Posted by anonymous on September 25, 1997 at 18:06:13:
In Reply to: Indy Inspiration posted by Elizabeth Royte on September 25, 1997 at 05:48:16:
: Hi,
: I'm a writer for Outside magazine trying to track down the names of any real life people Indiana Jones may have been based upon or inspired by.
: If you have any ideas please drop me email at eroyte@aol.com.
: I appreciate it very much.
There have been a lot of rumors on this...Indiana Jones has been inspired by a lot of personalities, both fact and fiction. Namely, James Bond and Bogart a la "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" were two film characters of obvious influence.
Some actual persons have been claimed by ambiguous sources as to contributiing research for the character. Though I don't think he was contacted for RAIDERS specifically, Dr. Wade Davis is commonly called the modern day Indiana Jones -- his research into Africa, demonic ritual, zombism, etc...
Though it's been disputed, rumor has it that one professor (of American Studies? History? Anthropolgy? I'm not sure) at Vassar College in upstate New York was a direct inspiration for the character...