He’s played Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Jack Ryan, Rick Deckard and probably a few others that don’t immediately come to mind. Can any other actor match his career for iconic characters?
I don’t have a firm definition for “iconic” but to me, it’s a famous role that has appeared in more than one film.
There are actors, like John Wayne, who can only play themselves. Harrison Ford is another one. He has no acting range and can only play himself, or the one character he is percived to be.
From Han Solo to Indiana Jones, to Witness to The Fugitive, Blade Runner, all the same guy. And we all love that guy but he is still Bob Falfa from American Grafitti and always will be.
I think Deckard would still be considered iconic (and was for years, I’d argue) even without appearing in BR 2049.
Mel Blanc’s a good one, and on that same sort of idea Billy West jumps to mind: he’s also done a ton of Looney Tunes characters (Bugs, Elmer Fudd, others), Philip J Fry/Farnsworth/Zapp Brannigan, Doug Funnie, Ren and Stimpy, Shaggy Rogers at least once, Woody Woodpecker, Tom (Tom & Jerry)…that’s a pretty good list. EDIT: oh, and the red M&M
It doesn’t fit your definition for iconic, but might we consider Humphrey Bogart’s various anti-hero roles? Sam Spade, Rick Blaine, Philip Marlowe, Frank McLoud, Fred C. Dobbs, even, to start?
Basil Rathbone also played Holmes, the Sheriff Of Nottingham (across from Errol Flynn, no less), and a number of movie heavies, including, I believe Dracula. And also Van Helsing, if memory serves. Different films, of course.
Michael Caine may not have reprised roles for a bunch of sequels but the guy was in a ton of movies (like 160 or more) and just through the sheer volume of his work managed to score a bunch of memorable roles along the way. Here’s a list someone compiled of his top 50 roles. I easily recall him from at least a dozen of them.
Different times, different ages, different preferences, but…
Mickey Rooney
Santa Claus (various Rankin-Bass productions)
Gus (Night at the Museum franchise)
Andy Hardy (Mickey was THE box office draw of the 1930s)
Mickey McGuire (star of various shorts)
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Oswald’s voice)
Himself (any number of movies and TV appearances)