Harrison Ford once had a surprise role in Steven Spielberg’s ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’, but moviegoers never saw it. The actor’s deleted cameo as Elliot’s school principal has since become a fascinating piece of Hollywood trivia.
Now, it turns out Ford’s connection to the film went much deeper than a few minutes of screen time.
Harrison Ford Helped Bring E.T. To Life
The story began while Spielberg was filming ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ in Tunisia with Ford. Spielberg had been developing an alien story called Night Skies. Still, the project eventually evolved into something much more personal: ‘E.T.’ Spielberg wanted Melissa Mathison, Ford’s girlfriend at the time, to write the screenplay.
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She initially turned him down, saying she had retired from writing. Spielberg then jokingly recruited Ford as his “boyfriend battering ram.” Ford convinced Mathison to hear Spielberg’s idea again, and she changed her mind. The rest, of course, is history.
Mathison and Spielberg developed the screenplay while Spielberg finished work on Raiders. It created the emotional story that would eventually become one of his most beloved films. So, strangely, Ford helped make ‘E.T.’ possible even before he stepped in front of the camera.
Ford’s Hilarious Cameo Was Sadly Cut
Spielberg eventually offered Ford a small role as Elliot’s school principal. For young Henry Thomas, who played Elliot, it was an especially exciting opportunity because Ford was one of his heroes after watching ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’. The scene was wonderfully absurd.
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Elliot is in the principal’s office following the infamous frog incident, while E.T. is secretly levitating objects needed to build his communicator. As the alien moves the equipment upstairs, Elliot’s chair begins floating into the air.
According to Spielberg, Elliot eventually rises so high that his head hits the ceiling. E.T. loses control, the equipment crashes down the stairs, and Elliot comes tumbling back to the floor. Meanwhile, Ford’s principal simply turns around as if absolutely nothing happened.
There was just one catch: you never actually see Ford’s face. His voice and body are present, but the camera deliberately avoids revealing him. Spielberg ultimately decided the sequence didn’t belong in the final film and removed it. Still, seeing the deleted footage today feels like discovering a tiny piece of movie history.
And honestly, it is hard not to feel a little sorry for Thomas. He finally got the chance to meet his childhood hero, and then the entire scene disappeared from the movie. Even so, Ford’s connection to E.T. remains one of those stories that makes an already iconic film feel even more special, much like the lore around him turning down ‘Jurassic Park.’ After all, Spielberg and Ford’s partnership has helped shape cinema over the years.
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