London Academy of Media Film TV

EARLY LIFE

Harrison Ford was born to a Irish–German Catholic father and Russian Jewish mother on 13 July, 1948, in Chicago, Illinois. His maternal descendants migrated from Minsk, Belarus. Ford has one brother, Terence Ford, who was also an actor, but then changed careers to become a photographer at the age of forty. Ford was educated at Maine East High School in Park Ridge, Illinois, where he became the first student anchor for the new radio station at his school. Ford continued his education at Ripon College in Wisconsin where he  joined acting and late summer stock, but he dropped out early and decided to move to Los Angeles, California.

Harrison Ford

FILM CAREER

Ford was first signed with Columbia Pictures and received $150 a week in the New Talent Program contract playing characters with unaccredited roles from year 1963 – 1967 in The Great Escape, Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round, The Long Ride Home and Luv. His first credited role was as Harrison J. Ford in 1967 playing in A Time for Killing. Having been aware that there was an actor named Harrison Ford who died in 1957, Ford used the same name and signed with Universal Studios taking small roles in television programs such as Gunsmoke, Ironside, The Virginian, The FBI, Love, American Style, Kung Fu, and in the movies Journey to Shiloh and Zabriskie Point. Feeling unsatisfied with his unaccredited roles, Ford changed to be professional carpenter for a living and worked as a stage hand for a rock band, The Doors. He started to build for celebrities and a luck was on his side when George Lucas cast him for American Graffiti in 1973, The Conversation (1974) and Apocalypse Now (1979) after worked to build George’s cabinet at his home.

George Lucas was the key for Ford’s success. He was the person who cast Ford as Han Solo in Star Wars (1977) which later became a major success all around the world. Ford also starred its sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978). It was George who also brought Ford to Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), the prequel Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and the sequel Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). He also appeared in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1993) made as TV programs and the last movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008).

Harrison Ford

During year 1977 until early 2000, Ford appeared in plenty of movies. He played a role in Heroes (1977), Force 10 from Navarone (1979), Hanover Street (1979), The Frisco Kid (1979), and Blade Runner (1982). In 1985 he was nominated for the Best Actor for an Academy Award and BAFTA, and Golden Globe in the film Witness, and another Golden Globe nomination for The Mosquito Coast in 1986. His next movie was Frantic (1988).

Ford was known as an actor who would choose a smart character rather than playing as muscular role because he had endured painful actions in the movies. His appearances next were in Patriot Games (1992), Clear and Present Danger (1994), Presumed Innocent (1990), The Devil’s Own (1997), The Fugitive (1993), remake of Sabrina (1995) and Air Force One (1997), also in drama What Lies beneath (2000). Ford, unfortunately, has chosen disappointing movies in recent years which has made his fame shine less bright than before. He performed in Six Days Seven Nights (1998), Random Hearts (1999), K-19: The Windowmaker (2002), Hollywood Homicide (2003), Firewall (2006) and Extraordinary Measures (2009). His last movie was Morning Glory (2010).

PERSONAL LIFE

Ford has been married three times. His first wife was Marry Marquardt, and their marriage ended in 1979. His second marriage was with Melissa Mathison which also ended up in divorce in 2004. Ford is currently married to Calista Flockhart whom he married in 2010. Ford also took part in nature conservation by joining Conservation International and EarthShare. Ford was known as fellow of former US President, Bill Clinton. He was also the one who narrated Dalai Lama Renaissance in order to support the independence of Tibet.

Don’t delay your dream – try acting today at London Academy

Share on Facebook