323:, Ford is apparently vaporised along with all the other main characters when the Vogons once again destroy the Earth. It is hinted, however, that he and the others may have survived. In the final episodes of the radio series, Ford, along with all the other main characters, is teleported to safety by the Babel Fish in his ear. The episode ends with a selection of possible outcomes for this last-second-teleportation, as the "unstable" nature of the section of galaxy Earth is in means that there are a variety of realities that the characters could find themselves in. The outcomes focus mostly on Arthur, but Ford features in the final possibility, where they all end up at Milliways (
237:), Ford's name was changed to "Ford Escort". In the Dutch translation, the car reference was dropped entirely instead opting for "Amro Bank", the name of the biggest commercial bank in the Netherlands at the time. Nowadays, the joke is largely lost on younger audiences in Britain as well, since the Ford Prefect is now a rare sight on British roads. In the film adaptation, his last name was never actually stated on-screen, but it is given in the film's credits as "Prefect."
39:
246:
father was the only man to survive. Ford never learned to pronounce his birth name, which was a matter that caused his father to die of shame (which is still a terminal disease in some parts of the
Universe). At school, he was nicknamed "Ix," which translates as "boy who is not able to satisfactorily explain what a Hrung is, nor why it should choose to collapse on Betelgeuse Seven".
270:. He is eccentric and endlessly broad-minded – no doubt due to his vast experience of roughing it around the galaxy – and possesses of an off-key and often very dark sense of humour. He is described as being able to smile in a way that would "send hitherto sane men scampering into the trees". In his role as guide to the universe for the often bewildered
254:
radio scripts explains that "just before arriving (on Earth) he registered his new name officially at the
Galactic Nomenclaturoid Office, where they had the technology to unpick his old name from the fabric of space/time and thread the new one in its place, so that for all intents and purposes his name had always been and would always be Ford Prefect."
202:
saved by Arthur and, in the film version of events, this is how the pair meet (this meeting also prompting Ford to rescue Arthur in particular when the Vogons come to destroy Earth). The graphics in the TV series provide a similar explanation by listing a sequence of names including 'Ford', beginning with director
245:
A footnote in the novel explains that Ford's birth name is "only pronounceable in an obscure
Betelgeusian dialect" which was almost wiped out by the "Great Collapsing Hrung Disaster of Gal./Sid./Year 03758," a mysterious catastrophe which took place on the planet of Betelgeuse Seven and which Ford's
253:
calls him "Ford" the first time they are reunited in all versions of the story except for the film, where Zaphod addresses him as "Praxibetel Ix," then introduces him by saying "This is my semi-half brother, Ix... I'm sorry, sorry, Ford." While not explained in the book, a footnote of the original
201:
was a popular
British car manufactured from 1938 to 1961, and Adams later clarified in an interview that Ford "had simply mistaken the dominant life form" of Earth. This was expanded on somewhat in the film version, where Ford is almost run over while attempting to greet a blue Ford Prefect. He is
286:
on Earth) to the extraordinary usefulness of towels. Ford's other chief characteristic is his constant pursuit of an alcohol-fueled good time (in contrast to Arthur's quest for a cup of tea). Although his heart is in the right place and he is shown to be highly intelligent, resourceful and even
306:, it is on Zaphod's two-hundredth birthday. It is later mentioned that Ford and Zaphod attended school together, even having some of the same classes, which would indicate that they are roughly the same age. He had originally planned to spend a week on Earth doing research for the
295:; an Electronic Thumb, which he uses to signal passing spaceships in an attempt to hitch a ride; a Sub-Etha Sens-O-Matic, which monitors interstellar activity and alerts him to ships' proximity and origin; and a bath towel from
290:
Ford carries the essential items of his profession in a leather satchel, hiding them under copies of play scripts in keeping with his public persona as an actor in search of work. Among the contents are his copy of the
58:
819:
197:
Although Ford had taken great care to blend into Earth society, he had "skimped a bit on his preparatory research," and thought that the name "Ford
Prefect" would be "nicely inconspicuous." The
686:
681:
826:
692:
181:
at the start of the story – is often expository, as Ford is an experienced galactic hitchhiker and explains that he is actually an alien journalist, a field researcher for the titular
533:
710:
274:
Arthur Dent, he serves to link the disparate elements of the story together. As well as rescuing Arthur, he introduces him to the other major characters – such as Zaphod,
958:
729:
287:
brave, Ford is essentially a dilettante when it comes to causes such as the search for the question to the ultimate answer of "life, the universe and everything".
