George Lucas wrote an extensive timeline, detailing the life of Indiana Jones, assembling the elements for about seventy episodes of this show, starting in 1905, and leading all the way up to the theatrical movies. Each outline, included the place, date, and the historical people Indy would meet in that episode, and would then be turned over to one the the series writers. When the series came to an end, twenty-eight of the seventy stories had been filmed.
Harrison Ford was offered the role of the older Indiana Jones, but he turned it down, since he thought television had nothing to offer his career. However, Ford appeared as a middle-aged Indy in season two, episode five, "Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues", where he recalled one of his early adventures.
River Phoenix, who played Young Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), was offered the title role, but turned it down, since he didn't want to return to television.
Though difficult to see, Sean Patrick Flanery wears a prosthetic scar based on Harrison Ford's actual one in all his scenes.
Filmed in 23 different countries, travelling over 165,000 miles (approximately six times around the world). Cast and crew shot for 152 weeks, making this the longest location shoot in history at that time. The series featured over 1,500 speaking parts, 50,000 extras, and over 120,000 meals were served to them. Enough 16-millimeter film was shot to go from New York City to Phoenix.