A, My Name is Alex

"**A, My Name Is Alex**"
"A, My Name Is Alex"
Family Ties episodes
Episode nos.	Season 5; Episodes 23 & 24
Directed by	Will Mackenzie
Written by	Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger
Original air date	March 27, 1987
Running time	60 minutes
Guest appearances
	Brian McNamara as Greg; Richard McGonagle as Brother Timothy (pt. 1) ; David Wohl as Psychiatrist (voice); Meg Wyllie as Mrs. Leahy (pt. 2); Marc Price as Irwin 'Skippy' Handelman ; Scott Valentine as Nick Moore (pt. 2)
Episode chronology
← Previous; "Keaton vs. Keaton"	Next →; ""D" is for Date"
	List of episodes

"'A', My Name Is Alex" is a two-part hour-long very special episode of the NBC television series Family Ties. The episodes aired on March 12, 1987 as the 23rd and 24th episodes of the fifth season and 119th and 120th episodes overall in the series. The episode garnered a Primetime Emmy Award, a Humanitas Prize and a Writers Guild of America Award for writing as well as a DGA Award.

Plot

Part 1: Alex's (Michael J. Fox) friend, Greg (Brian McNamara), has a fatal car accident. As the family grieves, Alex is overcome with a variety of emotional challenges that he tries to hide unsuccessfully.

Part 2: Steven (Michael Gross) and Elyse (Meredith Baxter) attempt to help Alex deal with his emotion by getting him professional help. This enables him to confront the issues that he must deal with resulting from his friend's untimely fatality. Alex is able to reassess his own life.

Production

Reception

Ratings

Critical reception

Awards

The episode won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series at the 39th Primetime Emmy Awards, a Humanitas Prize for 60 Minute Network or Syndicated Television at the 13th annual ceremony held in 1987 and a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Screenplay - Episodic Comedy at the 40th annual Writers Guild of America Awards 1987 ceremony held in 1988 for writers Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger.^[1] It also won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series at the Directors Guild of America Awards 1987 for director Will Mackenzie.^[2] It also earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series nomination for Will Mackenzie. In addition it won an Outstanding Technical Direction/Electronic Camerawork/Video Control for a Series Emmy for Parker Roe (technical director), Paul Basta (cameraperson), Tom Dasbach (cameraperson), Richard Price (cameraperson), John Repczynski (cameraperson), and Eric Clay (senior video control).

References

Notes

^ "The Writers Guild Foundation Library Catalog". Writers Guild of America. Retrieved 2012-03-17.
^ "Winner and Nominee Search". Directors Guild of America. Retrieved 2012-03-17.

External links

[1] "The Writers Guild Foundation Library Catalog". Writers Guild of America. Retrieved 2012-03-17.

[2] "Winner and Nominee Search". Directors Guild of America. Retrieved 2012-03-17.

[1]

[2]

