HAPPY 70TH BIRTHDAY, HARRISON FORD!

Ford in the role that started it all: Han Solo.

"Harrison wasn't high on George's list. He didn't know him like I did. But I thought he was going to be a star... He reminds me of Humphrey Bogart-tough, cynical, totally capable of taking care of himself. And maybe there's a little Clark Gable in there, too."

STAR WARS casting adviser Fred Roos on Harrison Ford as Han Solo

"Harrison Ford was by far the best. Within a minute or two of him being on screen you got a whole sense of a lot of backstory with him. Part of it's just his physical ruggedness, but part of it is also the sly intelligence he keeps projecting."

George Lucas on Ford as Solo

"When I heard him say, 'Keed, I been from one sida this galaxy to the other', I thought, "Oh jeez, this guy's just got every good line""

Mark Hamill - Photoplay magazine 1978

Back in action for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

"I never had the chance to work as much as I wanted to until STAR WARS. Suddenly offers were coming in. I went to work with a vengeance. When the sequel idea (EMPIRE) came up I didn't resist it: three films in a row seemed a damned good idea at that point."

Harrison Ford in 1988 on the STAR WARS sequels

"Han Solo steals the show. Mr Ford slips easily into the film's comic-book conventional style, and he also brings an air of tragedy to Han's fate."

Janet Maslin -New York Times newspaper review of EMPIRE - 1980

Ford and Carrie Fisher have fun in the Redwoods, during the 1982 filming of RETURN OF THE JEDI.

"Well, I was never presented with a fourth STAR WARS movie in which Han Solo appeared and I did think the character itself was relatively thin. I would have liked to have seen more complication for the character if there had been a fourth. The only complication I argued for and didn't get was to die at the end of the third one. I thought that would have given the whole film a bottom, but I couldn't talk George into that."


Harrison Ford on Han Solo's fate and a future that never was - Empire magazine interview 2006

As intrepid archeologist Indiana Jones in INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. 

"I saw Harrison in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and said to George, 'He's been right under our nose all along!'"

Steven Spielberg on the joy of discovering Harrison Ford for RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK


"I'm sure it's not dangerous. If it was they could have waited 'till we got more of the movie done."

Harrison Ford on the filming of RAIDERS classic truck chase - 1980


"He's a very physical actor, a natural athlete and he wants to do it all. I say to him, "H, we cannot afford to get you smashed up in this scene because we've got a whole crew here that needs to make a living". And he says: "Yes, you're right" and does the scene anyway."

Vic Armstrong- Ford's long-time Indy stunt double, and Stunt co-ordinator/director, on working with Harrison.

A memorable UK art piece for Harrison/Indy from INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE.

The most successful worldwide Box Office star of all time, and the most beloved action hero, too. 


Happy Birthday, Harrison Ford!