Actor Harrison Ford offered a touching tribute to the late Sir Sean Connery, who in addition to his acclaimed legacy as the original James Bond, played Indiana Jones' father, Henry Jones Sr., in 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
"He was my father... Not in life... But in Indy 3," Ford recently told The Hollywood Reporter.
"You don’t know pleasure until someone pays you to take Sean Connery for a ride in the sidecar of a Russian motorcycle bouncing along a bumpy, twisty mountain trail and getting to watch him squirm," Ford added. "God we had fun. If he’s in heaven, I hope they have golf courses. Rest in peace dear friend."
George Lucas, story writer and executive producer on all four films in the Indiana Jones franchise, also released a statement in response to the Scottish actor's passing on Oct. 31. "Sir Sean Connery, through his talent and drive, left an indelible mark in cinematic history. His audiences spanned generations, each with favorite roles he played. He will always hold a special place in my heart as Indy’s dad," Lucas wrote.
"With an air of intelligent authority and sly sense of comedic mischief, only someone like Sean Connery could render Indiana Jones immediately into boyish regret or relief through a stern fatherly chiding or rejoiceful hug," Lucas added. "I’m thankful for having had the good fortune to have known and worked with him. My thoughts are with his family."
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana's archeological quest for the Holy Grail leads him to track down his estranged father, Henry Sr., a historian who disappeared after finding a clue to discover the Grail. Their reunion leads to father and son confronting their decades-long feud, caused in part by Henry Sr.'s negligence of young Indy in favor of the Grail.
Sean Connery performed in various film and television roles before being cast as MI6 agent James Bond in 1962's Dr. No. The film's success rocketed Connery to international stardom, leading him to play 007 in six more films. James Bond writer Ian Fleming was so impressed by Connery's performance that he ended up making Bond part-Scottish in his books.
Post-Bond, Connery starred in several major studio films including The Untouchables, The Hunt For Red October and The Rock. His final movie performance was in the poorly received 2003 adaptation of Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. He retired from acting in 2006 and passed away peacefully in his sleep at age 90.
Source: THR