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Harrison J. Ford was born on July 13, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, to an Irish father and a Jewish mother. He actually has no middle name and was billed as such until 1970 to avoid confusion between himself and the silent screen actor, Harrison Ford. He was a lackluster student in high school, and after dropping out of Ripon College in Wisconsin where he did some acting and summer stock, he signed a Hollywood contract first with Columbia and then later with Universal Studios. After a few secondary roles in movies and television, notably "Ironsides" (1967) and "The Virginian" (1962), he became discouraged and turned to a career in professional carpentry.

He got his first break some four years later in 1973 with the part of Bob Falfa in the film, "American Graffiti." It would take another four years for his meteoric rise to fame as Indiana Jones in "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" (1981). Four seems quite the lucky number for this super star as four years later in 1985, he received an Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his role as John Book in "Witness." He received another Golden Globe nomination for his role as Dr. Richard Kimble in "The Fugitive" (1993).
Harrison Ford maintains an 800-acre ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and has been married twice, once to Mary Marquardt and once to Melissa Mathison, who wrote the screenplay for the blockbuster 1982 Spielberg hit, "ET: The Extra Terrestrial." From each marriage, Ford fathered two children. Chosen by People Magazine as the "sexiest man alive" in 1998, Harrison Ford is also, according to the 2001 Guinness Book of Records, the richest male actor in America. Honored for his work with the environment, He was asked to name a new breed of butterfly, to which he gave the name of Georgia, after his daughter. He also has a species of ant and spider named after him in honor of his conservation work.

The United States box office grosses list Harrison Ford as having the highest, totaling about $3.18 billion dollars, with worldwide grosses totaling approximately $5.65 billion dollars! No one can come close to his star that will keep shining for many years to come!? ?What are some of YOUR favorite Harrison Ford performances? Please share.

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