Harrison Ford: AFI Fetes Shy Guy

Sharon Stone, Darryl Hannah, Carrie Fisher, and Brad Pitt were among 1,200 industry leaders who turned up Thursday night to honor Harrison Ford as he was presented with the 48th Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Film Institute.

At the event, Early Show Entertainment Correspondent Mark McEwen asked Ford if he grinned or cringed when he heard that he was going to be honored with the lifetime achievement award.

"I cringed a little bit," said the tuxedo-clad actor. "I knew what to anticipate. I knew it would end up like this, with me in a silly suit and you in a silly suit."

But he added that he did not feel too nervous.

"I'm surrounded by family and friends and people I love," he said. "And at this point, I'm actually glad to be here."

Intrepid on screen, Ford claims to be terrified of public speaking, and he demonstrated it when he received his award.

Speaking in almost inaudible tones, the actor thanked his early mentors and said: "This evening has been more than I expected. You made me laugh. I'm going to get the hell out of here now before you make me cry."

The 28th AFI honor was presented to him Thursday night by his two most important directors: George Lucas, who cast him in American Graffiti, and then in Star Wars, and Steven Spielberg, who directed him in the Indiana Jones movies.

Lucas commented semi-jokingly that when Ford was suggested for the role of Han Solo for Star Wars, he commented, "I don't want to use the same face twice."

And when Spielberg suggested Ford for Indiana Jones, which Lucas produced, Lucas commented "I'm not going to use the same actor in three of my movies."

Spielberg offered his acclaim for Ford: "He defined the image of the American hero."