Tuesday, July 13, is Harrison Ford‘s birthday, and fans are celebrating the actor in style on social media. The actor best known for Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Blade Runner is now 79 years old, and his legacy has only grown from those franchises. Many took his birthday as an opportunity to sing his praises and highlight his lesser-known accomplishments.
On July 13, 1942, Ford was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in nearby suburbs. He tried working as an actor after college but took on carpentry to earn more money. As a carpenter, he met George Lucas, securing him a role in American Graffiti and then in Star Wars: Episode IV โ A New Hope. The rest, of course, is well-known.
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However, Ford’s interests and work continued to extend well beyond the big screen and the public eye. He became a licensed pilot and worked for the Teton County Search and Rescue department in Wyoming for a while, performing at least two helicopter rescue missions. He is also a dedicated activist in the nature conservation field, currently serving as the vice-chair of Conservation International.
Fans highlighted all of this and more in their well-wishes to Ford on Tuesday in honor of his 79th birthday. Here’s a look at some of the top posts so far.
Reprisals
Harrison Ford, the only actor to ever reprise three of their most iconic characters after many years on the silver screen. Happy Birthday! pic.twitter.com/TttndGBKGI
โ Danny Robinson aka Art:Digital (@artjagman) July 13, 2021
Fans pointed out that Ford has done more for movie reboots and revivals than any other single actor, having picked back up three of his most famous roles later in life.
Safe
When I saw him trending, my first thought was he crashed another plane. Glad to see it’s his birthday instead! ๐
โ moogleslam (@moogleslam7) July 13, 2021
Some fans were concerned to see Ford’s name in the “trending topics,” considering his age and his penchant for solo flights. They were relieved to find that it was just his birthday.
Thirst
happy birthday harrison ford thanks for being hot pic.twitter.com/MeO4QqQxUP
โ caitlin (@SITHLEIAS) July 13, 2021
Happy Birthday Harrison Ford, seen here in his home in Los Angeles in 1981 pic.twitter.com/wDk0xYorvk
โ Diane Doniol-Valcroze (@ddoniolvalcroze) July 13, 2021
It is the birthday of Harrison Ford and heaven knows I never need an excuse to share these pic.twitter.com/BE9rQizts6
โ Tits McGee (@Scientits) July 13, 2021
Of course, many users couldn’t help sharing their favorite photos of Ford, including some steamy shots of him by the pool or on the job. They were not shy about their attraction to the actor.
Shared Birthday
When sci-fi franchises collide: Happy birthday to Patrick Stewart and Harrison Ford. pic.twitter.com/ZhERfvOc7H
โ Humanoid History (@HumanoidHistory) July 13, 2021
Ford shares a birthday with actor Sir Patrick Stewart among others, and fans chuckled at the sci-fi crossover of Han Solo and Captain Picard.
Non-Genre
The Fugitive is the most enjoyable but Witness is the most powerful. pic.twitter.com/mWtLlpPTV6
โ Derrold (@derrold) July 13, 2021
Witness
โ Julien ( Jules ) Stewart (@JulienStewart) July 13, 2021
The Mostiquo Coast
What Lies Beneath
Heroes
K19 The Widowmaker
42
Random Hearts
The Devil’s Own
Crossing Over
I would not call these wooden performances.
Some fans went out of their way to highlight Ford’s biggest roles outside of genre fiction and major franchises. Many celebrated his performances in The Fugitive, Mosquito Coast and more.
Han
Harrison Ford taking a break from filming ‘Return Of The Jedi’ in 1982. pic.twitter.com/I3Pt8czwmj
โ Lost In Film (@LostInFilm) July 13, 2021
On the other hand, some fans were not shy about conflating Ford with his characters, particularly Han Solo. They wished happy birthdays to Han, Indy, Deckard and so on.
Retire
One of the goatsโฆ.๐ฅบ๐ฅบ๐ฅบ getting old https://t.co/n14VsFjc0M
โ Jacob (@JShot360) July 13, 2021
Finally, some fans commented on Ford’s age, wondering when the actor would finally retire. In case he was reading their tweets, many let him know that they wouldn’t blame him for skipping Indiana Jones 5 entirely.