It’s been thirty years since the release of Teen Wolf, and in that time, Michael J. Fox became a megastar, many of his castmates moved away from the movie business, its co-writer has become a comic book legend, and the title and basic premise of the film found new life in its second attempt at being a TV show. With all that in mind, let’s check in on where the cast and crew is today before your inevitable re-watch.
Michael J. Fox – Scott Howard
Fox was riding high at the time of Teen Wolf’s release. With multiple hit movies and a hit television show in Family Ties, he was, perhaps, Hollywood’s biggest star in 1985. A decade later, he would star in another hit sitcom, Spin City, but left the show shortly after announcing he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Most recently, he starred in The Michael J. Fox Show, which lasted for only one season in 2013-2014, and still appears on CBS’ The Good Wife. Of course, he also made a legendary appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2011. Fox has been married to actress Tracy Pollan since 1988, and the couple has four children, three of which are now in their ’20s. Does that make you feel old?
Jerry Levine – Stiles
Like Fox, Levine has had a successful career in Hollywood post-Wolf, but unlike Fox, his most recent success has come from behind the camera. He did have a recurring role on Will and Grace (which ended its run in 2006), but since then, he has made a living as a television director on shows that include Hawaii Five-0, Elementary, CSI: NY, and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Levine is married to Nina Tassler, who is currently the Chairman of CBS Entertainment. Together, they have two children.
Mark Arnold – Mick
As the Wolf’s nemesis in the movie, Arnold fit squarely into the Hollywood meme of casting older actors to play high school students. He was 28 when Teen Wolf was released. Seriously, why does Hollywood do that? Anyway, Arnold currently has 106 acting credits on his resume, with most of them coming in the last decade thanks to his work in television movies and short films.
Jay Tarses – Coach Finstock
Tarses’ coach Finstock character will always be remembered as an underrated hero of Teen Wolf by never shying away from his role as second father-figure to Scott and the rest of the Beavers. His advice, that you should “never get less than twelve hours sleep, never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city, and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body,” are valuable life lessons that still hold true today. Most recently, Tarses had a small supporting role on the TBS series My Boys, which his daughter, Jamie, co-produced.
Mark Holton – Chubby
Holton may not be a big star, but his resume is filled with fun projects that should make him instantly recognizable to anyone who loves films from the ’80s. Not only was he the “It’s Enrico Pallazzo” guy from The Naked Gun, but he was also Pee-wee’s nemesis in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, and adult-Stillwell in A League Of Their Own. Seriously, how many times do you think strangers yell the Enrico Pallazzo line at him on a daily basis? I’d guess at least a half-dozen. Holton continued to act for the next two decades following Teen Wolf, with guest roles on television shows like Seinfeld, NCIS, and NYPD Blue.
Lorie Griffin – Pamela
Griffin’s role in Teen Wolf was her first acting credit and introduction to the movies. Unfortunately, not much more became of her career, and she left Hollywood in the early ’90s. She has not been seen in any kind of major acting role since 1997.
Susan Ursitti – Boof
Ursitti did not have many acting credits following Teen Wolf. She appeared in an episode of Charles in Charge in 1987, as well as a handful of movies you’ve probably never heard of, but has been inactive in Hollywood since 1997. She went back to school and received a Master’s degree in Design, and is married to film producer Jonathan Sheinberg.
Matt Adler – Lewis
Adler had a nice run in the late 80s with supporting roles in movies like White Water Summer and Dream a Little Dream. Recently, he has remained active in Hollywood with voice work in animated movies and TV shows, with credits including Epic and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. He is married to actress Laura San Giacomo from Just Shoot Me!
Rod Daniel
Daniel was a TV director who went from wolves to dogs and directed both the Jim Belushi film K-9 and Beethoven’s 2nd. After returning almost exclusively to TV work through the ’90s, Daniel helmed the fourth Home Alone movie and then seemingly retired for there were no more worlds to conquer.
Jeph Loeb
Loeb co-wrote Teen Wolf (and Burglar, while also co-plotting Commando) with Matthew Weisman, but as the ’80s faded, Weisman’s career did the same and Loeb found a second life as a comic book writer, crafting arcs like Batman: Long Halloween and Hush for DC while also working on the X-Men: The Age Of Apocalypse arc for Marvel, among many other works for both companies. Loeb has also written and produced for TV, most notably Smallville, Lost, Heroes, and pretty much anything Marvel that has been on the small screen since 2010, when he was named Marvel’s Head of Television.
