- Indiana Jones sprang from a creative conversation between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, aiming for a new kind of movie hero.
- The character’s full name is Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr., but everyone knows him as “Indy” or “Indiana Jones”.
- Lucas named Indiana after his own dog. Spielberg’s dog inspired the name of Willie Scott, Indy’s love interest in Temple of Doom.
- Tom Selleck was originally cast as Indiana Jones, but TV commitments meant Harrison Ford got the iconic role instead.
- Indy’s iconic fedora, whip, and leather jacket became some of cinema’s most recognized costume elements.
- Beneath his fearless persona, Indiana secretly hates snakes—a trait established in the legendary Well of Souls scene with thousands of live snakes.
- Set designers sometimes had to use rubber hoses when real snakes ran out, making the pit even more crowded.
- The famous scene where Indy shoots a swordsman in Raiders of the Lost Ark was improvised by Ford due to illness on set.
- In Temple of Doom, Club Obi-Wan is a clever Easter egg, referencing Star Wars, another Lucas creation.
- Indy’s satchel is actually a World War II-era gas mask bag, adding a touch of real history to his look.
- Harrison Ford taught Ke Huy Quan (Short Round) to swim during their downtime while filming in Sri Lanka.
- In The Last Crusade, the production bred over 2,000 rats for the underground Venice scenes, ensuring safety for the cast.
- Indy’s adventures have won multiple Oscars, celebrating achievements in sound, visual effects, and editing over the years.
- Raiders of the Lost Ark’s epic boulder chase required Ford to run from the rolling prop at least ten times for different camera angles.
- Indiana Jones inspired countless real-life archaeologists.