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In most of his roles, Ford plays a tough, wise-cracking action hero, and is especially well known for his repeated performances of the characters of Han Solo of the Star Wars films, and Indiana Jones of Raiders of the Lost Ark and its sequels.
Ford was born in Chicago, Illinois. His mother, Dorothy Ford was a Russian Jew, while his father, Christopher Ford , was Irish and Roman Catholic (and a former actor). He graduated from Maine Township High School in Park Ridge, IllinoisPark Ridge is a suburb of Chicago located in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 37,775. It is about 27 km northwest of downtown Chicago. Park Ridge is the hometown of Hillary Clinton (then Hillary Rodham), tho in 1960Events January-February January 1 Independence of Cameroon January 9 Aswan High Dam construction begins in Egypt January 11 Chad declares its independence. January 14 Ralph Chubb, the gay poet and printer, dies at Fair Oak Cottage in Hampshire. January 23 where he reportedly was picked on by bullies and ignored by girls. He attended Ripon CollegeRipon College is a liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin. It was founded in 1851, but its first class of students did not enroll until 1853. Past attendees include Harrison Ford (who did not finish) and Spencer Tracy (class of 1924). The college has re in WisconsinOne of the periods of glaciation was also termed the Wisconsin glaciation. Wisconsin is the 23rd largest state of the United States, (54,314 square miles) and 18th greatest population (5,453,896 as of 2002). The state's name is an English version of a Fre, where he took a drama class in his junior year. Ford, a self-described "late bloomer," became fascinated with acting.
He married his college sweetheart, Mary Marquadt , in 1964Events January January 1 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. January 3 Senator Barry Goldwater announces that he will seek the Republican nomination for President. January 5 In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Ort. Ford (and his new wife) moved to Los Angeles, CaliforniaThis article is about the city in California. For other uses of 'Los Angeles' see Los Angeles (disambiguation The City of Los Angeles widely known by its abbreviation L. is a large coastal metropolis in Southern California in the western United States., and he contracted with Columbia PicturesColumbia Pictures is a film production company, and part of Sony Pictures Entertainment. History Columbia Pictures was founded in 1920 as the CBC Sales Film Corporation by Harry Cohn, Joe Brandt and Jack Cohn. Despite the obvious connection to the founder for $150 a week in the studio's New Talent program where he had bit parts in three films. He then went to Universal StudiosUniversal Studios is a famous " Hollywood" movie studio located at 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Universal City, California, which is in the San Fernando Valley. History Universal Studios. Elsa Lanchester from Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Claude Rain and did minor television roles. Not happy with the acting jobs being offered to him, Ford became a self-taught professional carpenter to better support his wife and two small sons before his break through role in American Graffiti.
Ford went on to star as Han Solo in the first three Star Wars films. He starred as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark and two further movies, and as Jack Ryan in Tom Clancy's Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. He has also starred in Blade Runner, Witness, The Fugitive ( 1993), and the remake of Sabrina, among others.
The Guinness Book of Records ( 2001) listed Ford as the richest actor alive. His reported salary for the 2002 movie K-19: The Widowmaker was over $25,000,000. Despite being arguably the most successful actor of his generation, he has received only one Oscar nomination, for Best Actor for Witness. However, in 2000, he received the Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute.
Ford assisted musician Jimmy Buffett by recording whip cracks (a skill learned for Raiders of the Lost Ark) used in the song " Desperation Samba (Halloween in Tijuana) ."
Ford was credited as "Harrison J. Ford" for a small role in a 1967 Western A Time for Killing, but the "J" didn't stand for anything. Ford does not have a middle name. He was credited as such to avoid confusion with another actor named Harrison Ford, a silent-film actor who died in 1957. The first Ford has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of famed eatery Musso & Frank. The modern-day Harrison Ford received a star on Hollywood Boulevard on June 2, 2003.
Ford has been married twice. He married Mary Marquadt in 1964 and divorced in, 1979, and had two children with her, Benjamin and Willard. He married again, to Melissa Mathison, in 1983, divorcing in 2003, and had with her another two children, a son, Malcom, and a daughter, Georgia. He is engaged to actress Calista Flockhart.
Ford is a private pilot of both planes and helicopters, and owns an 800 acre (3.2 km²) ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He often offers his flying skills and helicopter for search and rescue missions. He is the current Chairman of the Experimental Aircraft Association's Young Eagle program, taking over after Chuck Yeager retired. Ford also gives of his time and money for environmental causes. He sits on the Board of Directors of Conservation International .
He dislikes public speaking but once appeared before a U.S. Senate subcommittee on behalf of the people of Tibet. His goal was to prevent China from gaining Most Favored Nation because of the Chinese occupation of Tibet.