Profile
Name : Tom Hanks
Full/Alt. names : Thomas J Hanks, Thomas Jeffrey Hanks
Date of Birth : Monday July 9, 1956.
Born : Concord, California (USA)
Nationality : United States
Occupation : Actor, producer, director, voice over artist, writer, speaker
Years active : 1979–present
Spouse : Samantha Lewes (1978–1987) , Rita Wilson (1988–present)
Awards won : Academy Award for Actor in a Leading…
Films written : That Thing You Do!
Films directed : Band of Brothers, That Thing You Do!
Films produced : House of D, Evan Almighty, Cast…
Biography
Few could have predicted in 1980 that one of the leads of a sitcom about a pair of slippery, wisecracking ad men who cross-dress in order to keep a cheap apartment in a women's hotel would have emerged as one of the country's most respected and decorated actors of the century. Almost in spite of his inauspicious beginnings, actor Tom Hanks rose from the star of the cult comedy series "Bosom Buddies" (ABC, 1980-82) to become a respected Academy Award-winning actor and Emmy-winning producer. Though it took almost a decade to rise from the depths, Hanks made his name with a touching performance in "Big" (1988), opening the doors to eventual back-to-back Oscar glory with "Philadelphia" (1993) and "Forrest Gump" (1994). Not one to rest on his laurels, Hanks continued making quality work while challenging the everyman persona he developed, taking on roles as an autocratic company man in "Cast Away" (2000), a mob hit man in "Road to Perdition" (2002) and a cocaine- and hooker-loving congressman in "Charlie Wilson's War" (2007), all the while firmly establishing himself as the finest actor of his generation, as well as being universally perceived as "the nicest guy in show business."
Born on July 9, 1956 in Concord, CA, Hanks was raised by Amos, a cook and restaurant manager, and Janet, a hospital worker. In 1960, his father took him and his siblings to Reno, NV to start a new life, later divorcing Janet. After his second marriage failed, his father picked up the family and settled in Oakland, CA, where Hanks spent his formative years. Growing up an unhappy and often confused child, Hanks sought stability wherever he could find it. At Skyline High School, he played soccer and ran track, but became a born-again Christian, joining the fundamentalist First Covenant Church of Oakland for a couple of years. Hanks' true salvation, however, came when he discovered acting. With the encouragement of high school drama teacher Rawley Farnsworth - whom he would famously thank after winning his first Oscar in 1994 - Hanks dove headfirst into the craft, performing as cross-dresser Luther Billis in a production of "South Pacific." After graduating, he attended Chabot Community College, leaving after a year to become a theater major at California State University at Sacramento in 1976.
The summer after his first year at CSU, Hanks interned at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival in Cleveland, OH. He quit school once again in order to spend the next two summers with the festival under the guidance of famed Irish director Vincent Dowling, earning acclaim for his performances in "The Taming of the Shrew" and "The Two Gentlemen of Verona." In 1978, Hanks sold his Volkswagen Beetle and used the money to move to New York City in order to pursue his dream of performing on Broadway. Success on the Great White Way remained elusive, however, though Hanks did manage to break into features with a small role in the low-budget horror flick, "He Knows You're Alone" (1980). Fortunately his next part cinched the deal. Hanks gained widespread exposure with a starring role in the short-lived cult sitcom, "Bosom Buddies," playing an advertising executive who moves into a low-rent female-only hotel with his ad exec buddy (Peter Scolari) on the condition that they both dress like women. Though only on for a few years, it was remembered fondly by Generation Xers, who never failed to tell the actor how much his cross-dressing gig remained a fond childhood memory for them. Something about the silly show resonated, and unlike other stars who conveniently forgot their humble beginnings, Hanks was more than happy to discuss "Bosom Buddies" in interviews years later. He also remained close friends with Scolari, despite the differences in their respective career trajectories.
