In Hollywood, the bigger the star, the more allergic they normally are to television. Tom Cruise starring in a 12-episode thriller series? Never gonna happen. Leonardo DiCaprio in a 10-episode biographical Hulu series? Forget about it. However, some movie stars never have a problem squeezing themselves onto the small screen from time to time. Harrison Ford is one of them. The actor has starred in two of the most critically acclaimed shows of the 2020s: the comedy drama, Shrinking, and the Taylor Sheridan Western, 1923.
Ford’s love for television is hardly surprising. Many of his earliest acting opportunities… in fleeting but memorable bit parts… came via this medium. From the procedural The F.B.I. to the martial arts show, Kung Fu, the Indiana Jones star was always popping up in one of the network productions. Ford was thus singled out as the ideal person for a major role when NCIS was being developed. Unfortunately, he was never given a concrete offer.
Harrison Ford Was Wanted for the Role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs in ‘NCIS’
As with many other procedurals, NCIS is primarily an ensemble show, focusing on members of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as they tackle different cases related to military personnel. However, there is always a golden boy in stories about law enforcement officers. In this particular case, it’s the former U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper turned special agent, Jethro Gibbs.
Gibbs is to NCIS what Olivia Benson is to Law & Order: SVU, and for years, the character has been portrayed by Mark Harmon. It wasn’t until the spinoff NCIS: Origins that another actor (Austin Stowell) got to view the world from Gibbs’ eyes.
Interestingly, Donald P. Bellisario initially did not like Mark Harmon. Despite the actor’s cocky walking style, which suggested he owned the world, the series creator didn’t think he had what it took to play Gibbs. He wanted a “flinty type with a strong sense of honor and respect for the military,” and Harmon simply wasn’t it. Bellisario cannot be faulted for his reservations. He was determined to make something great, which he did. It isn’t a great overstatement to say that, with this trailblazing show, Bellisario pretty well reinvented the procedural as we understand it today.
Members of the production team would eventually change their minds after watching a tape of the actor’s portrayal of the Secret Service agent, Simon Donovan, on The West Wing (a performance that had earned the actor an Emmy nomination). According to co-executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson, they all looked at his mannerisms on the show and concluded that they ought to give him a shot.
Floyd Johnson further revealed that Gibbs was created with Harrison Ford in mind. The choice made sense considering that Ford was not only one of the biggest stars at the time, but was always known for playing tough, quick-thinking characters. Many of his ‘90s movies, notably Patriot Games, The Fugitive, and Air Force One, also proved he could thrive in plots filled with crime, espionage, and geopolitics. However, Johnson admitted that the idea was never pursued aggressively, since everyone believed Ford would never agree to be on a television procedural.
Harmon was eventually cast in 2003, with Bellisario expressing excitement at how much the actor had matured since the turn of the century. The actor would go on to play the character for 19 seasons before stepping back.
‘NCIS’ Could Have Been Shorter with Ford on Board
Getting Harrison Ford for NCIS would have been a major win for the producers, enabling the show to attract viewers from across the globe. However, Bellisario and his team might have found themselves with a major problem sooner rather than later. Even if Ford accepted the part, he probably wouldn’t have devoted his time fully to the military-themed procedural, especially if we consider how long each season is usually.
A 22-plus episode show requires a production window of 10 to 11 months a year, and for someone who was used to filming one or two 90-minute features a year, Ford wouldn’t have felt too comfortable. A likely scenario would have involved Gibbs appearing only a few times each season to allow the Hollywood star to pursue film projects. But with the spotlight directed at other characters, would Gibbs be as iconic as he is now if that had happened?
In another scenario, Ford might have chosen to leave NCIS after two or three seasons, resulting in an unceremonious end to the series. Such an outcome would be a shame, considering that the CBS production has grown to be one of the longest-running shows of all time. All the spinoffs wouldn’t exist either. Alternatively, he would have to be recast. But would that have worked? There are numerous cases of TV shows flopping after losing major stars. Viewers might have easily lost interest after Ford’s departure.
Harmon, on the other hand, was perfect because he has always been content with being a television actor, with little to no interest in Hollywood blockbusters. In fact, he has only appeared in two movies since 2010. Committing two decades of his life to a single role was no problem for him. Harmon truly is Gibbs. For a character that was supposed to be shallow and basic, he made him enigmatic, audacious, and sympathetic.
Ford Wouldn’t Have Lost Much by Starring in ‘NCIS’
The bigger question is whether a full commitment to NCIS would have benefited or damaged Harrison Ford’s career. Well, the Star Wars star might have been just fine if he had decided to play Gibbs for years. After all, he hasn’t been part of many decent projects since the turn of the century. 95% of the actor’s most iconic movies were released before the year 2000. The last two decades have been full of flops for him, and the few movies that seemed like gems have lost their saucy flair and punchy sparkle with time. Blade Runner 2049 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens stand out as two of the few films with positive scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
Ford didn’t exactly fall off after the ‘90s, but he somehow became less careful with the kinds of projects he chose, resulting in more failures than wins. As is evident, only the franchise projects that he’d been a part of since his younger days have yielded great results. He’d thus have been better off on NCIS.
Playing Jethro Gibbs would have allowed Ford to open a new and exciting chapter in his career, elevating him far above his peers. He’d have saved himself from many of the poorly rated post-2000s movies that stain his resume. And he’d only have time for a new Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or Blade Runner installment every five years or so.
Beyond that, recent trends have shown that transitioning from movies to television is a wise move for any ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s star. Kevin Costner did extremely well in Yellowstone, yet his attempts at making hit movies haven’t quite worked out recently. Sylvester Stallone is also excellent in Tulsa King, whereas most of his recent films are unwatchable. Even Ford himself has only gotten back to form via television. So, was this a missed opportunity for him? Yes.
