Jennifer Parker

BttFCharacter


Claudia Wells as Jennifer Parker
name=Jennifer Jane Parker
role=Marty's girlfriend
profession=High school student
time=1985 / 2015
timetraveler=Yes
yearsvisited=2015, 1985A
movies="Part I", "Part II", "Part III", ""
film=Claudia Wells / Elisabeth Shue
tv=Cathy Cavadini

Jennifer Jane Parker is a fictional character in the "Back to the Future" motion picture trilogy. The character has been played by two actresses in the movies and voiced by a third in the spin-off series. Jennifer is always a secondary character in the stories, the girlfriend of the protagonist Marty McFly.

Character history

The character of Jennifer Parker was called Suzy Parker in the original script of "Back to the Future". [ [http://www.scifiscripts.com/scripts/back_to_the_future_original_draft.html Early script of "Back to the Future"] Marty tears the page out of his textbook and winks at SUZY PARKER, the cute girl across the aisle and behind him.] Movie director Robert Zemeckis changed the character's name to Jennifer after attorney Larry H. Parker's daughter, in gratitude, as Mr. Parker was instrumental in settling a copyright infringement suit in favor of Mr. Zemeckis.Fact|date=February 2007

The character was played by Claudia Wells in "Back to the Future". [imdb name|id=0920148|name=Claudia Wells] . Wells was not available to film the sequels for personal reasons [ [http://www.bttf.com/film_faq.htm "Back to the Future" Frequently Asked Questions] at BTTF.com.] , and the role was recast to Elisabeth Shue. [imdb name | id=0000223 | name=Elisabeth Shue] Consequently, the final scene of "Back to the Future", which leads to "Back to the Future Part II" and which is shown at the beginning of that movie, had to be re-shot with Shue taking Wells' place. Finally, in the spin-off "", Jennifer was voiced by Cathy Cavadini. [imdb name|id=0146681|name=Cathy Cavadini]

Melora Hardin was at first chosen to play Jennifer Parker, but had to be let go because she was found to be taller than Michael J Fox, who replaced Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly. The producers felt that Marty McFly's girlfriend needed to be of equal or shorter height or the pairing would not look aesthetically appealing. Hence, she was replaced with Claudia Wells, who had no such height issues compared to Michael J Fox.Fact|date=October 2007

Biography

According to a police officer in "Back to the Future Part II", Jennifer Parker was born in 1968. [ [http://members.lycos.co.uk/hillvalley/bttf2.htm "Back to the Future Part II"] Officer Reese: McFly, Jennifer Jane Parker. 3793 Oakhurst St, Hilldale. Age 47.] In 1985, she is attending the Hill Valley High School, along with her boyfriend Marty. [ [http://members.lycos.co.uk/hillvalley/bttf1.htm "Back to the Future"] Cut to outside Hill Valley High School. JENNIFER is waiting at the door.]

At the end of "Back to the Future", Emmett Brown takes her and Marty to the future, to 2015. While there, Jennifer gets a glimpse of her grim future with Marty. By overhearing the discussion of other characters, she learns that Marty had an accident that ruined his life. [ [http://members.lycos.co.uk/hillvalley/bttf2.htm "Back to the Future Part II"] Lorraine: If not for that accident, your father's life would have turned out very different.] Jennifer married him out of pity rather than love, [ [http://members.lycos.co.uk/hillvalley/bttf2.htm "Back to the Future Part II"] Lorraine: I think the real reason your mother married him was because she felt sorry for him.] in a ceremony her time-travelling self is horrified to learn about. [ [http://members.lycos.co.uk/hillvalley/bttf2.htm "Back to the Future Part II"] Jennifer: (horrified) I get married in the Chapel of Love?] The original script of "Back to the Future Part II" had an even bleaker future for Marty and Jennifer. In that version of the movie, Marty's obsession with get-rich-quick schemes is dragging his family into debt, while Jennifer struggles to make ends meet. [ [http://www.bttf.com/scripts/Number_Two.pdf Early script of "Back to the Future Part II"] Jennifer: And now that I've cleared our credit rating, you're trying to put us back into debt with your psychic lottery connections.] Jennifer had to become a security guard, and developed a drinking problem. [ [http://www.bttf.com/scripts/Number_Two.pdf Early script of "Back to the Future Part II"] Old Jennifer, 47, wears a SECURITY GUARD UNIFORM! The years have not been kind, and the booze hasn't helped, either.] As her younger self looks on, Jennifer announces that she is divorcing Marty. [ [http://www.bttf.com/scripts/Number_Two.pdf Early script of "Back to the Future Part II"] Jennifer: It means divorce. I've filed. It becomes final at midnight tomorrow.] However, this dark future was undone at the end of "Back to the Future Part III", and the new future of Jennifer and Marty is unknown. [ [http://members.lycos.co.uk/hillvalley/bttf3.htm "Back to the Future Part III"] Jennifer: I brought this note back from the future and...now it's erased! Doc: Of course it's erased! Jennifer: But what does that mean? Doc: It means that your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is whatever you make it.]

Family

Unlike Marty McFly's family, which is followed in great detail in the "Back to the Future" series, very little is known about Jennifer's family. Her father is briefly seen in a car in "Back to the Future", when he comes to pick her up, but remains unnamed. [ [http://members.lycos.co.uk/hillvalley/bttf1.htm "Back to the Future"] They're just about to kiss when a car pulls up and honks the horn. It's Jennifer's Dad, MR PARKER.] It is also established that at least one of Jennifer's grandmothers is still alive. Although she remains unseen and unnamed in the movies, the dialogue mentions her. [ [http://members.lycos.co.uk/hillvalley/bttf1.htm "Back to the Future"] Jennifer: I'll be at my grandma's. Here, let me give you the number.] Jennifer's grandfather is never seen in the movies, however an early version of the script of "Back to the Future Part II" mentions that his name was Norman. [http://www.bttf.com/scripts/Number_Two.pdf Early script of "Back to the Future Part II"] Jennifer: I always wanted to name my son Norman--after my grandpa.]

The "Animated Series" episode "A Friend in Deed" established that Jennifer lives with her family on a ranch. The deed to the ranch was owned by Biff Tannen, after one of his ancestors forced Jennifer's great-great-grandfather to sign it over by holding Jennifer's great-great-grandmother hostage. In the episode, Marty travels back in time to 1875 and sabotages the deal. [ [http://www.tv.com/back-to-the-future/a-friend-in-deed/episode/171498/recap.html A Friend in Deed] episode recap at TV.com.] It is worth noting, however, that the canonicity of the "Animated Series" is contested. [ [http://www.bttf.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-20360.html Is the animated series canon in relation to the films?] fan debate in the forum of [http://www.bttf.com/ BTTF.com] , an infotainment site.]

In the future witnessed in "Back to the Future Part II", Jennifer and Marty had two children, Marlene [ [http://members.lycos.co.uk/hillvalley/bttf2.htm "Back to the Future Part II"] Upstairs, a teenage girl, MARLENE, can be seen walking around.] and Marty Jr. [ [http://members.lycos.co.uk/hillvalley/bttf2.htm "Back to the Future Part II"] Doc looks at a woman walking down it, then MARTY MCFLY JUNIOR walks past her.] According to the "Animated Series" episode "Solar Sailor", she also has a great-granddaughter, Marta McFly, in the year 2091. [ [http://www.tv.com/back-to-the-future/solar-sailors/episode/171490/recap.html Solar Sailors] episode recap at TV.com.]

References

External links

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