Harrison Ford, the legendary American actor, is a household name in the entertainment industry. With a career spanning over five decades, Ford has captivated audiences with his talent, charm, and versatility on both the big screen and television.
From his iconic roles in films such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones, to his powerful performances in movies like Blade Runner and The Fugitive, Ford has solidified his status as one of the most enduring and beloved actors in Hollywood.
But there’s more to Harrison Ford than just his on-screen persona. In this article, we will delve deeper into the life and career of this extraordinary actor, uncovering some lesser-known facts that showcase his incredible journey.
From his early struggles as a carpenter to his rise to international fame, here are 10 mind-blowing and lesser-known facts about Harrison Ford that shed light on the man behind the characters we all know and love.
#1 Harrison Ford was a philosophy major in college.
Born on July 13, 1942, in Chicago, Harrison Ford comes from a family with a strong performative streak. His mother, Dorothy, was a radio actress, his father, Christopher, had dabbled in acting, and his grandfather was a vaudevillian.
In high school, Ford showcased his talents on the school’s radio station, WMTH, in Park Ridge, Illinois. He attended Ripon College, where he majored in philosophy but lost interest in academics until an acting class sparked his passion for a potential career in the arts.
After gaining some experience in summer stock theater and honing his carpentry skills—skills that would support him during leaner years—Ford set out for Hollywood in 1964, initially seeking voiceover work.
#2 Harrison Ford got his big acting break because he had to pee.
By 1966, Harrison Ford was under contract with Columbia Pictures, which kept him on standby for bit parts in films and television series like Gunsmoke and Kung-Fu. According to Ford, the Columbia deal came about due to a fortuitous turn of events involving a full bladder.
“I was extraordinarily lucky,” Ford told The Irish Times in 2011. “I had a five-minute interview. ‘How tall are you? Do you speak Spanish? Can you ride a horse? We’ll let you know.’ I went down to get the elevator, realized I had to take a pee and when I came back out the guy’s assistant was gesturing me in.
And the guy said, ‘Do you want to be under contract?’ and I said, ‘What does that mean?’ And he said, ‘$150 dollars a week.’ It took me a while to register that I wasn’t obliged to pay him $150 a week. So now I was an actor. You can’t be much luckier than that.”
#3 Harrison Ford got a little testy over Titanic.
In 1997, the film industry was abuzz with the development of James Cameron’s Titanic. Originally set for a July 2 release, rumors suggested it might move to July 25, the same date as Harrison Ford’s Air Force One.
Concerned, Ford called Viacom Entertainment Group Chairman Jonathan Dolgen to complain, citing his history with Titanic co-financier Paramount, owned by Viacom.
Ford’s manager, Patricia McQueeney, confirmed he was “definitely irritated” at the potential competition. However, Titanic wasn’t ready and was delayed until December. Air Force One opened at number one, earning $37 million that weekend and becoming one of Ford’s biggest hits.
#4 Harrison Ford has played Indiana Jones six times.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny marks the fifth film in the series, which began with 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. Harrison Ford reprised his role in 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and now, the latest installment directed by James Mangold.
However, Dial of Destiny is actually the sixth time Ford has played Jones. In 1993, he filmed a bookend sequence for The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, an ABC series featuring Sean Patrick Flanery as a younger version of the character. George Lucas noted that Ford agreed to the role as a favor to help boost the struggling show’s ratings.
“Harrison was very nervous about the show when I first proposed it to him,” Lucas told The Los Angeles Times. “But since he’s seen the show, he’s been very pleased. If he had not liked the show, he wouldn’t have done this favor for me.” The series was canceled later that year.
#5 Harrison Ford narrated a Star Wars trailer that fooled George Lucas.
Harrison Ford initially went to Hollywood seeking voiceover work, which didn’t turn out as planned. However, he did end up narrating the trailer for 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, sounding unusually animated.
According to the film’s editor, Paul Hirsch, he needed a voiceover for a trailer and convinced Ford to do it in an exaggerated, newsreel-era style as a joke.
