Harrison Ford is one of the most famous actors in Hollywood. He gained popularity for his play in the Star Wars trilogy and Indiana Jones. Ford contributed greatly not only to the development of the film industry but also to the preservation of the environment. Read more about his life and career at chicago-trend.com.
CHILDHOOD AND EDUCATION
Harrison Ford was born on July 13, 1943, in Chicago. His mother, Dorothy, was a homemaker who was engaged in raising children, while his father, Christopher Ford, worked as an advertising executive and actor.
In 1960, Harrison graduated from Maine East High School in Park Ridge. He then entered Ripon College in Wisconsin. There, he joined the Sigma Nu fraternity, remaining its member for some time. Being very shy, Harrison began attending a theater group to overcome this feature.
MOVIE CAREER
In 1964, Harrison moved to Los Angeles with a dream to become a radio announcer. However, life had other plans for him, and in 1966, he signed to Columbia Pictures. He played his debut role as a call boy in the film Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round.
From 1960 to 1970, Ford worked on several TV shows such as Gunsmoke, Ironside, The Virginian, Love, American Style and others. At the same time, he was actively engaged in carpentry, which provided him with an additional source of income.
At the end of the 1970s, the actor’s career began to progress actively. Producers invited him to star in their films. In the early 1980s, Harrison collaborated with Ridley Scott, Roman Polanski and others. During this period, the actor appeared in such movies as The Mosquito Coast and Frantic.
In the early 1990s, Ford acted in the movies of Tom Clancy, Alan Pakula and Sydney Pollack. Later, this period was recognized as the most profitable in the actor’s career. From 1977 to 1997, Harrison starred in 14 movies that topped the annual box office rankings. Six movies that featured the actor became Oscar nominees.
The most successful works with the participation of the actor include Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and Star Wars Holiday Special. The last trilogy raised around $2.7 billion worldwide.
Co-sequels to Indiana Jones by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, which featured Ford, grossed about $279 million.
The actor’s awards deserve special attention. For his role in the film Witness (1985), Ford was nominated for an Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe for Best Actor.
In 1997, Empire magazine included Harrison in the list of the 100 greatest movie stars of all time. He received the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 and the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2002. In 2006, Ford got the Jules Verne Award for his efforts to preserve the planet.
PERSONAL LIFE OF HARRISON FORD
Mary Marquardt became the first wife of the actor. They had two sons. Unfortunately, the couple divorced. The second partner of the actor was Melissa Mathison, with whom he also had two children. The second marriage lasted quite a while but still ended.
In 2002, Ford started dating Calista Flockhart. They got married in 2010 and adopted a boy.
INTERESTING FACTS
- Harrison accomplished heroic feats not only on screen but also in real life. The actor saved many people, including two persons near Table Mountain in Wyoming and a boy who got lost in the area of Yellowstone National Park using his helicopter.
- Species of ants and spiders were named in honor of the actor: Pheidole harrisonfordi and Calponia harrisonfordi.
- Ford was a representative of a Japanese beer brand. Throughout history, Hollywood stars often appeared in Japanese commercials. For example, Sylvester Stallone advertised sausages, while Ford promoted a beer company.
People from all over the globe enjoy watching films with Harrison Ford, which shows how talented he is.
