<P> In the 1970s Stoltz joined a repertory company that performed ten plays at the Edinburgh Festival . He returned to the United States in 1979, when he entered USC as a drama student, but subsequently dropped out to pursue film and TV roles . In 1978, he was cast as Steve Benson in the TV adaptation of Erma Bombeck's The Grass Is Always Greener over the Septic Tank . </P> <P> Director Cameron Crowe and Stoltz became friends while making Stoltz's first feature film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), which Crowe wrote and in which Stoltz had a minor role . According to Stoltz, Crowe promised Stoltz a role in all of his future films . He appeared in each of Crowe's next four films, The Wild Life, Say Anything..., Singles, and Jerry Maguire . </P> <P> Originally cast as Marty McFly for Back to the Future in late 1984, he was replaced after about a month of filming when Michael J. Fox (the director's first choice for the role) agreed to divide time between the movie and his television sitcom Family Ties . The director, Robert Zemeckis, said that while Stoltz provided an admirable performance, it lacked the precise comedic sense that Zemeckis was seeking . Some of the original footage, where Stoltz does not appear but was on set, was used in the film . Stoltz playing the character was referenced in the 2010 episode of Fringe titled "Peter" when, in a parallel universe, a theater marquee reads "Back to the Future starring Eric Stoltz". </P> <P> In 1985, Stoltz garnered attention with a Golden Globe nomination starring as Rocky Dennis in Mask . Among other roles in the 1980s, he appeared in the 1987 hit Some Kind of Wonderful, written and produced by John Hughes . </P>

Who was supposed to play in back to the future