The Indiana Jones series has always had its fair share of big-name actors. Even when Raiders of the Lost Ark was being filmed, Harrison Ford had already claimed fame by playing Han Solo in Star Wars. Furthermore, the series went on to include other well-known actors, such as Sean Connery, John Hurt and Cate Blanchett, just to name a few. Even actors who gained fame from starring in Indiana Jones, such as John Rhys Davies, went on to play equally iconic roles later down the line.
With that being said, a lot of fans probably do not realize just how many well-known actors either got their start or just simply appeared in the Indiana Jones franchise. With content spanning four films and 22 television movies based around Indy's younger years, the franchise has had a ton of cameos and performances from many notable actors. Here is a list of just some of them.
While few can hear the name Jane Krakowski without thinking of her more recent comedic roles in 30 Rock and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, the actor has been in show business since she was 15. With such a long career, she has starred in plenty of television shows, movies and stage shows before her more recent outings.
This includes a minor role in one of the many Young Indiana Jones installments, Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues. In this case, she played Dale Winter, a singer at a jazz club. It is a brief appearance, and she doesn’t have any speaking lines, but the episode does showcase her singing talent.
Neil Flynn is well-known for his roles in Scrubs and The Middle, yet despite this, few probably noticed his cameo in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. His character, who was an FBI Agent named Paul Smith, shows up after the controversial opening sequence to interrogate Indy and find out if he’s working with the Soviets.
It was an interesting scene that helped establish the paranoia of the time, as the film was set in 1957, during the “Red Scare.” It was also entertaining to see such a familiar television actor show up in the Indiana Jones franchise, even if it was only briefly. Another interesting note is that this isn’t the first time the actor has shown up in a Harrison Ford film, as he played a cop in The Fugitive as well.
Although viewers might not recognize George Harris by name, they may recognize his face. To Harry Potter fans, he is Kingsley Shacklebolt, but to Indiana Jones fans he is Simon Katanga, captain of the Bantu Wind. Toward the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, the character made a deal with Sallah to provide Indy and Marion passage across the Mediterranean. They do not make it all the way, of course, as the Nazis board the ship, taking Marion and the ark with them.
While Harris’s role in the film is brief, it is a significant one, as it allows the film to be propelled into its iconic climax. Harris was also not the only actor to have a connection to both Indiana Jones and Harry Potter. Julian Glover, Jim Broadbent and John Hurt all lent their talents to both film franchises.
Catherine Zeta-Jones, who is known primarily for her roles in the Zorro films and the film adaptation of the musical Chicago, is a well-known actor. She has been in the public consciousness for years, and even if viewers aren’t familiar with her work, her name is instantly recognizable.
Of course, at the time that Young Indiana Jones was filmed, her name wasn’t quite as familiar as it is now. In The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert, Zeta-Jones played Maya, a spy who joins Indy on a reconnaissance mission in Beersheba. However, it is later revealed that she is actually a double agent working for the other side.
This is one actor a lot of viewers probably wouldn’t notice unless they were paying attention. Even then, Dan Aykroyd’s role in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom still might go unnoticed. However, anyone listening will immediately recognize his voice once they know where to look. After the opening sequence at Club Obi-Wan, and the subsequent chase scene, Indy, Willie and Short Round meet a British military officer named Art Webber, who secures them a flight out of Shanghai.
This character is played by Aykroyd, and although he is on screen for less than a minute, his portrayal of the fast-talking one-off character is a memorable one. It is also interesting to note that Temple of Doom was released only a month before Ghostbusters, so he was just on the cusp of starring in his own blockbuster franchise.
The late Christopher Lee was no stranger to film franchises, having appeared in James Bond, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings during his lifetime, as well as becoming iconic for his portrayal of Count Dracula. These are, of course, only a few of his acting credits, as the man had been performing since 1947. As such, he was a very prolific actor by the time he showed up in Young Indiana Jones.
In The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Adventures in the Secret Service, Lee shows up as the historical figure Count Ottokar Czernin, who was the Foreign Minister for Emperor Karl I of Austria. It served as an interesting cameo for the iconic actor and it was the first time he starred in a George Lucas-related property.
By the time Ian McDiarmid showed up in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Demons of Deception, he was already known for his role as Emperor Palpatine in the Star Wars franchise. As such, it’s probably not all that surprising that he appeared in a television show written and run by George Lucas.
It's in the second segment of the episode, which has Indy traveling to Paris, that McDiarmid shows up. He plays Professor Jacques Levi, a friend and colleague of Indy’s father. His character tries to convince Indy to resign from the war and return home. While his involvement is minor in the story, it eventually leads to the episode’s conflict, in which Indy falls for a woman who turns out to be the Mata Hari.
Nowadays, Clark Gregg is known by fans for his role as Agent Phil Coulson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Agents of SHIELD. However, he had already been acting for two decades before taking on that role. From playing minor roles in films like A.I. Artificial Intelligence and One Hour Photo to starring alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the television show The New Adventures of Old Christine, he has had a longer career than most would realize. So it probably shouldn’t be surprising to learn that he, too, has shown up in the Indiana Jones franchise.
In The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Spring Break Adventure, Gregg played Dickinson, an electrical engineer working for Edison Laboratory. While he does not play a major role in the episode, anyone watching it will immediately recognize him the minute he steps onto the screen. What makes Gregg’s appearance even more fitting, however, is that the director of this particular segment is Joe Johnston, the man who later went on to direct Captain America: The First Avenger.
Long before he was known to the world as James Bond, Daniel Craig had taken on the role of a German officer named Schiller in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert. He served as the main villain of the episode, doing everything in his power to keep Indy and the allied forces from succeeding with their plan during the Battle of Beersheba.
While this was not Craig’s first role, it was certainly one of his earliest ones, having only starred in his first film, The Power of One, the year prior. As such, it is intriguing to see the actor in the early part of his career playing a character so different from what viewers are now used to.
Alfred Molina is an actor who has had plenty of recognition. The actor has starred in hundreds of films and television shows over the years, and his iconic take on Doctor Otto Octavius in Spider-Man 2 has made him a household name. What many might not realize, however, is that Molina had made his film debut playing a minor role in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
His role in the film was that of Satipo, a guide who accompanies Indy on his journey to find the golden idol. While his role is brief, his scenes are some of the more iconic in the Indiana Jones franchise. From his reactions to the temple's many booby-traps to his failed attempts at running off with the idol, his presence on screen is hard to forget.
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