One of the most popular movie stars of all time, Ford is best known for his roles in “Star Wars” (1977) and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981). While he made his career in action movies, he has been featured in a wide range of films, including “Witness” (1985), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. Other well-known roles include “Blade Runner” (1982), “Return of the Jedi” (1983), “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984), “Working Girl” (1988), “Presumed Innocent” (1990), “Patriot Games” (1992), and “Random Hearts” (1999).

Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, Ford’s father was an advertising executive who produced television commercials. Ford failed out of Ripon College, where he was majoring in philosophy. He played a number of minor roles in low-budget movies and was working as a self-taught carpenter when he won a role in “American Graffiti” (1973). Although the movie was a great success, it did not propel Ford to stardom – he was still making his living as a carpenter in 1977 when he landed the role as Han Solo in “Star Wars”. But the film that really launched Ford’s career, at age 38, was “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, in which he played an archaeology professor. Ford has been married twice and has four children.