Hard times as a carpenter

Harrison Ford has become one of Hollywood’s leading actors, having gained worldwide support through the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series. He achieved success in a way that was different from the traditional process that stars go through, and is also known as an actor with a unique history and story.

Born July 13, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, Harrison graduated from Maine East High School in 1960 and went on to Ripon College in Wisconsin. He took a drama class in his final semester of senior year and became engrossed in student theater, deciding to become a professional actor.

In 1963, he moved to Los Angeles and signed a $150-a-week studio acting contract with Columbia Pictures in Hollywood, where he landed his first role as a bellboy in Cash in the Wall (1966) in 1964, which marked the start of his dream.

However, worried that his talent was not coming out after a long period of hard work, Harrison decided to earn a living by becoming a carpenter. He read books about architecture at the public library and taught himself the skills. His skills quickly spread, and he gained Hollywood stars as his clients, and his income was several times what the studios were paying him as an actor.

Harrison later reflected on a number of occasions that although he began working as a carpenter to make a living, the job gave him the creativity and self-discipline he needed as a filmmaker, as well as the focus and confidence he needed to tackle things.