Occupation:
Actor
Date of Birth: July 13, 1942
Place of Birth: Chicago, Ill., USA
Sign: Sun in Cancer, Moon in Cancer
Relations: Wife (separated): Melissa Mathison (screenwriter);
ex-wife: Mary Ford; kids: Benjamin, Willard, Malcolm, Georgia; brother: Terence
Education: Ripon College, flunked out a month before graduation
By several measures the most successful actor
of his generation, Ford has turned his quiet Everyman persona into invincible
Hollywood gold, appearing in many of the most popular films of all time. Ford's
signature roles include Indiana Jones in the trilogy beginning with Raiders
of the Lost Ark (1981), Han Solo in the Star Wars (1977) trilogy,
and CIA man Jack Ryan in movies such as Clear and Present Danger (1994).
His filmography includes also: Regarding Henry, The Devil's Own (opposite
Harrison Ford), 6 Days 7 Nights
and many more.
Facts about Harrison Ford:
Sounding a lot like a broken record, Ford once
again defended the poor box-office showing of his Cold War submarine drama,
K-19: THE WIDOWMAKER, saying the movie sank with a thud on U.S. screens because
it’s a very unconventional film for American cinema, not a cowboys-and-Indians,
good guys/bad and it doesn't depend on the usual devices of submarine movies.
(September 2002)
But members of the original crew of K-19: THE
WIDOWMAKER say the portrayal of the captain as a soulless militant who is arrested
and handcuffed by his officers at one point is farcical and absurd.
Currently dating Calista Flockhart, he wants
to become the legal dad of her adopted son Liam.
Ford and Liam Neeson's new submarine nuclear
disaster movie K- 19: THE WIDOWMAKER has been attacked by the real-life Russian
seamen portrayed in the film.
Ford has been revealed as the one behind a quiet
15-year campaign to turn huge areas of the world into national parks.
(19 December 1996) Listed as one of 50 people
barred from entering Tibet. Disney clashed with Chinese officials over the film
KUNDUN (1997) which Ford's wife wrote.
(1995) Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the
100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#15).
(1998) Chosen as People Magazine's Sexiest Man
Alive.
(October 1997) Ranked #1 in Empire (UK) magazine's
The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list.
Credited with creating what many believe to be
the best scene in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) because he was suffering from
a bout of diarrhea at the time of filming: during the scene in Cairo with the
swordsman in black, the script called for a much longer fight, but because of
his condition, Harrison quietly asked director Spielberg if they could shorten
the scene. Spielberg's reply was that the only way it could be done would be
if Indy pulled out his gun and just shot the guy. The rest of the crew, not
aware of the change, laughed at this, and it remained in the final cut.
He has a species of spider named after him.
He was billed as Harrison J. Ford until 1970
for less confusion between him and a silent-screen actor Harrison Ford -- he
actually has no middle name.
His wife, Melissa, wrote the screenplay for E.T.
THE EXTA-TERRESTRIAL (1982).
In his spare time, as a hobby, is also a master
craftsman.
Listed in the 2001 Guinness Book of Records as
the richest male actor.
Private pilot, single engine fixed wing and helicopter.
Owns a Bonanza, Gulfstream IV, DeHavland Beaver, and Bell Longranger helicopter
Regularly flys himself between His New York City and Wyoming homes.
Replaced Kevin Costner for the lead in AIR FORCE
ONE (1997).
Turned down the role of Judge Wakefield in the
movie TRAFFIC (2000).
Was asked to cut his hair for AMERICAN GRAFFITI
(1973). He refused, stating that his role was too short, and offered to wear
a hat instead.
In BLADE RUNNER (1982), he takes issue with Ridley
Scott's revelation that Deckard is a replicant. We had agreed that he definitely
was not a replicant, Ford said.
In APOCALYPSE NOW (1979) Sheen's character's
name combines the names of his two eldest sons, Benjamin and Willard.
Actually owns the plane Quinn flies in SIX DAYS
SEVEN NIGHTS; a DeHavilland Beaver.
Harrison Ford turned down the role of Eliot Ness
in THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987) before Costner was signed.
Ford's fans know that his scenes were cut from
ZABRISKIE POINT (1970). But he can still be seen; if you look real quick, in
the jail scene, you will see him standing up against the back wall right by
the door.
He cut his chin in a car accident in Northern
California when he was about 20. In WORKING GIRL (1988), his character says
that he was piercing his ear as a teen, and fainted and hit his chin on the
toilet. See also: INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989).
He deliberately didn't learn his lines for the
intercom conversation in the cell block, so it would sound spontaneous (STAR
WARS (1997)).
He said he would never work with Syndey Pollack
again after RANDOM HEARTS (1999) flopped, artistically and commercially.
He was actually dragged behind the truck for
some of the shots in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK . When asked if he was worried,
Ford quipped: No. If it really was dangerous, they would have filmed more of
the movie first.
In the hospital, a voice pages Dr. Kimble. This
was Harrison Ford's wrongfully accused character in THE FUGITIVE (1993). The
TV news reader is also named Kimble (WRONGFULLY ACCUSED (1998)).
Of all of his films, Harrison Ford considers
THE MOSQUITO COAST (1986) to be his favorite.
The role of Sam Daniels in OUTBREAK (1995) was
originally intended for him.
Harrison Ford had never seen a single episode
of the TV series THE FUGITIVE (1963), upon which THE FUGITIVE (1993) was based.
In E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) he played
the school principal, but his only scene was cut as Spielberg considered his
presence would be too distracting. Ford's wife Melissa Mathison wrote the screenplay.
Was nominated for Best Actor Oscar for WITNESS
in 1986.
Recently said his acting roles have become more
diverse the older he gets.
He has declared his love for Ally McBeal star
Calista Flockhart - by getting the builders in and has added a heart-shaped
pool to his new £1.5 million mansion on the Caribbean island of Tobago.
Has told how he never thought he would make it
as a film star and that his boyhood dream was to be a coal delivery man.
He is set to reprise his role as the archeologist
in INDIANA JONES 4 in 2005 in the Steven Spielberg-directed flick - but Ford
admits he's concerned about the script.
Revealed on the David Letterman show that he
has some false teeth; 2 were pulled by a dentist after some others were damaged
when he fell on a gun during a stunt for a TV appearance early in his career.
Studied at Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin.
Personal quotes:
I'm an assistant storyteller. It's like being
a waiter or a gas-station attendant, but I'm waiting on six million people a
week, if I'm lucky.
— Harrison Ford, on being an actor
"Because young men are so goddamn disappointing!"
[on why women like older leading men]
- Harrison Ford
"I could take Sean Connery in a fight...
I could definitely take him."
- Harrison Ford
"I'm addicted to Altoids. I call them 'acting
pills.''
- Harrison Ford
"It's very little trouble for me to accomodate
[my fans], unless I'm actually taking a pee at the time."
- Harrison Ford
