Harrison Ford's Iconic Characters

by Helen Earnshaw | 15 August 2011

Harrison Ford in Cowboys & Aliens

An actor is lucky if they land a role that becomes and icon of cinema… Harrison Ford on the other hand is an actor who has enjoyed quite a few during his lengthy career.

He returns to the big screen this week as he teams up with Daniel Craig and director Jon Favreau for Cowboys and Aliens.

So to celebrate the release of the movie we take a look at some of Ford’s most iconic roles.

- Han Solo

Ford has already had a ten years career before the role of Han Solo came along in 1977’s A New Hope - it was to be a character than changed the path of his career.

Captain of the Millennium Falcon at the beginning of the franchise Solo, and Chewbacca are trying to play off a debt to Jabba the Hutt before they cross paths with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker.

As the franchise continues Solo becomes involved in the Rebel Alliance and the fight against the Empire.

Ford would reprise the role on two more occasions over the next six years The Empire Strike Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983) in what was to be one of the most popular and celebrated franchises of all time.

- Indiana Jones

In 1981 he took on the role of Indiana Jones, a character that was to become equally as well loved as another franchise was born.

Directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by George Lucas Raider of the Lost Ark was released in 1981 as we were introduced to the fedora wearing, bull whip welding professor & archaeologist for the very first time.

Made on a budget of just $20 million the film was the biggest grossing picture of 1981 earning $384 million at the global box office.

Temple of Doom followed in 1984 and The Last Crusade five years later before a hiatus of almost twenty years.

In 2008 Ford reprised the role in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - which went on to be the biggest grossing film of the franchise as it took in excess of $786 million at the global box office. A fifth film is believed to be in the pipeline.

- Rick Deckard

While Ford was enjoying huge success in both Star Wars and Indiana Jones he took on another movie that he will forever be remembered.

He teamed up with Ridley Scott to play Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, which was loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick.

Deckard, a blade runner, has to track down and terminate 4 replicants who hijacked a ship in space and have returned to earth seeking their maker.

However the movie did not perform well at the box office - but, over the years the movie has become a cult classic and Deckard one of Ford’s most famous characters.

Today Blade Runner is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

- Jack Ryan

In 1992 he took on Jack Ryan, a character created by Tom Clancy, in the big screen adaptation of Patriot Games.

When CIA Analyst Jack Ryan interferes with an IRA assassination, a renegade faction targets him and his family for revenge.

It was movie that was surrounded in controversy due to the difference between the film and the book. Despite this the movie topped the box office.

He reprised the role two years later in Clear And Present Danger.

Other high profile roles for Ford include Dr. Richard Kimble in The Fugitive, Linus Larrabee in Sabrina and President James Marshall in Air Force One.