Harrison Ford’s life reads like a true Hollywood script. The future actor earned a living as a carpenter and had no idea that his name would become globally recognized thanks to his brilliant roles in “Star Wars” and the legendary saga of Indiana Jones’s adventures. As reported by chicagovski.
Harrison Ford’s Early Interests
The future star was born in Chicago on July 13, 1942. Harrison and his younger brother, Terence, were raised by former actors, a background that certainly influenced his eventual career choice.
Even during his school years, Harrison Ford tried his hand as a radio host and sports commentator. After graduating, the young man enrolled in a philosophy course at Ripon College. The acting profession always appealed to him, but his natural shyness kept him from overcoming his fear of public performance. Therefore, during his final year of college, Harrison Ford began taking acting lessons.
Early Stabs at an Acting Career
In the 1960s, Harrison Ford decided to seek his fortune in Hollywood. The young actor managed to secure his first contract with Columbia Pictures, though his salary at the time was only $150 a week.
He later moved to Universal Studios, where he landed his first minor role in the film “Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round.” However, studio producers were unimpressed with Ford’s talent and even predicted his acting career would fail.
The prolonged lack of successful projects deeply frustrated the young actor, leading him to start earning a living through carpentry. Yet, in 1973, Harrison Ford landed his first significant role in the film “American Graffiti.” This was followed by minor roles in Francis Ford Coppola’s films “The Conversation” and “Apocalypse Now.”
The Role That Changed Everything
In 1977, producer George Lucas invited Harrison Ford to play the role of Han Solo in the film “Star Wars.” Interestingly, the actor didn’t immediately accept the role in the space saga, as the salary was quite low: $1,000 per day of shooting. Nevertheless, the charismatic scoundrel played by Ford won the hearts of millions of viewers. The subsequent installments of the saga, “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi,” cemented Harrison Ford’s status as a Hollywood superstar.
Later in interviews, the actor recalled that at the time of filming the first “Star Wars” movie, he wasn’t focused on the film’s potential success. Instead, Harrison Ford felt immense gratitude toward George Lucas, who had changed his life forever.
The 1980s were among the most successful years of his career. In 1981, he starred as the brave archaeologist Indiana Jones in Steven Spielberg’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” The film was a phenomenal success. Harrison Ford later starred in the sequels to the talented archaeologist’s adventures: “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”
The science-fiction film “Blade Runner,” featuring the actor, entered the golden treasury of world cinema classics.
Harrison Ford also played key roles in films such as “Presumed Innocent,” “Hollywood Homicide,” “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” “Cowboys & Aliens,” “Ender’s Game,” “Paranoia,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “The Call of the Wild,” and many others.
Marriage and Children
Harrison Ford met his first wife, Mary Marquardt, in college. The couple was married from 1964 to 1979 and had two sons. However, the marriage couldn’t withstand his rapid rise to stardom, and the couple divorced the year “Star Wars” was released.
Later, while filming “Apocalypse Now” in 1979, Harrison Ford met screenwriter Melissa Mathison. The couple had two children in their second marriage—a daughter, Georgia, and a son, Malcolm. However, the couple officially divorced in 2004, in what became one of Hollywood’s most expensive splits.
Melissa Mathison and Harrison Ford did not have a prenuptial agreement, so the actor had to pay his ex-wife $85 million and a portion of his future earnings from the Indiana Jones films.
Harrison Ford’s third wife was actress Calista Flockhart, who starred in the TV series “Ally McBeal.” The Hollywood star met his future wife in 2002 at the Golden Globe Awards ceremony. After that, Harrison Ford was often seen with the actress on red carpets and on outings with Flockhart’s adopted son. In 2009, the couple married in Santa Fe, where Ford was filming “Cowboys & Aliens” at the time.
The celebrity couple raises the actress’s adopted son, Liam, together. Harrison Ford is a wonderful father and grandfather, and his family members often accompany him at public events. The actor and his family reside on a ranch in Wyoming. In his free time, Harrison Ford enjoys farming and flying planes.
Interesting Facts About Harrison Ford’s Life
For his work in one of his most popular projects—the seventh episode of “Star Wars”—Harrison Ford received the highest salary among the cast. To persuade the actor to return to the role of the legendary Han Solo, producers had to pay him at least $25 million plus a percentage of the film’s box office revenue.
In the early 2000s, the actor rescued a 20-year-old woman from certain death. She had gotten lost in the mountains of Wyoming and signaled for help. Harrison Ford was the first to respond to the call and saved the stranger. Interestingly, the woman did not recognize the famous actor as her rescuer.
Harrison Ford has a noticeable scar on his chin, which he got in his 20s. However, this didn’t stop him from building a successful career. For example, the natural scar even enhanced the look of Indiana Jones, whom Harrison Ford brought to the screen. According to the screenwriters’ concept, the archaeologist got the scar in his youth as a result of an unsuccessful attempt with a whip.
The actor was offered the leading roles in such famous films as “Vanilla Sky,” “Jurassic Park,” “The Patriot,” and “The Perfect Storm.” However, Harrison Ford turned down roles in films that later became Hollywood blockbusters.
In 2015, the actor nearly died in a plane crash. While engaging in one of his favorite pastimes—flying a plane—he experienced engine trouble. Harrison Ford was forced to make an emergency landing on a golf course in California. As a result of the plane hitting the ground, the actor sustained multiple injuries, but doctors were able to fully restore the Hollywood star’s health.
Harrison Ford holds two positions simultaneously on the list of the greatest movie heroes compiled by the American Film Institute. Han Solo, as played by the actor, is in fourteenth place, and the popular archaeologist Indiana Jones is in second place.
It’s worth noting that throughout his long and successful career, Harrison Ford has avoided scandal and has always been characterized by his humility and loyal attitude toward colleagues and directors.
Even in his mature years, Harrison Ford frequently takes on diverse roles in films and TV series, demonstrating yet again that age is no reason to abandon one’s passion. Specifically, the actor is starring in the series “Shrinking” and is planning more and more new roles.