After "Bosom Buddies" left the air, Hanks made a guest appearance on a 1982 episode of "Happy Days" (ABC/CBS, 1973-1984) that impressed cast member Ron Howard enough to cast him as lead in "Splash" (1984), a comic fantasy about a boyishly charming produce vendor who falls in love with an actual mermaid (Daryl Hannah). Proving a likable and engaging screen presence, Hanks seemed assured of becoming successful in romantic comedies. He obliterated the notion with a funny, but sophomoric turn in "Bachelor Party" (1984), then appeared in a string of comic misfires - "The Man with One Red Shoe" (1984), "The Money Pit" (1986) and "Dragnet" (1987) - that would have ended a less resilient actor's career. Of this early period, only "Nothing in Common" (1986) - a sentimental comedy depicting Hanks as a selfish workaholic who forges a bond with his ailing father (Jackie Gleason in his last screen appearance) - was worthy of any modicum of praise.
But in 1988, Hanks experienced a turning point with two parts that demonstrated his versatility for the first time. In "Punchline" (1998), he delivered a strong turn as a brash stand-up comedian who first mentors, then competes against a rising female comic (Sally Field). He then followed by displaying his winning charms as a 12-year-old boy trapped in the body of a 35-year-old man in "Big" (1988), a huge comedy hit from then-budding director Penny Marshall. Hanks was honored with his first of several Academy Award nominations for Best Actor. Trying hard to avoid being typecast, Hanks accepted a few projects that perhaps sounded better on paper. After the forgettable "Turner & Hooch" (1989), Hanks starred in the bizarre "Joe Versus the Volcano" (1990), playing a man who is convinced he is dying, and thus, agrees to jump into a remote island volcano in order to appease an angry god. He was grossly miscast as a Wall Street wheeler-dealer in the huge, muddled mess, "Bonfire of the Vanities" (1990). Just when "Big" had seemed to open new doors, Hanks was back where he was before.
Because of the unmitigated disaster of "Bonfire of the Vanities," Hanks reportedly lobbied Penny Marshall for the lead in "A League of Their Own" (1992), the director's sentimental look at the first all-female baseball league, which was formed during World War II. Hanks sought out the role of Jimmy Dugan, a washed up drunk and former player who rediscovers his joy of the game through managing a winning team. Though Marshall initially felt he was wrong for the part, she eventually relented, a choice that proved correct after Hanks managed to win over audiences with his endearingly gruff but equally hilarious performance. Meanwhile, Hanks found his stride once again, scoring another hit when he reunited with "Joe vs. the Volcano" co-star Meg Ryan in Nora Ephron's paean to romance, "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993). Again displaying both earnest charm and a flair for light comedy, Hanks offered glimpses into the sadness of a widower father whose son calls a radio show asking for a new mommy for Christmas, sparking a long-distance courtship. For his touching portrayal, Hanks was nominated for Best Actor - Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards.
The actor vaulted into esteemed and, at this point in his career, uncharted territory with his Oscar-winning performance in "Philadelphia" (1993), playing a homosexual lawyer who is dying of AIDS while trying to win a discrimination suit after getting fired. Despite the film being denounced by gay activists for being too soft on the issue, Hanks was nonetheless universally praised for a nuanced performance, in which he lost weight for the role. After his win at the Academy Awards, Hanks was anointed "the nicest guy in show business" and "the new Jimmy Stewart" because of his stalwart persona. His next film, "Forrest Gump" (1994), saw Hanks play a man who leads an extraordinary life taking part in many of the defining moments of the '60s, '70s and '80s despite having an I.Q. of 75. Hanks displayed the proper whimsy required for the man-child fond of comically sappy sayings like "Stupid is as stupid does" and "Mama always said life was like a box a chocolates: You never know what you're gonna get," which became part of the cultural zeitgeist. The film, meanwhile, touched a chord with moviegoers, who cheered Forrest's survival and triumph over one adversity after another, making "Gump" the year's highest-grossing film on its way to picking up six Academy Awards, including Hanks' second consecutive win for Best Actor.
Hanks tried for his third straight Academy Award win when he reunited with "Splash" director Ron Howard for "Apollo 13" (1995), a tense look at the famed ill-fated 1970 NASA mission to the moon. Playing real-life astronaut Jim Lovell - a role allegedly slated for Kevin Costner - Hanks delivered a rock steady performance as the commander trying to bring his crew back to Earth safely. Though nominated, Hanks missed out on winning a third Oscar for Best Actor. Hanks next gave voice to Woody, a toy cowboy whose status as top toy of a young boy is threatened by the razzle dazzle of Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in "Toy Story" (1995), the first full-length computer animated feature. Thanks to his A-list status, Hanks had the chance to flex other creative muscles, branching out into screenwriting, producing and directing. He made his directorial debut with "That Thing You Do!" (1996), a genial sixties-era comedy/drama about a band that hits Beatles-like success off of one single. While not a blockbuster, the film demonstrated Hanks' flair for eliciting strong performances from a cast of relative unknowns.
