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Although it’s a lesser-known aspect of his career, Harrison Ford remained quite active between his iconic appearances as Han Solo in the original “Star Wars” trilogy. In 1979 alone, the year preceding the release of “The Empire Strikes Back,” Ford appeared in four films. Among these was “The Frisco Kid,” where he was paired with Gene Wilder, one of Hollywood’s beloved comedic actors of the time. This comedy Western features Ford as a bank robber and Wilder as a rabbi, forming a mismatched duo.
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“The Frisco Kid,” directed by the renowned Robert Aldrich—celebrated for classics like “The Dirty Dozen,” “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?”, and the original “The Longest Yard”—was met with lukewarm reviews upon its release. However, those who have discovered it in recent years often find it delightfully entertaining. While it may not rank among the top-tier films of either Ford or Wilder, and doesn’t quite match up to the comedic heights of “Blazing Saddles,” it remains a charming option for a relaxing weekend viewing, particularly for fans of the lead actors or the comedy Western genre.
When considering Harrison Ford’s early acting career, most fans immediately think of his roles in “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “Blade Runner,” or perhaps “American Graffiti.” Yet, Ford had been working in Hollywood since the mid-1960s, with Westerns surprisingly dominating his early filmography. Even before “The Frisco Kid,” Ford had amassed several credits in Westerns, both in film and on television.
Ford’s initial screen appearance was in the 1967 Western film “A Time for Killing.” That same year, he made his television debut with two episodes of the Western series “The Virginian.” In the interim before “The Frisco Kid,” Ford featured in the film “Journey to Shiloh” and appeared in shows like “The Intruders” and the iconic series “Gunsmoke.” While his participation in the poorly received “Cowboys & Aliens” is often overlooked—regarded by 40% of fans as his worst film—Ford made a notable return to the Western genre with his role in the “Yellowstone” prequel series “1923” in 2022.
Much of Ford’s early acting work was in Westerns
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When people think of Harrison Ford’s early career as an actor, they tend to go straight to “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “Blade Runner,” and maybe “American Graffiti.” But he’d actually been kicking around Hollywood since the mid 1960s, and a somewhat surprising genre dominated much of that early work. Even before starring in “The Frisco Kid,” Ford already had multiple credits under his belt in Westerns on both the big and small screens.
In fact, Ford’s first official screen credit was in a 1967 Western film called “A Time for Killing.” Also that same year, he made his television debut in two episodes of the Western series “The Virginian.” Between those and “The Frisco Kid,” Ford would star in the movie “Journey to Shiloh” as well as appear in both the show “The Intruders” and the legendary Western series “Gunsmoke.” We’ll gloss over how he was in the dreadful “Cowboys & Aliens” — which 40% of fans agree is Ford’s worst movie — and focus on the fact that he made his triumphant return to the Western genre when he starred in the “Yellowstone” prequel series “1923” in 2002.
