Steven Spielberg’s Legendary Prank on Harrison Ford — 300 Copies of a Hated Biography Flood the Set!

For Ke Huy Quan, filming “The Goonies” was an adventure packed with unforgettable moments. But among all the memories, one playful episode stands above the rest: a Steven Spielberg prank so elaborate, it left even Harrison Ford stunned and speechless.

Quan, who had just come off his big-screen debut as Short Round in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” recalled the day Ford visited the set of “The Goonies”—and found himself at the center of a practical joke only Spielberg could mastermind. As Quan shared with The Guardian, “There was a biography out of him that he really hated, so Steven went out and bought about 300 copies, so that when Harrison came to visit and walked on to set, the security guard, the gaffers, the camera equipment people, everybody was reading that biography.”

The image is as hilarious as it is surreal: Harrison Ford, legendary for his cool stoicism, entering a film set only to find every crew member and extra completely absorbed in a book he despised. It was classic Spielberg—a blend of mischief and camaraderie that kept even Hollywood icons on their toes.

But Ford’s visit wasn’t the only brush with stardom for the “Goonies” cast. Quan remembers another day when whispers started to spread: Michael Jackson was coming. “The cast and crew were so excited. We didn’t know what time he was arriving, so we were constantly looking over our shoulder. Sure enough, when he walked onto the set, everybody just stopped what they were doing—even the guy making the coffee.” Jackson, famously shy, seemed almost overwhelmed by the attention, but he left a lasting mark on the young cast, gifting them tickets to his Los Angeles show and jackets as souvenirs. Quan, still rueful about losing his, remembers the excitement as “giddy” and electric.

Quan, reflecting on his own childhood experiences with Hollywood legends, spoke warmly about Ford’s kindness on the “Temple of Doom” set. During a tense escape sequence, the young actor was terrified and started to cry. “I remember Harrison Ford kneeling down in front of me and asking me if I was okay,” Quan recalled. “He said, and I’ll never forget this, ‘Ke, I want you to remember, I will never hurt you.’ When he said that, oh my gosh, it just made me love him so much more. Here is Indiana Jones telling me that he’s gonna take care of me.”

Between Spielberg’s legendary pranks and Ford’s quiet mentorship, the behind-the-scenes world of these iconic films was every bit as rich, wild, and heartfelt as the movies themselves. For Ke Huy Quan and countless fans, those memories remain as enduring as any blockbuster adventure.