# Does anyone have a more iconic list of characters to their credit than Harrison Ford? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** actor-characters\ **Created:** [August 1, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928 "2023-08-01T20:20:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/41 "2023-08-02T11:14:09Z")
Bill Bixby had many successful characters. These three ran the longest on tv. Tim O’Hara (My Favorite Martian) a comedy Tom Corbett (courtship Eddies Father) drama Dr. David Banner (Incredible Hulk) action drama ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/42 "2023-08-02T11:25:55Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Alec Guinness for: Good one. Don’t forget The Ladykillers (1955, directed by Alexander Mackendrick). _That_ is one hell of a film. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/43 "2023-08-02T11:58:47Z")
I had to read over this a few times to make sure you didn’t mention it but by far, Gus McCrae in _Lonesome Dove_ has to be one of his most iconic roles, even if its TV/Miniseries. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/44 "2023-08-02T13:11:58Z")
Lon Chaney, jr.: Frankenstein’s monster Dracula Kharis, the mummy The Wolfman Lennie - Of Mice and Men ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/45 "2023-08-02T13:31:53Z")
> [@LVBoPeep](#): > > I had to read over this a few times to make sure you didn’t mention it but by far, Gus McCrae in _Lonesome Dove_ has to be one of his most iconic roles, even if its TV/Miniseries. You are absolutely right. I had intended to include it, but when I was typing, I got in a hurry and forgot. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/46 "2023-08-02T13:58:56Z")
Also Boris Karloff ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/47 "2023-08-02T14:06:08Z")
When I opened this thread I was thinking “no way anyone matches Ford” for Lon Chaney and Boris Karloff are such obvious examples. I guess, though, one could argue that a character like Dracula isn’t necessarily associated with a specific actor - Gary Oldman played a terrific Dracula. But Han Solo, Indiana Jones, that’s Harrison Ford. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/48 "2023-08-02T14:24:24Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I think the point of the OP was that each of these iconic roles needed to be played in more than one film. There are lots of actors with long, storied careers with dozens of iconic characters… I think that many posters are missing this point. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/49 "2023-08-02T14:30:51Z")
Yes, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/50 "2023-08-02T14:48:19Z")
If we are including **Mel Blanc** for his voice acting then we would have to include **Frank Oz** for his puppeteering/voice acting: Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam the Eagle on _The Muppet Show_ Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover on _Sesame Street_ and of course Yoda in the Star Wars films ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/51 "2023-08-02T15:07:14Z")
I’m surprised Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn’t been mentioned. He was Conan and The Terminator. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/52 "2023-08-02T15:24:11Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > He was Conan and The Terminator. And Trench in 3 Expendables movies. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/53 "2023-08-02T15:27:44Z")
Vin Diesel - Groot - Dom in Fast and Furious - Xander Cage in XXX - Riddick ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/54 "2023-08-02T15:31:47Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > I’m surprised Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn’t been mentioned. > > He was Conan and The Terminator. Yeah, but was he good in them? > [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > > [@Telemark](#): > > > > I think the point of the OP was that each of these iconic roles needed to be played in more than one film. There are lots of actors with long, storied careers with dozens of iconic characters… > > I think that many posters are missing this point. Missing, or ignoring? “more than one film” is part of your definition of “iconic”; mine is outstanding character in a movie that becomes a cultural touchstone. I’m more than agreeable that Indy and Han fit that definition, and would have fit it even if no sequels had been made. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/55 "2023-08-02T15:34:41Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > > [@Moriarty](#): > > > > He was Conan and The Terminator. > > Yeah, but was he good in them? Not just good, but _iconic_. (Seriously? Who but Arnold could have played Conan? And he was perfect as the Terminator). ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/56 "2023-08-02T15:44:10Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Jason Statham > > - JonasTaylor (The Meg) > - Deckard Shaw (Fast and Furious) > - Lee Christmas (The Expendables) > - Arthur Bishop (The Mechanic) > - Chev Chelios (Crank) > - Frank Martin (The Transporter) > > Again, pretty interchangeable characters. And I’m not sure I’d call any of them iconic. I wouldn’t have been able to name a single one of those. I would only have been able to name him as Bacon, Turkish, and Monk (_Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels_, _Snatch_, and _Mean Machine_, respectively). ETA: I mean to say, I didn’t even know those characters actually HAD names; I liked _The Transporter_, but really, it was just “Jason Statham is: _The Transporter_” in my head, not that he even played a named character… just an observation that struck me when I read your post! ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/57 "2023-08-02T15:57:38Z")
I think Harrison Ford is a better actor than perhaps he is given credit for. I can certainly see (admittedly fairly nuanced) differences in the performances of some of his best-known characters. And I mean consistent ones, as in his Indy is recognisably Indy in the various films, same goes for Han, Deckard etc. Surprised no one has mentioned Leonardo di Caprio yet. Not part of any film series (that I can think of offhand) but some fantastic characters. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/58 "2023-08-02T16:07:43Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > **Frank Oz** Out of everyone mentioned so far, I think he gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/59 "2023-08-02T16:55:35Z")
His resume is not as impressive as some mentioned already, but Jeff Goldblum deserves to be mentioned. He was in two _Independence Day_ movies, several _Jurassic Park_ movies, and he has played the Grandmaster in two MCU films (though only a cameo in one of them). Also, he is slated to appear as the wizard in the two-part film adaptation of _Wicked._ Ian “Life Finds a Way” Malcolm from _Jurassic Park_ was a pretty iconic character, the rest maybe not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2023, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928/60 "2023-08-02T17:05:31Z")
When your 48 year old son in law & his 19 & 17 year old sons (my grands) couldn’t wait to see a movie where the leading man is 10 years older than I am, I gotta admit Harrison ford must definitely have “it” for acting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-have-a-more-iconic-list-of-characters-to-their-credit-than-harrison-ford/987928.md?page=4)