Hanks further enhanced his resume after wearing several hats on his dream project, "From the Earth to the Moon" (HBO, 1998), a 12-part series that examined the history of the U.S. space program. In addition to serving as executive producer on the series, Hanks directed the first segment and wrote four subsequent episodes, sharing the 1998 Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries with co-producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. After nearly two years of being absent from the big screen, Hanks was cast by Steven Spielberg for his highly praised World War II epic, "Saving Private Ryan" (1998), playing an army captain leading a ragtag team of soldiers on a mission to locate a missing G.I. (Matt Damon) behind enemy lines. As Miller, the actor traded on his good guy persona, but colored the performance with hints of a dark side. While some of his co-stars were reduced to fleshing out two-dimensional stereotypes, Hanks was given a more complex role and offered one of his finest screen performances, earning his fourth Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Later that same year, he channeled the ghost of James Stewart when he co-starred a third time opposite Meg Ryan in Nora Ephron's "You've Got Mail" (1998), an updating of the 1940 Stewart-Margaret Sullavan classic "The Shop Around the Corner" (1940). Hanks next reunited with "Private Ryan" cohort Barry Pepper to play prison guards who become involved with a mysterious prisoner (Michael Clarke Duncan) in "The Green Mile" (1999), an adaptation of the Stephen King novel. Further stretching his acting muscles, he collaborated again with "Forrest Gump" director Robert Zemeckis on "Cast Away" (2000), taking the unusual step of interrupting filming to drop the large amount of weight he gained to play an autocratic Federal Express troubleshooter who gets trapped on a deserted island after a plane crash. His bravura performance - for nearly a third of the film Hanks was onscreen alone - brought him renewed critical acclaim and his fifth nomination for Best Actor.
After his experience portraying a veteran in "Saving Private Ryan," Hanks became active in the creation of a memorial to the men and women who fought during WWII. Both he and Spielberg joined forces to executive produce the HBO miniseries, "Band of Brothers" (2001), adapted from historian Stephen Ambrose's book, which followed the soldiers in the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division from their training in Georgia in 1942 through their participation in the invasion of Normandy. Hanks additionally directed one episode of the miniseries, for which he earned an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special. The actor then took on an atypical role, portraying a 1920s Chicago gangster seeking revenge for the death of family members in "The Road to Perdition" (2002). Though Sam Mendes' film prompted mixed critical responses, Hanks' efforts were roundly praised, even if his inherent likeability served to undermine the professional killer he played.
His next film, "Catch Me If You Can" (2002), reunited him with Spielberg who cast him as Carl Hanratty, a real-life FBI fraud investigator hot on the trail of the youngest con artist ever to make the Most Wanted list, Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio). Equal parts downtrodden and dogged, Hanratty was one of Hanks' most distinctive onscreen creations and stood in perfect contrast to DiCaprio's glamorous, happy-go-lucky Abagnale. In fact, Hanks' likeability served his underdog character well, allowing him to convincingly convey Hanratty's more unlikable aspects. Meanwhile, Hanks the movie producer scored mega-success with the unexpectedly popular comedy "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002), which Hanks' part-Greek wife Rita Wilson had discovered when it was a one-woman show created by Nia Vardalos. Hanks' next trick was a return to his wacky comedic roots - indeed, even quirkier territory than he had plumbed before - in the Coen Brothers' remake of the cult classic British film, "The Ladykillers" (2004). Hanks played the verbose, guffawing Professor Dorr, a criminal mastermind whose plan for the Heist of the Century is stymied by a stubborn old woman (Irma P. Hall).
