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In the 1970s, John Wayne's career was approaching its final years, which meant whatever his final project would be cemented into his legacy. The 1979 Western The Frisco Kid, a movie about a Polish rabbi who befriends a bank robber and embarks on an adventure, was originally supposed John Wayne's final movie, as he would have played Tommy Lillard. The studio was keen on hiring Wayne, but issues between the producers and the actor resulted in Wayne turning down the film. Instead, a rising star replaced him in the role.

Way before joining the cast of TV Western 1923, Harrison Ford was the much younger replacement for Wayne in The Frisco Kid. The movie also starred Gene Wilder as the Polish rabbi Avram, following his well-received performance in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Because Ford replaced Wayne, his last ever film was another critically acclaimed Western where he starred alongside James Stewart,...

John Wayne was initially offered the role of Tommy the Cowboy in The Frisco Kid but opted out. Harrison Ford replaced Wayne and starred alongside Gene Wilder in the Western comedy set in the 1850s Gold Rush. Ford's performance in The Frisco Kid was overshadowed by Wilder's, leading to a forgettable film despite his rising stardom.

To some, The Frisco Kid is a hidden gem from the '70s, but to many, the film is almost unheard of. Harrison Ford starred alongside Gene Wilder in the lesser-known Western comedy directed by Robert Aldrich, but before Ford was solidified as a member of the cast, John Wayne had previously agreed to play his character.

It's hard to believe that Ford and Wayne were once considered for the same role. After all, when The Frisco Kid was released, Wayne was in his late 60s, and Ford was in his 30s.

John Wayne was initially offered the role of Tommy the Cowboy in The Frisco Kid but opted out. Harrison Ford replaced Wayne and starred alongside Gene Wilder in the Western comedy set in the 1850s Gold Rush. Ford's performance in The Frisco Kid was overshadowed by Wilder's, leading to a forgettable film despite his rising stardom.

To some, The Frisco Kid is a hidden gem from the 70s, but to many, the film is almost unheard of. Harrison Ford starred alongside Gene Wilder in the lesser-known Western comedy directed by Robert Aldrich, but before Ford was solidified as a member of the cast, John Wayne had previously agreed to play his character.

It's hard to believe that Ford and Wayne were once considered for the same role. After all, when The Frisco Kid was released, Wayne was in his late 60s, and Ford was in his 30s. At this point,...

Clockwise from upper left: Star Wars (Disney), Raiders Of The Lost Ark (Disney), The Fugitive (Warner Bros.), Blade Runner (Warner Bros.) American Graffiti (Universal), Hollywood Homicide (Sony)Graphic: AVClub

Harrison Ford is one of our biggest, most iconic movie stars. Much like Gary Cooper and Clint Eastwood, he tends to play tough,...

One of the most oddly fascinating chapters of a movie star's career is Harrison Ford's awkward three-year run in between "Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope" and "Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back."

After a rough 10 years that saw him kicked out of Columbia Pictures' New Talent Program, and relegated to smallish roles in films like George Lucas' "American Graffiti" and Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation," Ford finally broke through as the dashing rogue Han Solo in Lucas' blockbuster space opera. With the entire country mad for anything even tangentially related to "Star Wars," it seemed like all of the actors were primed for superstardom. This was especially true of Ford, whose banter with Carrie Fisher's unflappable Princess Leia drew the film's biggest laughs.

Ford's presence, delivery, and undeniable good looks should've had every major studio and director in Hollywood knocking on his door — and,...