Actor Profile: Harrison Ford

"I'm like old shoes. I've never been hip. I think the reason I'm still here is that I was never enough in fashion that I had to be replaced by something new."
-Harrison Ford

With nearly 60 projects under his belt, Harrison Ford still remains a bit of a mystery in Hollywood. Not normally someone seen on the cover of tabloids, Ford prefers to let his work and his life speak for him. Arguably one of the most recognized faces in movies, he is most well known for two roles. First, as the arrogant space smuggler Han Solo in the original Star Wars Trilogy, and second as Dr. Indiana Jones in the trilogy of the same name. Add to that impressive turns in a host of other movies, and you've got yourself a bonafide star whose films have grossed about three billion dollars. Yeah, that's billion.

According to an interview with Parade, Ford never planned on being a movie star. His ambition was to be a character actor who disappeared into his roles. When Star Wars came though, he found himself in a whole new place. What you might not know is that Ford wasn't the first choice for Han Solo. Other actors, such as Al Pacino and Burt Reynolds, are rumored to have turned down the now infamous part. Kurt Russell, Nick Nolte, and Christopher Walken were also candidates. Ford read for the part along with countless others, but simply wasn't considered until Lucas realized that he was in fact the perfect man for the job. Hard to imagine anyone else now though, right? Nine of Ford's films have grossed over 100 million movies thanks to the quality he first showed in Star Wars. The approachable, familiar hero with a ready smile and a heart of gold even if he doesn't always want you to see it.

What you might not know about Harrison Ford is his passionate commitment to the environment. For years now, he has quietly become a supporter of many environmental groups and lent his voice to commercials for the group EarthShare. In the same interview with Parade, he says this about his environmental passions. " We are suffering a cycle of extinction and losing species at a rate that has not been seen before, and it is all the result of human interference. I don't think I can fix the world, but I think it's our duty to attend to it and help in whatever way we can."

While he may not be a guy who expected to be a star, Ford has done what few leading men in Hollywood can claim. He's approached his success and his life gracefully and has stayed true to himself despite what the world might like him to be. Next up for Ford is the final chapter in the Indiana Jones saga, and after that it's likely that the fedora and bullwhip will be hung up permanently. Before he does though, a Hollywood icon will remind all of us how to truly be a hero in the movies.


Some trivia about Ford's most noted films and characters:

Indiana Jones:

George Lucas originally wanted to call his daring archeologist "Indiana Smith". Partner Steven Speilberg thought it sounded too mundane which was why it was changed to Jones.

Ford had to outrun a 300 pound boulder ten times before the shot was finally captured for the amazing opening sequence in "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

In 1989, one of Indiana Jones' bullwhips was sold at auction for 43, 000 dollars.

Tom Sellck was originally cast as Indiana, but due to a television commitment chose to turn down the part. It turned out that if he'd wanted to, Selleck could have done both the film and the TV show.

Han Solo and the Star Wars Trilogy:

The Millennium Falcon was originally modeled after a hamburger with an olive next to it.

Ford deliberately didn't learn his lines for the intercom conversation in the cell block, so it would sound spontaneous.

In the famous scene right when Han is frozen, he replies "I know" to Leia's "I love you". Originally, the scene was shot with Han replying "I love you, too", however, Harrison Ford didn't think that it fit Han's personality. George Lucas agrees, and Ford ad-libbed his now famous line.

The sound of Darth Vader's shuttle door opening is reportedly a recording of a whole block of Alcatraz cell doors slamming shut.

(Thanks to HarrisonFordWeb.com and IMDB for information on Ford and his films.)

-Jenn Untch
Liberty, Missouri
indigojenn at earthlink dot net
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