great scott!
Actor Christopher Lloyd takes fans back in time at Comicpalooza
The actor enjoyed an epic feast at J-Bar-M Barbecue.
One of the most anticipated guests at last week’s Comicpalooza was 85-year-old actor Christopher Lloyd. He wowed fans and even stuck around the city to enjoy some barbecue.
Lloyd is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Doctor “Doc” Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy. His other credits include the television show Taxi, Clue, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Addams Family, and a criminally underrated voice actor performance as video game icon King Graham in the King’s Quest reboot in 2015. His appearance was part of a Back to the Future reunion track that included Michael J. Fox, who played Marty McFly in the trilogy.
Hundreds of fans queued up for a chance to take pictures and get autographs from the legend, many of whom had been waiting for years to meet their hero. Lloyd, a famously shy and private man, has only recently become a regular on the convention circuit, so fans were quick to take advantage of a rare appearance.
“Meeting him for me was like meeting the star of a lot of movies I liked as a teen,” says Christina Lynn Zeitman. “I have a Back to the Future poster that I want all the cast, both major and minor, to sign. Was not expecting that I’d get the two biggest stars from that franchise first!”
“Getting to meet Christopher Lloyd this weekend was a surreal experience,” says ESPN Houston’s Brad Gilmore. “I’ve spent thousands of hours watching all of his movies, discussing them, writing about them, and to be there face-to-face with the man alongside Michael J. Fox is a memory that I will forever treasure.”
On Sunday after the convention, Lloyd was the guest of honor at J-Bar-M Barbecue in EaDo. Lloyd was treated to an enormous, customized spread prepared by pitmasters Alec Varnell and Nick Orozco and chef Hector Alonso. The meats included chicken, sausage, ribs, and brisket.
The feast was held in the restaurant’s private dining room, where Lloyd took pictures and chatted with guests. He sipped specially created mocktails and enjoyed a massive Banana Pudding board topped with Reese’s Pieces, created by kitchen manager Jesus “Chuy” Cazares.
“It was an honor to host Mr. Lloyd and his family at J-Bar-M Barbecue,” general manager Hoffie Ferreira said. “He was very gracious and we hope to see him back at our restaurant in the future.”
Lloyd left a personalized note for 95-year-old restaurant owner John Toomey. J-Bar-M Barbecue also donated meals to the 500 volunteers who help make Comicpalooza happen.
Lloyd isn’t the only time traveling actor who takes the chance to visit Houston-area landmarks when they stop by Comicpalooza. In 2014, four of the actors who played the lead in Doctor Who (Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, and Paul McGann) took a field trip before the festivities started to take a personalized tour of the Johnson Space Center.
