The year he turned 24, he played a bellboy in Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round while under contract to Columbia Pictures at $150 a week. The year he turned 31, he played Bob Falfa in American Graffiti, directed by George Lucas, while working as a carpenter. The year he turned 32, he appeared in The Conversation, directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 35, he played Han Solo in Star Wars, which opened in U.S. theaters on May 25, 1977. The Golden Globes Foundation says the film made him a star.
The year he turned 37, he appeared in Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. The year he turned 38, he was in The Empire Strikes Back. The year he turned 39, he starred as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The year he turned 40, he played Deckard in Blade Runner. The year he turned 41, he was in Return of the Jedi. The year he turned 42, he made Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The year he turned 43, he played a homicide detective hiding among the Amish in Witness. The year he turned 44, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for Witness.
The year he turned 46, he was in Mike Nichols’s comedy Working Girl. The year he turned 47, he made Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The year he turned 48, he starred in Presumed Innocent. The year he turned 50, he played Jack Ryan in Patriot Games. The year he turned 51, he played Dr. Richard Kimble in The Fugitive.
The year he turned 53, he returned to romantic comedy in Sabrina. The year he turned 55, he appeared in Air Force One. The year he turned 58, he was in the thriller What Lies Beneath. The year he turned 66, he returned in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The year he turned 68, he married actress Calista Flockhart in New Mexico.
The year he turned 69, he was in Cowboys & Aliens. The year he turned 71, he played Branch Rickey in 42. The year he turned 73, his vintage plane crash-landed on a California golf course in March, and in December he returned as Han Solo in The Force Awakens. The year he turned 75, he starred in Blade Runner 2049. The year he turned 77, he lent his voice to The Secret Life of Pets 2.
The year he turned 80, he began playing Jacob in the Yellowstone prequel 1923. The year he turned 81, he started in the Apple TV+ comedy Shrinking, received an honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes, and played Indiana Jones a fifth time in Dial of Destiny. The year he turned 82, Shrinking returned for a second season.
The year he turned 83, he played Thaddeus Ross in Captain America: Brave New World and received his first Emmy nomination. The year he turned 84, he received the lifetime achievement award at the Actor Awards and was nominated for an Emmy again for Shrinking.
Harrison Ford (born Jul 13, 1942) made his screen debut the year he turned 24 and became known when Star Wars opened on May 25, 1977, the year he turned 35. He was nominated for an Oscar the year he turned 44.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
His first screen performance was a small role as a bellboy in the 1966 film. He was then a contract actor at Columbia Pictures, paid $150 a week.
Source 02 · The Hollywood Reporter · Harrison Ford’s first film · opens in a new tab Year from a 1984 interview quoted by The Hollywood Reporter; month and day not given.The film was directed by George Lucas. Ford worked as a carpenter, and the Golden Globes Foundation says Lucas hired him while he was putting together a set piece.
Source 04 · Box Office Mojo · American Graffiti · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Golden Globes · Harrison Ford: An Icon Turns 80 · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabFrancis Ford Coppola, who had produced American Graffiti, directed him in the film.
Source 05 · Box Office Mojo · The Conversation · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabThe George Lucas film opened in U.S. theaters on May 25, 1977. Britannica says he achieved real success as Han Solo, and the Golden Globes Foundation says the film made him a star. It says he was paid $10,000.
Coppola directed him again in the film.
Source 07 · Box Office Mojo · Apocalypse Now · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabThe first Star Wars sequel. Britannica says his fame was cemented by the Star Wars sequels and the Indiana Jones series.
Source 08 · Box Office Mojo · The Empire Strikes Back · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabStarred as the adventurer-archaeologist Indiana Jones in a film produced by Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg.
Source 09 · Box Office Mojo · Raiders of the Lost Ark · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Golden Globes · Harrison Ford: An Icon Turns 80 · opens in a new tabRidley Scott directed the film, in which Ford played Deckard, a blade runner.
Source 10 · Box Office Mojo · Blade Runner · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Golden Globes · Harrison Ford: An Icon Turns 80 · opens in a new tabThe third Star Wars film.
Source 11 · Box Office Mojo · Return of the Jedi · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabThe second Indiana Jones film, produced by Lucas and directed by Spielberg.
Source 12 · Box Office Mojo · Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabPeter Weir directed the film. Ford played an urban homicide detective hiding out in an Amish community.
Source 13 · Box Office Mojo · Witness · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabNominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor at the ceremony held on March 24, 1986. William Hurt won.
Source 14 · Oscars.org · 1986 ceremony · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabMike Nichols directed the comedy, which also starred Melanie Griffith and Sigourney Weaver.