The actor reunited with Spielberg yet again for "The Terminal" (2004), playing an Eastern European immigrant Viktor Navorski, who becomes stranded in a New York City airport terminal because of a quirk in international politics and passport law. He subsequently takes up residence and becomes involved with many of the terminal's temporary inhabitants, including a beautiful flight attendant (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Despite a strong performance and smart direction, "The Terminal" ultimately suffered from an obvious sentimental ending. Hanks teamed up again with Robert Zemeckis to appear as multiple characters in the ambitious CGI-animated adaptation of the popular children's story, "The Polar Express" (2004). Using groundbreaking performance capture technology to digitally morph his physical performances, Hanks was projected onscreen in various forms, playing The Conductor, Hero Boy, Santa Claus, the Hobo and the Boy's Father, which were subsequently woven seamlessly into the film's computer generated environments.
Hanks returned to his love of outer space to narrate the short IMAX film, "Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D" (2005), a stunning journey into mankind's most incredible adventure. The film showcased past, present and future space explorations, as audiences experienced the moon's surface as if they were Apollo astronauts. Returning to dramatic fare, he starred in "The Da Vinci Code" (2006), the long-anticipated adaptation of Dan Brown's monumental bestseller about a murder at the Louvre investigated by a famed symbologist, who unravels a sinister plot to keep a secret that has been protected since the time of Christ. While the script was kept a secret during filming as the fictional mystery in the story, the controversial nature of the book had kept filmmakers from shooting at key locations, including Westminster Abbey. Meanwhile, religious groups - already in a tizzy over the book - braced themselves for what was almost assured to be a blockbuster movie. Though on paper a huge success - it took in over $200 million in domestic box office - "The Da Vinci Code" was panned by most critics for failing to live up to expectations.
After providing voice cameos for "Cars" (2006) and "The Simpsons Movie" (2007), he helped narrate "The War" (PBS, 2007-08), Ken Burns' stunning and comprehensive look at ordinary Americans fighting in World War II. Hanks then starred in the critically-acclaimed political satire, "Charlie Wilson's War" (2007), adapted by Aaron Sorkin from George Crile's non-fiction novel. Hanks played "Good Time Charlie" Wilson, a U.S. congressman with a taste for hookers and blow whose deep patriotism and frustration with American foreign policy leads him to team up with the wealthiest woman in Texas (Julia Roberts) and a blue-collar CIA operative (Philip Seymour Hoffman) to fund the Mujahideen fighters after the Soviets invade Afghanistan. Once again, Hanks found himself being showered with praise for another strong performance, earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy as well as the requisite Oscar buzz.
Turning back to the role of producer, he helped bring to life the exquisite and much-acclaimed seven-part miniseries, "John Adams" (HBO, 2008), which starred Paul Giamatti as the American Revolutionary leader and second President of the United States. Turning back to the role of producer, he helped bring to life the exquisite and much-acclaimed seven-part miniseries, "John Adams" (HBO, 2008), which starred Paul Giamatti as the American Revolutionary leader and second President of the United States. The epic series took a fresh perspective behind-the-scenes of the American Revolution, focusing on Adams' battles with Thomas Jefferson (Stephen Dillane) and Ben Franklin (Tom Wilkinson) while maintaining an often long-distance love affair with wife Abigail (Laura Linney). "John Adams" won just about every major award possible, including 13 Emmys, four Golden Globes and the Humanitas Prize. In 2009, Hanks won the Producers Guild of America Award for Producer of the Year - Longform Television. After executive producing the film adaptation of the West End musical "Mama Mia!" (2008) with his wife, Hanks co-starred with son Colin Hanks in "The Great Buck Howard" (2009), a comedy about a young aspiring magician who becomes an assistant to a renowned illusionist against his father's wishes. Meanwhile, he reprised the role of Professor Robert Langdon for the successful adaptation of Dan Brown's "Angels & Demons" (2009), after which he went back to producing with director Spike Jonze's take on "Where the Wild Things Are" (2009). Returning to his fascination for World War II, Hanks rejoined "Band of Brothers" cohort Steven Spielberg for "The Pacific" (HBO, 2010), a true-to-life fictionalization of the war between Japan and the U.S. in the Pacific theater, as told though the intertwining stories of three U.S. Marines (Joseph Mazzello, James Badge Dale and Jon Seda) who fight their way through the blood-soaked beaches of Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Born on July 9, 1956 in Concord, CA, Hanks was raised by Amos, a cook and restaurant manager, and Janet, a hospital worker. In 1960, his father took him and his siblings to Reno, NV to start a new life, later divorcing Janet. After his second marriage failed, his father picked up the family and settled in Oakland, CA, where Hanks spent his formative years. Growing up an unhappy and often confused child, Hanks sought stability wherever he could find it. At Skyline High School, he played soccer and ran track, but became a born-again Christian, joining the fundamentalist First Covenant Church of Oakland for a couple of years. Hanks' true salvation, however, came when he discovered acting. With the encouragement of high school drama teacher Rawley Farnsworth - whom he would famously thank after winning his first Oscar in 1994 - Hanks dove headfirst into the craft, performing as cross-dresser Luther Billis in a production of "South Pacific." After graduating, he attended Chabot Community College, leaving after a year to become a theater major at California State University at Sacramento in 1976.