When Hirsch sent the footage and audio to George Lucas, the filmmaker loved it, not realizing it was Ford. You can hear Ford’s upbeat narration in the trailer.
#6 Harrison Ford nearly played Dr. Alan Grant in “Jurassic Park.”
Harrison Ford, known for his roles in major franchises like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Blade Runner, and Jack Ryan, is set to replace the late William Hurt as General Thunderbolt Ross in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Captain America: New World Order. However, he nearly starred in another iconic franchise: Jurassic Park.
At a 2011 Raiders of the Lost Ark screening, Ford joked about working with Steven Spielberg only for Indiana Jones films. Spielberg responded, “I gotta correct this. Do you know who I offered Jurassic Park to? This guy. Alan Grant, I first offered to this guy.”
Though it’s unclear why Ford didn’t take the role, fans are grateful as it led to Sam Neill‘s unforgettable performance.
#7 Harrison Ford’s carpentry talents landed him the role of Han Solo.
One of Harrison Ford’s most iconic roles is Han Solo in the Star Wars movies, which he landed thanks to his carpentry skills.
At Star Wars Celebration 2017, George Lucas revealed that casting director Fred Roos had Ford pretend to build something outside Lucas’s office to catch his attention. However, Ford insists he was genuinely working.
“Rubbish! I was actually installing a door for Francis Ford Coppola as a favor to his art director,” Ford explained.
“I said, ‘I’ll do it but only at night because I don’t want people walking through while I’m working.’ I was actually there working. I wouldn’t sit out in front and wait for you, George! I love you, but I don’t wait out front!”
#8 Carrie Fisher said she had an affair with Harrison Ford while filming “Star Wars.”
It’s not surprising but quite interesting: the on-screen chemistry between Han Solo and Princess Leia in 1977’s Star Wars likely stemmed from a real-life fling between Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher during filming.
Despite Ford being married to Mary Marquardt at the time, Fisher revealed the affair while promoting her 2016 book, The Princess Diarist. She told People magazine, “It was so intense. It was Han and Leia during the week, and Carrie and Harrison during the weekend.”
In her book, Fisher wrote, “I looked over at Harrison. A hero’s face—a few strands of hair fell over his noble, slightly furrowed brow. How could you ask such a shining specimen of a man to be satisfied with the likes of me?”
She added, “I was so inexperienced, but I trusted something about him. He was kind.”
#9 Harrison Ford rescued a lost boy scout in 2001.
No, this isn’t a deleted plot from an Indiana Jones movie: Harrison Ford rescued a lost Boy Scout in 2001.
Thirteen-year-old Cody Clawson went missing for 18 hours near Yellowstone National Park and had to sleep in a cave overnight due to the weather.
“It rained and sleeted that night. It was pretty scary,” Clawson recalled.
The next morning, Clawson used his belt buckle to signal planes and helicopters overhead.
“I started looking for an open place where I could signal them. I used my belt buckle to reflect the sunlight. They saw it and landed.”
The pilot who noticed him turned out to be Harrison Ford. “He said, ‘Good morning,’ and I recognized his voice from Star Wars,” Clawson said.
“He asked how I was doing and said, ‘You certainly should have earned a merit badge for this.'”
#10 Harrison Ford also rescued a woman who got stuck on Table Mountain.
Harrison Ford’s aviation skills came to the rescue again in 2000 when Sarah Hurst got stuck on Wyoming’s Table Mountain due to altitude sickness. Her friend Megan called for help, and a helicopter arrived piloted by none other than Ford himself.
Hurst told Entertainment Tonight that she didn’t recognize him at first. “It totally threw me off — he was wearing a Dallas Cowboys baseball cap. I thought, ‘I don’t know any football players.'”
Unfortunately, Hurst got nauseous and threw up in the helicopter. “I did get nauseous and threw up in the helicopter. Which was his. Luckily, I made it into a hat,” she said.
Thankfully, it wasn’t Ford’s Dallas Cowboys hat. Once again, Ford proved to be a hero off-screen.
