Dr. Henry Walton "
Indiana"
Jones, Jr.,
often shortened to "
Indy", is the title character of the
Indiana Jones franchise.
George Lucas created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials. The character first appeared in the 1981 film
Raiders of the Lost Ark, to be followed by
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984,
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989,
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles from 1992 to 1996, and
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008. Alongside the more widely known films and television programs, the character is also featured in novels, comics, video games, and other media. Jones is also featured in the
Disney theme park attraction;
Indiana Jones Adventure at
Disneyland and
Tokyo DisneySea, as well as the
Disneyland Paris attraction
Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril.
Jones is most famously played by
Harrison Ford and has also been portrayed by
River Phoenix (as the young Jones in
The Last Crusade) and in the television series
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles by
Corey Carrier,
Sean Patrick Flanery, and
George Hall.
Doug Lee has supplied Jones voice to two
LucasArts video games,
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and
Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, while David Esch supplied his voice to
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb and John Armstrong in
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings.
Particularly notable facets of the character include his iconic look (
bullwhip,
fedora,
satchel and
leather jacket), sense of humor, deep knowledge of many ancient civilizations and languages, and
fear of snakes.
Since his first appearance in
Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones has become a worldwide star and remains one of cinema's most revered film characters. In 2003, the
American Film Institute ranked him as the second
greatest film hero of all time. He was also named the 6th Greatest Movie Character by
Empire magazine.
Entertainment Weekly ranked Indy 2nd on their list of The All-Time Coolest Heroes in Pop Culture.
Premiere magazine also placed Indy at number 7 on their list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
On their list of the 100 Greatest Fictional Characters, Fandomania.com ranked Indy at number 10.