Why did Harrison Ford turn down Captain Dallas?

[BishopShouldGo]

Ugh. That would've been awesome! I'm imagining it now.

I'll always have you, Winona, Charlize and Fassbender. That is, until Ridley decides to cast like RIDLEY and populate his next prequels with people that are A-listers at the time of their casting.

Exodus, The Martian, The Counselor, the non-Alien Alien movie, yeah! I'll cast you with A-listers no problem. Uhp, I have an actual Alien movie coming up! Better get Amy Seimetz and Jussie Smollett! Oh, the Blade Runner movie I'm producing? Bring back Ford, and enlist Leto and Gosling.

Aye yai yai. RUSSELL CROWE OR CATE BLANCHETT THE NEXT GO AROUND PLEASE.

[Elmazalman]

The film was perfectly cast.I wouldn't want it any other way.

[BishopShouldGo]

Yup. I'm in the extreeeeeeme minority. I'm the only Alien fan who feels this way. I've yet to see one agree with me in all my internet fandom. Ah well lol.

[SiL]

Ugh. That would've been awesome! I'm imagining it now.

So you're a fan of grossly inappropriate acting in a horror film?

[BishopShouldGo]

I don't picture it ruining the tone. And if Ridley were to think it would he would've asked Harrison to stop smirking.

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

well, even though we have it in IMDB, I suppose I'd want to find out where the information originated from because it hasn't not always been accurate, but maybe it's a start .

Garry Jenkins' Harrison Ford: Imperfect Hero might be a source. It states that "at Elstree, Scott had offered him the role of Dallas, the ill- fated captain of the space tanker Nostromo in his second major feature, Alien".

I found some Alien production notes with Scott's handwriting in which Harrison Ford is considered for the role of Dallas. "Only problem - Star Wars".

Still no evidence of Ford ever being formally approached for the role of Dallas.

[SiL]

I didn't realise John Hurt was up for Ash and Harry Dean Stanton was up for Parker.

[SM]

Denis Waterman could've sung the theme tune.

[Local Trouble]

Skerrit was amazing. Ford would've been doing his Ford smirk the whole time and eating at the tension.

I know what you mean, but I think Ford has somewhat more range than that.  Just off the top of my head: Presumed Innocent, The Fugitive and Witness all showcased that he can do more than just smirk like Han Solo and Indiana Jones.

Or if you want something a little closer to when Alien was produced, just look at his brief performance in Apocalypse Now.  Of course, none of that means he would have been better as Dallas than Tom Skerritt was.  I think the role was better suited for an older man anyway.

[SM]

It's only one scene in Apocalypse Now, but quite different to Han and Indy.

[SiL]

Yeah I don't hold those views five years later.

[Local Trouble]

On the other hand, I've never seen Skerritt point his finger quite like Ford can.

[Voodoo Magic]

Harrison Ford is always Harrison Ford to me if that makes any sense. He's more of a star than an actor. Sure he can act, and he's incredibly charismatic, but he has such a John Wayne-type on-screen presence that he's always Harrison Ford on screen to me, rather than the character he's playing.

[Master Chief]

^ It makes sense.

I wonder how a 1979 Christopher Lloyd would've been as Ashe.

[Local Trouble]

^ It makes sense.

I wonder how a 1979 Christopher Lloyd would've been as Ashe.

A bit twitchy.