676:
336:
229:
Adams later observed that this joke was lost on United States audiences who assumed it was a typing error for "perfect." In some versions, such as the French (
526:
843:
792:
767:
700:
344:
47:
719:
932:
519:
978:
973:
570:
963:
705:
352:
628:
578:
324:
543:
369:
165:
993:
988:
953:
426:
398:
594:
452:
249:
Despite all this, his cousin (in the film, TV series, and radio show they are said to share three of the same mothers)
302:
Ford is approximately 200 years old, as supported by the books. When, in the first novel, Zaphod steals the spaceship
586:
983:
511:
378:
656:
752:
279:
968:
848:
621:
310:, but wound up being stranded there for 15 years prior to helping Arthur escape the planet when the
897:
177:'s friend – and rescuer, when the Earth is unexpectedly demolished to make way for a hyperspace
904:
854:
485:
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Radio Series, The
Quintessential Phase, Fit the Twenty-Sixth
207:
757:
364:
275:
476:
The
Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy omnibus edition, printed by Ballantine Books
8:
636:
438:
348:
83:
43:
891:
911:
747:
422:
340:
296:
250:
139:
78:
886:
799:
541:
602:
319:
762:
263:
38:
947:
548:
456:
283:
178:
170:
68:
282:– and to numerous mind-boggling concepts, from "teasers" (an explanation of
374:
198:
20:
737:
649:
223:
219:
174:
495:
215:
399:"What the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy Remake Needs to Get Right"
917:
881:
211:
203:
186:
820:
Don't Panic: The
Official Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Companion
876:
271:
267:
356:
88:
377:’s The Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool in May 1979 at the
827:
Douglas Adams's Guide to The
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
775:
311:
871:
16:
Alien researcher, from The
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
327:), drinking and chatting - and in Ford's case, flirting.
266:
view on the universe, sometimes bordering on joyful
496:"DAVID DIXON - The Dixionary - Unofficial fan page"
339:and subsequent LP adaptation, Ford was played by
226:with the final name Ford Prefect being selected.
945:
361:The Illustrated Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
959:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy characters
527:
367:played Ford in the first stage production of
317:At the end of the final novel in the series,
439:"Het transgalactisch liftershandboek (Boek)"
534:
520:
185:itself, and not an out-of-work actor from
37:
629:Douglas Adams's Starship Titanic: A Novel
579:The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
325:The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
979:Fictional reporters and correspondents
974:Literary characters introduced in 1978
946:
964:Fictional extraterrestrial characters
515:
396:
257:
19:For the 1938 British automobile, see
793:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
713:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
595:So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
571:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
544:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
370:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
166:The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
337:original and following radio series
240:
13:
46:as Ford Prefect in Episode One of
14:
1005:
587:Life, the Universe and Everything
770:Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
130:Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
453:"The alt.fan.douglas-adams FAQ"
363:he is portrayed by Tom Finnis.
488:
479:
470:
445:
431:
415:
390:
379:Institute of Contemporary Arts
235:Γυρίστε τον Γαλαξία με Ωτοστόπ
163:) is a fictional character in
1:
994:Male characters in television
989:Male characters in literature
954:Fiction set around Betelgeuse
498:. Rabid.oneuk.com. 1947-10-28
421:Le Guide Galactique, Denoël,
384:
330:
912:Fiordichthys slartibartfasti
455:. Zootle.net. Archived from
7:
753:Marvin the Paranoid Android
397:Jones, Craig (2022-02-23).
