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decision and an attempt to associate himself with the franchise, the singer’s official website still trumpets that the casting triumvirate wanted to meet with him, even though he was completely uninterested in the role at the time. None of these actors were ever seriously considered; they were just a few of the many to circle through the revolving door of the casting office, only to be quickly sent out the other end.
    C. Thomas Howell and Eric Stoltz ascended to the top of the casting directors’ list of Marty choices. By the time of his audition, Howell had accumulated a string of successful roles in hit films helmed by Hollywood royalty like Steven Spielberg (
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
) and Francis Ford Coppola (
The Outsiders
). The Bobs preferred him, believing he gave the strongest screen test of everyone who auditioned, an opinion generally shared with the casting directors and members of the film crew. “I remember C. Thomas Howell’s audition really well because, if I had been in charge, I would have picked him,” Clyde E. Bryan, first assistant cameraman, says. “He was the only one that made that character seem real to me. There were three or four different tests for Marty, but the only two I remember were Eric Stoltz, mostly because of his piercing blue eyes, and the fact that the hair and makeup department dyed his hair, and C. Thomas Howell, who I thought was hilarious in the part. Based on C. Thomas Howell’s screen test, he was the right choice.”
    Eric Stoltz had become a protégé of writer Cameron Crowe after appearing in 1982’s
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
and accumulated several other films on his résumé, including thewriter’s 1984 follow-up
The Wild Life
. Ironically, none of his high school comedies were responsible for him being on the McFly short list. What attracted the attention of the suits at Universal was Stoltz’s star turn as Rocky Dennis, a teenager living with a skull deformity, in Peter Bogdonavich’s
Mask
, another Universal picture. Although the film had yet to be released at the time
Future
was casting, studio head Sid Sheinberg had seen the picture and anticipated its success by a mile. While his foresight was not always correct, in this instance he accurately predicted what was to come. When
Mask
was released in March 1985, it opened to commercial and critical acclaim. Stoltz’s performance was applauded in the press as being emotionally visceral despite the actor being concealed in heavy facial appliances. The actor would go on to be nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, but for now he was a soon-to-be-discovered secret, a star whom Sheinberg hoped would remain in Universal’s solar system for a long time to come.
    Because of his history with Spielberg, Sid Sheinberg had taken a special interest in
Back to the Future
and the Marty McFly casting deliberations. He communicated the choice between the two finalists as deciding between “chicken salad,” Stoltz, and “chicken shit,” Howell. Sheinberg registered his official vote for the former, which, in the end, proved to be the only vote that mattered. Zemeckis had final say on casting, sure, but with that Memorial Day mandate from the studio hanging over his head, each calendar page tossed in the garbage while casting deliberations continued came at a high cost. Not only that, but disagreeing with the studio head was probably not the best foot to get off on. Sheinberg was so positive that Eric Stoltz would be right for the role that he told the Bobs that if it didn’t work out, he would allow them to replace their leading man. The matter was settled. Stoltz was offered and quickly accepted the role.
    Filming began and continued for four weeks. As Christmas approached, production didn’t stop completely. Gale and Canton took advantage of the holiday hiatus, and cameras rolled inside Whittier High School, the location used as the fictional Hill Valley High, while the students were on break. But the