So, this is the things you didn't know about Han Solo.
And it's the tenth anniversary of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
We're setting our sights on that other handsome smuggler played by Harrison Ford.
But don't get your Wookie in a twist, there's still plenty of Star Wars things in this post, too.
Here are nine things you didn't know about Indiana Jones.
The Indiana Jones franchise is a hallmark of the action adventure genre.
And Harrison Ford in the titular role is one of the most iconic movie heroes of all time.
So it really boggles the mind that the part almost went to Tom Selleck.
You might already know he was actually a lock.
And the only thing that kept him from signing on was an obligation to start production on his new show, Magnum PI. He chose poorly. What you may not know is Danny DeVito was their top choice for Sallah.
And the reason he wasn't able to join the cast was his contract with Taxi.
And if you ever want a taste of the twisted alternate universe where Selleck and Devito are in the Indiana Jones movies.
Just watch Romancing The Stone and the Magnum PI Raiders of the Lost Ark parody.
Our childhoods really dodged a bullet.
(Sound) The dog?
(Laugh) You are named after the dog?
(Laugh) Yep, he actually was, George Lucas named one of the greatest characters in movie history after his Alaskan Malamute, Indiana.
It was also the same dog that gave Lucas the inspiration for Chewbacca, which is,
boom, a bonus Star Wars thing, as promised.
But Indy wasn't the only character to get the canine treatment.
Hard to believe, isn't it?
Short Round was also named after the dog of the screenwriters for Temple of Doom.
And Kate Capshaw's character, Willie Scott, as named after Steven Spielberg's dog. Willie is my professional name, Indiana. Capshaw and Spielberg were later married, and for the sake of household harmony, I can only hope the dog was cool with it.
And of course, there's Shia LeBeouf's character, Mutt, which is basically a freebie. Got a lot of fond memories of that dog.
(Sound) The Indiana Jones series is set against an array of exotic backdrops.
And since CGI wasn't really an option for the series before Crystal Skull, the bulk of them were actually shot on location.
Though I'm sure the experience greatly influenced their later projects.
To incorporate the use of an air conditioned blue screened soundstage.
(Sound) For instance, while shooting Raiders of the Lost Ark in Tunisia, they needed to remove dozens of TV antennas from rooftops.
In order to make this wide shot accurate for the time period.
The temperature was also triple digits for every day of shooting, and almost everyone got food poisoning. Bad dates.
(Sound) There was also a fair share of external physical injuries on set.
Like when Short Round broke a stick over this guy's head and the other piece went flying and gave Kate Capshaw a black eye.
Or when Shia LeBeouf pulled a rotator cuff in his pelvis while doing swordplay with Cate Blanchett.
And, now that I read that out loud, I'm realizing how dirty that sounds.
You fight like a young man.
Eager to begin, quick to finish. Oof!
Also, legendary stuntman Pat Roach was knocked out cold while on fire when this break away chair just didn't break.
But the scales were balanced when Harrison Ford herniated his back, flipping Pat over his head. And needed to make an emergency flight back to LA for an experimental back surgery.
(Sound) Jeez, more like Injury-ana Jones, am I right?
(Laugh) Come on, show a little back bone, will you? Thankfully, Ford had gotten into great shape in preparation for his shirtless scenes.
And he credits this physicality for getting him back on set good as new.
Though during the six weeks that he was out, Ford's stunt double stepped in to do most of the Indy shots in the mines.
Vic Armstrong, besides having the coolest name in history, doubled for Harrison Ford in the first three movies.
And his wife, Wendy Leech, doubled for all the women.
But this wasn't the first action franchise they teamed up on, which is, boom, a bonus segue!
(Sound) Before Spielberg started to work on Raiders of the Lost Ark, he really wanted to do a Bond picture.
Though Lucas was able to convince him to work on Indy instead, you can still find plenty of 007.
Like this opening scene in Temple of Doom, I mean, who are you kidding?
Shocking.
Nothing shocks me.
Short Round's subtle Bond style introduction. This is Mr. Round.
Short Round.
Former bond girl Alison Doody, now an Indy girl.
And of course, casting the original Bond, Sean Connery, as Henry Jones Senior.
Then having him shot by former Bond villian using Bond's signature weapon a Walther PPK.
Not to mention good old Vic Armstrong, who has doubled for four James Bonds in his day.
Along with his wife, Wendy Leech, on the Bond girl stunt team. And Wendy Leech also did stunt double work for C-3P0, which is a boom!
To be continued...