280:Marvin the Paranoid Android
10:
1010:
693:The Original Radio Scripts
622:Young Zaphod Plays It Safe
18:
928:
864:
836:
809:
784:
728:
669:
647:
613:
562:
555:
146:
135:
124:
116:
108:
100:
95:
74:
64:
54:
36:
31:
898:Bidenichthys beeblebroxi
984:Male characters in film
849:Somebody else's problem
192:
96:In-universe information
81:(radio and LP versions)
905:Erechthias beeblebroxi
855:Encyclopedia Galactica
169:by the British author
687:Phases 3, 4, 5, and 6
59:Fit the First (radio)
637:The Salmon of Doubt
347:, he was played by
231:Le Guide Galactique
189:as he had claimed.
128:Researcher for the
26:Fictional character
919:Kiitoksia kaloista
892:25924 Douglasadams
657:And Another Thing…
258:Character and role
142:(semi-half cousin)
969:Fictional writers
941:
940:
748:Zaphod Beeblebrox
665:
664:
427:978-2-207-24914-7
381:(ICA) in London.
355:he was played by
341:Geoffrey McGivern
297:Marks and Spencer
251:Zaphod Beeblebrox
233:) and the Greek (
154:
153:
140:Zaphod Beeblebrox
79:Geoffrey McGivern
48:the BBC TV series
1001:
887:18610 Arthurdent
800:Starship Titanic
560:
559:
536:
529:
522:
513:
512:
507:
506:
504:
503:
492:
486:
483:
477:
474:
468:
467:
465:
464:
449:
443:
442:
435:
429:
419:
413:
412:
410:
409:
394:
241:First birth name
55:First appearance
41:
29:
28:
1009:
1008:
1004:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
998:
944:
943:
942:
937:
924:
860:
832:
811:
805:
780:
724:
661:
643:
609:
603:Mostly Harmless
551:
540:
510:
501:
499:
494:
493:
489:
484:
480:
475:
471:
462:
460:
451:
450:
446:
437:
436:
432:
420:
416:
407:
405:
395:
391:
387:
333:
320:Mostly Harmless
260:
243:
195:
150:Betelgeuse Five
87:
82:
50:
27:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1007:
997:
996:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
939:
938:
936:
935:
929:
926:
925:
923:
922:
915:
908:
901:
894:
889:
884:
879:
874:
868:
866:
862:
861:
859:
858:
851:
846:
840:
838:
834:
833:
831:
830:
823:
815:
813:
807:
806:
804:
803:
796:
788:
786:
782:
781:
779:
778:
773:
765:
763:Slartibartfast
760:
755:
750:
745:
740:
734:
732:
726:
725:
723:
722:
717:
708:
703:
701:1981 TV series
698:
697:
696:
689:
684:
682:Phases 1 and 2
673:
671:
667:
666:
663:
662:
654:
652:
645:
644:
642:
641:
633:
625:
617:
615:
611:
610:
608:
607:
599:
591:
583:
575:
566:
564:
557:
553:
552:
539:
538:
531:
524:
516:
509:
508:
487:
478:
469:
444:
430:
414:
388:
386:
383:
332:
329:
262:Ford takes an
259:
256:
242:
239:
210:, news reader
194:
191:
173:. His role as
152:
151:
148:
144:
143:
137:
133:
132:
126:
122:
121:
118:
114:
113:
110:
106:
105:
102:
98:
97:
93:
92:
76:
72:
71:
66:
62:
61:
56:
52:
51:
42:
34:
33:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1006:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
951:
949:
934:
931:
930:
927:
921:
920:
916:
914:
913:
909:
907:
906:
902:
900:
899:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
869:
867:
863:
857:
856:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
841:
839:
835:
829:
828:
824:
822:
821:
817:
816:
814:
808:
802:
801:
797:
795:
794:
790:
789:
787:
783:
777:
774:
772:
771:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
735:
733:
731:
727:
721:
718:
716:
714:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
695:
694:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
679:
678:
675:
674:
672:
668:
659:
658:
653:
651:
646:
639:
638:
634:
631:
630:
626:
623:
619:
618:
616:
614:Related works
612:
605:
604:
600:
597:
596:
592:
589:
588:
584:
581:
580:
576:
573:
572:
568:
567:
565:
561:
558:
554:
550:
549:Douglas Adams
546:
545:
537:
532:
530:
525:
523:
518:
517:
514:
497:
491:
482:
473:
459:on 2013-09-07
458:
454:
448:
440:
434:
428:
424:
418:
404:
400:
393:
389:
382:
380:
376:
372:
371:
366:
362:
358:
354:
351:, and in the
350:
346:
342:
338:
328:
326:
322:
321:
315:
314:demolish it.
