Biography of Harrison Ford

Born on July 13, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, actor Harrison Ford has starred in some of Hollywood's biggest films, such as Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark. He grew up in Des Plaines, a suburb of Chicago, as the son of an advertising executive and a stay-at-home mother.
As a child, Ford was targeted by bullies. He went to Maine Township High School where he was involved in the social science and model train clubs, according to People magazineAfter graduating in 1960, Ford studied English and philosophy at Ripon College in Wisconsin. There, he discovered an interest in performing nearly by accident. Ford signed up for a drama course, hoping for an easy good grade. "I was terrified to get up in front of people, but I really enjoyed the storytelling part," he explained to People magazine. Ford wasn't the best student in college, and he ended up leaving before completing his degree. With his future wife, Mary Marquardt, he made his way to Hollywood in the mid-1960s. Ford first landed a deal with Columbia Pictures as a contract player, earning $150 a week. He then ended up at Universal. In 1966, Ford made his film debut in a bit part in Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round. Studio executives were less than impressed with him. One studio official told him that "You'll never make it in this business," Ford told the Hollywood Reporter.