Harrison Ford Biography

Harrison Ford was born on July 13, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, to Dorothy (nee Dora Nidelman), a homemaker and former radio actress, and Christopher Ford, an advertising executive and a former actor. He is of Irish Catholic and Russian Jewish ancestry.

In 1960, Harrison Ford graduated from Maine East High School in Park Ridge, Illinois, and attended Ripon College in Wisconsin, where he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. To overcome his shyness, he took a drama class in the final quarter of his senior year.

In 1964, Harrison Ford travelled to Los Angeles to find job opportunities in radio voice-overs. Two years later, he landed his first bit role as a bellboy in ‘Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round’. As a result of offending producer Jerry Tokovsky, he found little luck in minor roles as well.

Harrison Ford's first credited role was the 1967 Western film A Time for Killing.

Harrison Ford played significant roles in the super hits of the 70s: American Graffiti, Conversation, Apocalyse Now, Heroes, Force 10 from Navarone, Hanover Street, and The Frisco Kid (1979).

The 80s saw the second wave of hits from collaborations with Ridley Scott, Peter Weir, Roman Polanski, etc. Some of the hits include Blade Runner, Witness, The Mosquito Coast, and Frantic.

Harrison Ford’s work during the late 90s and early 2000s are best forgotten. They include Six Days Seven Nights, Random Hearts, K-19: The Widowmaker, Hollywood Homicide, Firewall, etc.

In addition to working in Crossing Over, and the documentary Dalai Lama Renaissance, Harrison Ford starred in 2008’s second-highest grossing film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

In 2011, he starred alongside Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde in the wildly successful science-fiction Western Cowboys & Aliens. To promote the film, the actor appeared hand-cuffed and led by security guards at the San Diego Comic-Con International, as though he was being dragged to the event against his will.

Harrison Ford reprised the role of Han Solo in the Star Wars Episode VII.

Ford has two sons through Mary Marquardt (Benjamin and Willard). Through his second wife, Melissa Mathison, he has two children—Malcolm, who is an actor and musician and Georgia, who is an actress. He is currently married to Calista Flockhart; the couple adopted a son, Liam. He also has three grandchildren.

Harrison Ford is a licensed pilot and has a passion for aviation, owning several planes and helicopters.

He once worked as a carpenter before finding success as an actor, including doing woodworking for well-known director George Lucas.