Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg (born December 18, 1946) directed the first four Indiana Jones films, from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). George Lucas conceived the character and story and was executive producer; Raiders' screenplay was by Lawrence Kasdan from a story by Lucas and Philip Kaufman.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Steven Allan Spielberg
- Born
- 18 December 1946
- Birthplace
- Cincinnati, Ohio, US
- Education
- California State University, Long Beach (BA)
- Occupation
- Director
- producer
- screenwriter
- Organization
- Amblin Entertainment
- Amblin Partners
- DreamWorks Pictures
- Years active
- 1959–present
- Children
- 6, including Sasha, Sawyer, and Destry
Lore & Background
In the annals of cinema history, Steven Spielberg stands as the architect of the Indiana Jones saga. Raiders was shot at Elstree Studios in England and on location in La Rochelle, Tunisia and Hawaii, which stood in for the opening's Peru.
Reader's Guide
For Kingdom of the Crystal Skull the crew relied on traditional stunt work instead of computer-generated stunt doubles. Spielberg at first hesitated to cast Harrison Ford and relented after Tom Selleck was unable to take the role and after considering Ford's performance in The Empire Strikes Back. Raiders was shot at Elstree Studios in England and on location mainly in La Rochelle, Tunisia and Hawaii. Raiders of the Lost Ark began a franchise of four more films: Temple of Doom (1984), Last Crusade (1989), Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) and Dial of Destiny (2023).
Did You Know?
- Spielberg intended to direct Rain Man but made Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade instead to meet his contractual obligations.
- Spielberg was initially set to direct the fifth film, the Dial of Destiny, but stepped down in 2020, and James Mangold took over.
More in Production & Legacy
Elsewhere in Indiana Jones
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced