Harrison Ford
The fedora-wearing archaeologist who defined a generation of adventure cinema.
Harrison Ford is the actor who brought Dr. Henry 'Indiana' Jones to life, defining the archetype of the rugged archaeologist for generations. Born July 13, 1942, Ford played the role from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). Raiders of the Lost Ark, a collaboration between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, solidified his status as a leading actor and gave him his second franchise role after Han Solo.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 13 July 1942
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor
- Years active
- 1964–present
- Political party
- Democratic
- Children
- 5
Lore & Background
Both Spielberg and Lucas were hesitant to cast Ford at first; Lucas because he had already worked with him on American Graffiti and Star Wars. Lucas and Spielberg first cast Tom Selleck, but CBS refused to release Selleck from his commitment to Magnum, P.I.; Lucas then relented, and Spielberg did too after considering Ford's performance in The Empire Strikes Back. Ford reprised the role in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and the Last Crusade (1989), returned in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), the first Indiana Jones film in 19 years, and played it last in the Dial of Destiny.
Reader's Guide
Harrison Ford was not the first choice for the role: Tom Selleck was cast first. Selleck had to withdraw because of his contract for Magnum, P.I., and Ford was cast instead. In Raiders, Jones shoots a Cairo swordsman instead of fighting him: Ford was suffering from dysentery and could not perform for long, so the planned fight scene was shortened.
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