The summer after his first year at CSU, Hanks interned at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival in Cleveland, OH. He quit school once again in order to spend the next two summers with the festival under the guidance of famed Irish director Vincent Dowling, earning acclaim for his performances in "The Taming of the Shrew" and "The Two Gentlemen of Verona." In 1978, Hanks sold his Volkswagen Beetle and used the money to move to New York City in order to pursue his dream of performing on Broadway. Success on the Great White Way remained elusive, however, though Hanks did manage to break into features with a small role in the low-budget horror flick, "He Knows You're Alone" (1980). Fortunately his next part cinched the deal. Hanks gained widespread exposure with a starring role in the short-lived cult sitcom, "Bosom Buddies," playing an advertising executive who moves into a low-rent female-only hotel with his ad exec buddy (Peter Scolari) on the condition that they both dress like women. Though only on for a few years, it was remembered fondly by Generation Xers, who never failed to tell the actor how much his cross-dressing gig remained a fond childhood memory for them. Something about the silly show resonated, and unlike other stars who conveniently forgot their humble beginnings, Hanks was more than happy to discuss "Bosom Buddies" in interviews years later. He also remained close friends with Scolari, despite the differences in their respective career trajectories.
After "Bosom Buddies" left the air, Hanks made a guest appearance on a 1982 episode of "Happy Days" (ABC/CBS, 1973-1984) that impressed cast member Ron Howard enough to cast him as lead in "Splash" (1984), a comic fantasy about a boyishly charming produce vendor who falls in love with an actual mermaid (Daryl Hannah). Proving a likable and engaging screen presence, Hanks seemed assured of becoming successful in romantic comedies. He obliterated the notion with a funny, but sophomoric turn in "Bachelor Party" (1984), then appeared in a string of comic misfires - "The Man with One Red Shoe" (1984), "The Money Pit" (1986) and "Dragnet" (1987) - that would have ended a less resilient actor's career. Of this early period, only "Nothing in Common" (1986) - a sentimental comedy depicting Hanks as a selfish workaholic who forges a bond with his ailing father (Jackie Gleason in his last screen appearance) - was worthy of any modicum of praise.
But in 1988, Hanks experienced a turning point with two parts that demonstrated his versatility for the first time. In "Punchline" (1998), he delivered a strong turn as a brash stand-up comedian who first mentors, then competes against a rising female comic (Sally Field). He then followed by displaying his winning charms as a 12-year-old boy trapped in the body of a 35-year-old man in "Big" (1988), a huge comedy hit from then-budding director Penny Marshall. Hanks was honored with his first of several Academy Award nominations for Best Actor. Trying hard to avoid being typecast, Hanks accepted a few projects that perhaps sounded better on paper. After the forgettable "Turner & Hooch" (1989), Hanks starred in the bizarre "Joe Versus the Volcano" (1990), playing a man who is convinced he is dying, and thus, agrees to jump into a remote island volcano in order to appease an angry god. He was grossly miscast as a Wall Street wheeler-dealer in the huge, muddled mess, "Bonfire of the Vanities" (1990). Just when "Big" had seemed to open new doors, Hanks was back where he was before.