313:
309:
305:
304:Heart of Gold
300:
298:
294:
288:
285:
284:UFO sightings
281:
277:
273:
269:
265:
255:
252:
247:
238:
236:
232:
227:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
200:
190:
188:
184:
180:
176:
172:
171:Douglas Adams
168:
167:
162:
159:(also called
158:
149:
145:
141:
138:
134:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
99:
94:
90:
85:
80:
77:
73:
70:
69:Douglas Adams
67:
63:
60:
57:
53:
49:
45:
40:
35:
30:
22:
918:
910:
903:
896:
853:
825:
818:
798:
791:
769:
743:Ford Prefect
742:
712:
711:Timeline of
691:
677:Radio series
655:
635:
627:
601:
593:
585:
577:
569:
542:
500:. Retrieved
490:
481:
472:
461:. Retrieved
457:the original
447:
433:
417:
406:. Retrieved
402:
392:
375:Ken Campbell
368:
365:Richard Hope
360:
334:
318:
316:
307:
303:
301:
292:
289:
261:
248:
244:
234:
230:
228:
199:Ford Prefect
196:
182:
164:
160:
157:Ford Prefect
156:
155:
129:
112:Betelgeusian
86:(television)
75:Portrayed by
32:Ford Prefect
21:Ford Prefect
837:Miscellanea
738:Arthur Dent
650:Eoin Colfer
563:Main series
349:David Dixon
264:existential
224:Ford Consul
220:Ford Anglia
214:, carmaker
208:Arthur Ford
175:Arthur Dent
84:David Dixon
44:David Dixon
948:Categories
865:In culture
730:Characters
720:Cast lists
502:2013-08-29
463:2013-08-29
408:2022-11-01
385:References
345:television
331:Portrayals
216:Henry Ford
125:Occupation
65:Created by
882:Towel Day
810:Companion
706:2005 film
212:Anna Ford
204:John Ford
187:Guildford
147:Homeworld
136:Relatives
933:Category
877:Hitchcon
758:Trillian
715:versions
624:" (1986)
403:MovieWeb
276:Trillian
272:everyman
268:nihilism
101:Nickname
844:Phrases
357:Mos Def
335:In the
109:Species
89:Mos Def
776:Vogons
660:(2009)
640:(2002)
632:(1997)
606:(1992)
598:(1984)
590:(1982)
582:(1980)
574:(1979)
425:
312:Vogons
222:, the
218:, the
179:bypass
117:Gender
91:(film)
812:media
785:Games
670:Media
556:Books
373:with
359:. In
343:. On
308:Guide
293:Guide
183:Guide
872:h2g2
768:The
423:ISBN
353:film
278:and
193:Name
120:Male
648:by
547:by
950::
401:.
299:.
206:,
161:Ix
104:Ix
620:"
535:e
528:t
521:v
505:.
466:.
441:.
411:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
