Indiana Jones refuses to be an archaeologist.
Henry Walton `` Indiana '' Jones Jr. ( also shortened to Indy ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise . The character first appeared in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark , to be followed by Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984 , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989 , The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles from 1992 to 1996 , and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008 . Since his first appearance in Raiders of the Lost Ark , Indiana Jones has become one of cinema 's most famous characters . The Indiana Jones franchise is an American media franchise based on the adventures of Dr. Henry `` Indiana '' Jones , Jr. , a fictional archaeologist .