Source 15 · Box Office Mojo · Working Girl · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabThe third Indiana Jones film.
Source 16 · Box Office Mojo · Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabBritannica lists it among the dramatic leading roles he accepted in the 1990s.
Source 17 · Box Office Mojo · Presumed Innocent · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabPlayed CIA agent Jack Ryan in the first of two films adapted from Tom Clancy novels.
Source 18 · Box Office Mojo · Patriot Games · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabPlayed Dr. Richard Kimble, a wrongly convicted man, in a film based on the 1960s television show.
Source 19 · Box Office Mojo · The Fugitive · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabA return to romantic comedy.
Source 20 · Box Office Mojo · Sabrina · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabAppeared in the summer release, which Britannica counts among his later successes.
Source 21 · Box Office Mojo · Air Force One · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabAppeared in the supernatural thriller.
Source 22 · Box Office Mojo · What Lies Beneath · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabWith Lucas and Spielberg, revived the Indiana Jones series with a fourth film.
Source 23 · Box Office Mojo · Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabFord and actress Calista Flockhart married in New Mexico while he was filming Cowboys & Aliens, their representatives confirmed to People.
Source 24 · People · Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart Get Married · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tab People reported on June 16, 2010 that they married on Tuesday, which was June 15.Appeared in the science-fiction western.
Source 25 · Box Office Mojo · Cowboys & Aliens · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabPlayed the baseball executive Branch Rickey in a film about the life of Jackie Robinson.
Source 26 · Box Office Mojo · 42 · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabHis World War II training plane lost engine power and crash-landed on a California golf course. Authorities said he was taken to a hospital in fair to moderate condition.
Source 27 · NBC News · Harrison Ford Injured in Plane Crash · opens in a new tabReprised the role of Han Solo. The film opened in U.S. theaters the weekend of Dec. 18–20.
Source 28 · Box Office Mojo · Weekend of Dec. 18–20, 2015 · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tab The Dec. 18 date is the first day of the opening weekend; Box Office Mojo lists the film as new that weekend.Starred in the sequel to Blade Runner. The film opened in U.S. theaters the weekend of Oct. 6–8.
Source 29 · Box Office Mojo · Weekend of Oct. 6–8, 2017 · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tab The Oct. 6 date is the first day of the opening weekend; Box Office Mojo lists the film as new that weekend.Lent his voice to the animated comedy.
Source 30 · Box Office Mojo · The Secret Life of Pets 2 · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabThe Yellowstone prequel premiered in the U.S. and Canada, with Ford as the family patriarch and Helen Mirren in the cast. Britannica calls it his first major television role.
Source 31 · Deadline · 1923 gets premiere date on Paramount+ · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabThe first two episodes of the Apple TV+ comedy premiered, with Ford as a therapist named Paul.
Source 32 · Decider · Shrinking episode guide · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabReceived the honorary award at the Cannes Film Festival before the out-of-competition world premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Source 33 · Deadline · Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny at Cannes · opens in a new tabSource 34 · Variety · Indiana Jones 5 at Cannes · opens in a new tabThe fifth Indiana Jones film opened in U.S. theaters. Ford has said it is his last time playing the character.
Source 35 · Box Office Mojo · Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny · opens in a new tabSource 33 · Deadline · Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny at Cannes · opens in a new tabSeason two launched on Apple TV+. Apple renewed the series for a third season the next day.
Source 36 · Deadline · Shrinking renewed for season 3 · opens in a new tabPlayed Thaddeus Ross, who becomes president of the United States and transforms into the Red Hulk.
Source 37 · Box Office Mojo · Captain America: Brave New World · opens in a new tabSource 01 · Britannica · Harrison Ford · opens in a new tabNominated for best supporting actor in a comedy series for Shrinking. The Hollywood Reporter calls it his first Emmy nomination.
Source 38 · The Hollywood Reporter · Harrison Ford lands first-ever Emmy nomination · opens in a new tabReceived the lifetime achievement award at the Actor Awards, formerly the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Source 39 · Vanity Fair · Harrison Ford at the Actor Awards · opens in a new tabSource 40 · The Independent · Harrison Ford accepts lifetime achievement award · opens in a new tabNominated again for Shrinking. Stephen Root won the category.
Source 41 · The Hollywood Reporter · Stephen Root wins the Emmy for supporting actor in a comedy · opens in a new tabSource 42 · Variety · Hollywood’s veterans chasing Emmy history · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 1966–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
Debut and breakthrough are marked separately, and every record has a source.
Film & TV · United States
Jul 13, 1942 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1942: the year of the event minus 1942, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.30 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.