By Chelsea Meyer
B103 Rockford
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BELOIT, Wis. — When it comes to the adventurous world of archaeology and exploration, one name often comes to mind: Indiana Jones.
However, before Harrison Ford’s iconic portrayal of the daring archaeologist hit the screen, there was a real-life adventurer who captured the imagination of people worldwide and also had a fascinating connection to the small town of Beloit.
Tyechia Price, public relations manager at Visit Beloit, tells us the fedora-wearing, whip-wielding Indiana Jones mirrored the charismatic and daring persona of Roy Chapman Andrews, a Beloit native who paved the way for modern paleontology and exploration.
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Indiana Jones, portrayed by Ford in the beloved film franchise, was inspired by the real-life adventures of Andrews.
“He was an explorer from the 1920s, so he was born in Beloit and moved out to New York City,” Price said.
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Price goes on to tell us that after Andrews moved to New York, he landed a job mopping floors at the American Museum of Natural History, where he quickly gained recognition for his extensive fieldwork, research and scientific writings.
Soon after, he led a series of daring expeditions to remote regions of the Gobi Desert and Mongolia. There he and his team uncovered a treasure trove of dinosaur fossils, including the first-known dinosaur eggs.
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Filmmaker George Lucas and director Steven Spielberg drew inspiration from Andrews’ expeditions, derring-do, and passion for archaeology.
Visit Beloit has teamed up with Beloit Classic Cinemas to hold an early release party for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” at the theater, 2799 Cranston Road. The first show is at 3 p.m. Thursday.
Price says fans can takes photos with an Roy Chapman Andrews impersonator, play adventure games, take home activities, and catch an early screening of the movie.
Want to catch an early showing? Purchase tickets HERE.
This article is by Chelsea Meyer. Email her at chelsea@b103fm.com.