015 the Cubs have won the World Series. This year the Cubs defeated the Cardinals and are on their way to competing for the pennant.
7. Side Note: Gale himself is a Cards fan.
8. The Hill Valley Telegraph’s editor is identified as “M.R. Gale” in reference to Bob Gale in "Back to the Future Part III."
9. Gale considers himself a St. Louisan at heart, but currently lives in Los Angeles.
10. Side note: The 1992 film "Trespass" staring Bill Paxton, Ice-T, and Ice Cube and written by Gale takes place in East St. Louis.
Gale will be in town Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary. He’ll be attending performances each night at Powell Hall where the St. Louis Symphony will be performing music from the film live while it’s screened.