v t e Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
1950s	James Allardice & Jack Douglas & Hal Kanter & Harry Winkler for The George Gobel Show (1955) Arnold M. Auerbach & Barry Blitzer & Vincent Bogert & Nat Hiken & Coleman Jacoby & Harvey Orkin & Arnold Rosen & Terry Ryan & Tony Webster for The Phil Silvers Show (1956) No Award (1957) Billy Friedberg & Nat Hiken & Coleman Jacoby & Arnold Rosen & A.J. Russell & Terry Ryan & Phil Sharp & Tony Webster & Sydney Zelinka for The Phil Silvers Show (1958) George Balzer & Hal Goldman & Al Gordon & Sam Perrin for The Jack Benny Show (1959)
1960s	George Balzer & Hal Goldman & Al Gordon & Sam Perrin for The Jack Benny Show (1960) Dave O'Brien & Martin Ragaway & Sherwood Schwartz & Al Schwartz & Red Skelton for The Red Skelton Show (1961) Carl Reiner for The Dick Van Dyke Show (1962) Carl Reiner for The Dick Van Dyke Show (1963) No Award (1964) No Award (1965) Sam Denoff & Bill Persky for "Coast to Coast Big Mouth" (1966) Buck Henry & Leonard B. Stern for "Ship of Spies: Parts 1 and 2" (1967) Allan Burns & Chris Hayward for "The Coming Out Party" (1968) No Award (1969)
1970s	No Award (1970) James L. Brooks & Allan Burns for "Support Your Local Mother" (1971) Burt Styler for "Edith's Problem" (1972) Lee Kalcheim & Michael Ross & Bernie West for "The Bunkers and the Swingers" (1973) Treva Silverman for "The Lou and Edie Story" (1974) Stan Daniels & Ed. Weinberger for "Will Mary Richards Go to Jail?" (1975) David Lloyd for "Chuckles Bites the Dust" (1976) James L. Brooks & Allan Burns & Stan Daniels & Bob Ellison & David Lloyd & Ed. Weinberger for "The Last Show" (1977) Harve Brosten & Barry Harman & Bob Schiller & Bob Weiskopf for "Cousin Liz" (1978) No Award (1979)
1980s	R.J. Colleary for "The Photographer" (1980) Michael J. Leeson for "Tony's Sister and Jim" (1981) Ken Estin for "Elegant Iggy" (1982) Glen Charles and Les Charles for "Give Me a Ring Sometime" (1983) David Angell for "Old Flames" (1984) Ed. Weinberger & Michael J. Leeson for "Pilot" (The Cosby Show) (1985) Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan for "A Little Romance" (1986) Gary David Goldberg & Alan Uger for "A, My Name is Alex" (1987) Hugh Wilson for "The Bridge" (1988) Diane English for "Pilot" (Murphy Brown) (1989)
1990s	Bob Brush for "Good-bye" (1990) Gary Dontzig & Steven Peterman for "Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All the Way" (1991) Elaine Pope & Larry Charles for "The Fix-Up" (1992) Larry David for "The Contest" (1993) David Angell & Peter Casey & David Lee for "The Good Son" (1994) Chuck Ranberg & Anne Flett-Giordano for "An Affair to Forget" (1995) Joe Keenan & Christopher Lloyd & Rob Greenberg & Jack Burditt & Chuck Ranberg & Anne Flett-Giordano & Linda Morris & Vic Rauseo for "Moon Dance" (1996) Ellen DeGeneres & Mark Driscoll & Dava Savel & Tracy Newman & Jonathan Stark for "The Puppy Episode" (1997) Peter Tolan & Garry Shandling for "Flip" (1998) Jay Kogen for "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz" (1999)
2000s	Linwood Boomer for "Pilot" (Malcolm in the Middle) (2000) Alex Reid for "Bowling" (2001) Larry Wilmore for "Pilot" (The Bernie Mac Show) (2002) Tucker Cawley for "Baggage" (2003) Mitchell Hurwitz for "Pilot" (Arrested Development) (2004) Mitchell Hurwitz & Jim Vallely for "Righteous Brothers" (2005) Greg Garcia for "Pilot" (My Name Is Earl) (2006) Greg Daniels for "Gay Witch Hunt" (2007) Tina Fey for "Cooter" (2008) Matt Hubbard for "Reunion" (2009)
2010s	Steven Levitan & Christopher Lloyd for "Pilot" (Modern Family) (2010) Steven Levitan & Jeffrey Richman for "Caught in the Act" (2011) Louis C.K. for "Pregnant" (2012) Tina Fey & Tracey Wigfield for "Last Lunch" (2013) Louis C.K. for "So Did the Fat Lady" (2014) Simon Blackwell & Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche for "Election Night" (2015) Aziz Ansari & Alan Yang for "Parents" (2016) Aziz Ansari & Lena Waithe for "Thanksgiving" (2017) Amy Sherman-Palladino for "Pilot" (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) (2018) Phoebe Waller-Bridge for "Episode 1" (2019)
2020s	Dan Levy for "Happy Ending" (2020) Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky for "There Is No Line" (2021) Quinta Brunson for "Pilot" (Abbott Elementary) (2022) Christopher Storer for "System" (2023) Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky for "Bulletproof" (2024)