No last crusade: Indy leads new breed of oldies

THE Zimmer frame could soon have Ferrari-like street cred with the arrival of a new, well-ripened generation of movie star.

Just when you thought it was safe to leave the bull whip and fedora in the closet, Indiana is on the way back.

Harrison Ford says at 65 years of age he’s not too old to star again as the all-action archaeologist with attitude.

“Oldies” was a term long used to denote films of a certain vintage. Not any longer, the oldies are now the stars of the screen.

Twenty five years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ford reprises his role in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

The star, who last played Indiana in 1989’s The Last Crusade, says he’s still “fit” enough to “bring the same physical action” to the role and sources who have seen early footage claim this is indeed the case.

Ford has insisted on doing his own arthritis- defying stunts in the movie which is scheduled for release next summer.

After that, well, it doesn’t look as if he’s going to spend his days as a dusty Hollywood artefact.

The studio behind the Indiana Jones phenomenon want Professor Jones to do three more instalments.

The man who was Han Solo light years ago intends to keep on whip- cracking through his twilight years.

Meanwhile, at 86 years of age, well-ripened Hollywood actor Mickey Rooney is probably young enough to play Ford’s son, or visa versa depending on the make-up department.

The legend was engulfed by a media scrum when he arrived in the Galway-Roscommon border village of Ballymoe yesterday.

“Show some courtesy,” he shouted at some over zealous members of the media as he struggled to get from his car to the door of the local community centre for celebrations to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of Boys Town, Nebraska, by Ballymoe-born priest Fr Edward Flanagan.

The village, a suburb of Omaha, Nebraska, was founded as the headquarters of the organisation of the same name, dedicated to the housing and education of at-risk children.

Rooney acted in the 1938 Hollywood movie about the town’s success.

Inside the Ballymoe hall Rooney took centre stage and enjoyed the admiration of the audience ranging in age from two to 100.

“It is an honour to be here,” he said.