Michael J. Fox inspired Matthew Perry and this is how Perry showed his gratitude

By Lisa Respers France, CNN

(CNN) — When Michael J. Fox thinks of Matthew Perry, he remembers a “funny guy” who was also generous.

Fox recently spoke of Perry, who died last month at age 54, during A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to Cure Parkinson’s Gala.

The “Back to the Future” star said he and Perry, who credited Fox as an professional inspiration, spent time together over the years playing hockey.

Fox, who has Parkinson’s disease, also shared how the “Friends” star helped his philanthropic organization get off the ground after the “Friends” cast negotiated contracts that made them welathy.

“I hope this isn’t indiscreet, but when they first made their big sale and were made millionaires for the rest of their lives, he wrote a big fat check to the foundation,” Fox said. “We were really early on and trying to find our feet, and it was such a vote of confidence.”

“And it wasn’t accompanied by any self-aggrandizing or anything. He was just like, ‘Take it and do your best.’ I loved that,” Fox added.

When Perry was promoting his then new memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing” last year, he talked about growing up when Fox was “it” in Hollywood with his hit TV series “Family Ties” and the “Back to the Future” franchise.

“I was so jealous of this guy. And he had, at the time, the No. 1 TV show and the No. 1 movie at the same time! So he was huge,” Perry said. “And I don’t know anybody else who’s done that…except me.”

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