What would've Indy been like...

.. when Tom Selleck had played him, instead of Harrison Ford?

Well, some of you might know, that originally Tom Selleck was casted for Indiana's character, but (un)fortunately he couldn't get out of his Magnum-contract, and so Ford got the part. What would it have been like with Selleck? Would he be a huge Hollywood star by now? Well, he is not really a superstar... Would Harrison Ford have played Monica's boyfriend Richard on "Friends", OK, probably not... Ford became a superstar mainly through Star Wars, not only Indy... Strange to think of all of this...

 

Actually that possibility was explored late in the run of Magnum PI. In one episode Tom Selleck dresses like Indy and goes searching for "The Lost Art", which of course had many of the characters saying ark instead of art. It was a more comedic show than average, but he did fine. I'm not sure if it's available on video.

 

Cool... I didn't know about that. I guess the movies would've been quite funny with Selleck as Indy.

 

OK, it actually was on the last (8th) season, only 2 more shows aired: one regular, and then the two-parter finale. The Legend of the Lost Art originally aired Feb. 10, 1988. couldn't find pictures though. But at least it's showing on A&E so eventually it will appear there again. Videos seem to only be available for the first season.

 

I personally think that it would not nearly have been as good without Harrison.

I like Harrison Ford much better than Selleck... but maybe that's just me. I can't imagine Indy being played by anyone other than Harrison. His performance was classic.

 

I think Tom Selleck's Indy would be to Harrison Ford's what Roger Moore's Bond was to Sean Connery's. Selleck is tall, handsome, athletic, and funny, but he lacks the dark edge which Ford brought to the role.

-Dubya Fett

 

Well, you couldn't compare Ford/Selleck to Connery/Moore, because Tom Selleck wouldn't have been Ford's predecessor as Indy. Of course, it's our "habit" to see Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. But if Selleck had played him, we would never regard Ford as Indy.