Spun off from "Yellowstone," a modern-day cowboy saga that has become a rare cable TV ratings juggernaut in the United States, Ford's prequel series traces the ancestors of the wealthy, ruthless Dutton clan and their sprawling Montana ranch.

"It's a very complicated and ambitious -- epic, even -- undertaking, this story," Ford told AFP at the Los Angeles premiere for the show, which will stream on Paramount+ from Sunday.

With the show shot largely on location in Montana, Ford joked that he was lured to "1923" by the prospect of "outdoor work."

But Ford, who spent years working repetitive television jobs in Los Angeles before he was cast as Han Solo and Indiana Jones, is not the only Hollywood film giant to sign up for the TV series.

He and Oscar winner Helen Mirren co-star as Jacob and Cara Dutton, a long-married couple working to protect their land and cattle from bears, wolves and jealous neighboring ranchers. Former James Bond actor Timothy Dalton is cast as a villain.

Their presence in "1923" is part of a broader trend in the entertainment industry. Movie stars from Al Pacino to Meryl Streep have flocked to the small screen to be part of the so-called "golden age of television." 

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