As with the other Indiana Jones movies, Harrison Ford did many of his own stunts. According to stuntman Vic Armstrong, he had to pull Ford to one side and ask him to let him "do some work" because Ford was doing so much of the action himself. Armstrong later said, "If he wasn't such a great actor, he would have made a really great stuntman."
Most of the uniforms worn by the Nazis in the Berlin book-burning scene are authentic World War II uniforms, not replicas. A cache of old uniforms was found in Germany and obtained by costume designer Anthony Powell to be used in this movie.
Harrison Ford nominated River Phoenix to play him as a teenager, having worked with him before on his favorite of his many movies, The Mosquito Coast (1986). When describing how he prepared for playing the role, Phoenix explained that he didn't really base his portrayal on the Indiana Jones character, but on Harrison Ford. So he observed Ford out of character before acting his part.
The four horses used in the final scenes outside of the temple were loaned to the movie personally by King Hussein of Jordan.
Ronald Lacey: Played Heinrich Himmler in the Nazi Berlin parade. Lacey previously played Toht in Los cazadores del arca perdida (1981). He is seen behind his friend, Michael Sheard, who plays Adolf Hitler in this film.
Alex Hyde-White: Henry Jones, Sr. in 1912. Hyde-White's face was never shown, and his lines were dubbed by Sir Sean Connery.
Isla Blair: Wife of Julian Glover played the wife of his character Donovan. Credits list "Mrs. Glover" as playing "Mrs. Donovan."
Vic Armstrong: Harrison Ford's stunt double appears as a German soldier. He also played a German soldier in Los cazadores del arca perdida (1981).