Ford Prefect (character)
| Ford Prefect | |
|---|---|
David Dixon as Ford Prefect in Episode One of the BBC TV series | |
| First appearance | Fit the First (radio) |
| Created by | Douglas Adams |
| Portrayed by | Geoffrey McGivern (radio and LP versions) David Dixon (television) Mos Def (film) |
| In-universe information | |
| Nickname | Ix |
| Species | Betelgeusian |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Researcher for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy |
| Relatives | Zaphod Beeblebrox (semi-half cousin) |
| Homeworld | Betelgeuse Five |
Ford Prefect (also called Ix) is a character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by the British author Douglas Adams. His role as Arthur Dent's friend – and rescuer, when Earth is unexpectedly demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass at the start of the story – is often expository, as Ford is an experienced galactic hitchhiker and explains that he is actually a journalist, a field researcher for the titular Guide itself, and not an out-of-work actor from Guildford as he had claimed.