Was Indiana Jones Based On This Real-Life Professor Turned Archaeologist?
An adventure-seeking professor and archaeologist. Sounds like a character from a big-screen blockbuster — oh, wait. In all seriousness, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) fans may be interested to learn how the character likely takes inspiration from a few real-life adventurers. The fedora-wearing hero first appeared in 1981's "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark." And one real-life archaeologist has a lot in common with Indiana and his first theatrical adventure.
According to journalist Mark Adams' book "Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time," history professor Hiram Bingham III is believed to have inspired the 1954 film "Secret of the Incas" which is said to have inspired "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" (via Entertainment Weekly). Costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis said her team watched "Secret of the Incas." They paid close attention to Harry Steele (Charlton Heston), who, like Bingham, wore a fedora. Bingham helped rediscover the ruins of Machu Picchu, and Peru is where audiences meet Indiana.
Others believe that the real-life Indiana Jones may resemble Doctor Roy Chapman Andrews. According to the Roy Chapman Andrews Society, he went on risky explorations and wore a wide-brimmed hat and collared shirt similar to Indiana's. He is also known for discovering dinosaur eggs while in the Gobi of Mongolia from 1922 to 1930.
Meanwhile, the "Indiana Jones" films also mention British archaeologist Sir Charles Leonard Woolley, who made discoveries in places like Sudan and northern Syria. His last name graces Woolley Hall, which is where Indiana teaches.
While many continue to decode who the real-life inspiration is behind this iconic hero, Indiana Jones' impact on archaeology has given this franchise a lasting legacy.
Indiana Jones has helped to grow the field of archaeology
In a 2015 interview with National Geographic, Fred Hiebert, the curator of the "Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology" exhibit, said the films greatly impacted archaeology. "We can document their impact statistically, based on the number of archaeology students before and after the first film. Some of the best archaeologists in the world today say Indiana Jones was what sparked their initial interest," he said. John Rhys-Davies, who plays Sallah in the franchise, noted that he had met several archaeologists and professors who were inspired to join the field after watching Indiana's first adventure.
However, the adventures of "Indiana Jones" were not always a sure thing, as the franchise's was reliant on George Lucas completing "Star Wars." In an interview with American Film Institute, Lucas said he started thinking about combining mythology with serial movies from the 1930s to create an adventure film. "I came up with two ideas. One was a space adventure. One was the venture of an archaeologist looking for supernatural artifacts. I landed on the space thing and said, "This has got more potential. I think this is gonna be more fun to do," he said, noting that he put archaeology on the back burner until Steven Spielberg mentioned that he was looking to do an action film like "James Bond."