Because of the unmitigated disaster of "Bonfire of the Vanities," Hanks reportedly lobbied Penny Marshall for the lead in "A League of Their Own" (1992), the director's sentimental look at the first all-female baseball league, which was formed during World War II. Hanks sought out the role of Jimmy Dugan, a washed up drunk and former player who rediscovers his joy of the game through managing a winning team. Though Marshall initially felt he was wrong for the part, she eventually relented, a choice that proved correct after Hanks managed to win over audiences with his endearingly gruff but equally hilarious performance. Meanwhile, Hanks found his stride once again, scoring another hit when he reunited with "Joe vs. the Volcano" co-star Meg Ryan in Nora Ephron's paean to romance, "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993). Again displaying both earnest charm and a flair for light comedy, Hanks offered glimpses into the sadness of a widower father whose son calls a radio show asking for a new mommy for Christmas, sparking a long-distance courtship. For his touching portrayal, Hanks was nominated for Best Actor - Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards.
The actor vaulted into esteemed and, at this point in his career, uncharted territory with his Oscar-winning performance in "Philadelphia" (1993), playing a homosexual lawyer who is dying of AIDS while trying to win a discrimination suit after getting fired. Despite the film being denounced by gay activists for being too soft on the issue, Hanks was nonetheless universally praised for a nuanced performance, in which he lost weight for the role. After his win at the Academy Awards, Hanks was anointed "the nicest guy in show business" and "the new Jimmy Stewart" because of his stalwart persona. His next film, "Forrest Gump" (1994), saw Hanks play a man who leads an extraordinary life taking part in many of the defining moments of the '60s, '70s and '80s despite having an I.Q. of 75. Hanks displayed the proper whimsy required for the man-child fond of comically sappy sayings like "Stupid is as stupid does" and "Mama always said life was like a box a chocolates: You never know what you're gonna get," which became part of the cultural zeitgeist. The film, meanwhile, touched a chord with moviegoers, who cheered Forrest's survival and triumph over one adversity after another, making "Gump" the year's highest-grossing film on its way to picking up six Academy Awards, including Hanks' second consecutive win for Best Actor.
Hanks tried for his third straight Academy Award win when he reunited with "Splash" director Ron Howard for "Apollo 13" (1995), a tense look at the famed ill-fated 1970 NASA mission to the moon. Playing real-life astronaut Jim Lovell - a role allegedly slated for Kevin Costner - Hanks delivered a rock steady performance as the commander trying to bring his crew back to Earth safely. Though nominated, Hanks missed out on winning a third Oscar for Best Actor. Hanks next gave voice to Woody, a toy cowboy whose status as top toy of a young boy is threatened by the razzle dazzle of Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in "Toy Story" (1995), the first full-length computer animated feature. Thanks to his A-list status, Hanks had the chance to flex other creative muscles, branching out into screenwriting, producing and directing. He made his directorial debut with "That Thing You Do!" (1996), a genial sixties-era comedy/drama about a band that hits Beatles-like success off of one single. While not a blockbuster, the film demonstrated Hanks' flair for eliciting strong performances from a cast of relative unknowns.
Hanks further enhanced his resume after wearing several hats on his dream project, "From the Earth to the Moon" (HBO, 1998), a 12-part series that examined the history of the U.S. space program. In addition to serving as executive producer on the series, Hanks directed the first segment and wrote four subsequent episodes, sharing the 1998 Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries with co-producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. After nearly two years of being absent from the big screen, Hanks was cast by Steven Spielberg for his highly praised World War II epic, "Saving Private Ryan" (1998), playing an army captain leading a ragtag team of soldiers on a mission to locate a missing G.I. (Matt Damon) behind enemy lines. As Miller, the actor traded on his good guy persona, but colored the performance with hints of a dark side. While some of his co-stars were reduced to fleshing out two-dimensional stereotypes, Hanks was given a more complex role and offered one of his finest screen performances, earning his fourth Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
Later that same year, he channeled the ghost of James Stewart when he co-starred a third time opposite Meg Ryan in Nora Ephron's "You've Got Mail" (1998), an updating of the 1940 Stewart-Margaret Sullavan classic "The Shop Around the Corner" (1940). Hanks next reunited with "Private Ryan" cohort Barry Pepper to play prison guards who become involved with a mysterious prisoner (Michael Clarke Duncan) in "The Green Mile" (1999), an adaptation of the Stephen King novel. Further stretching his acting muscles, he collaborated again with "Forrest Gump" director Robert Zemeckis on "Cast Away" (2000), taking the unusual step of interrupting filming to drop the large amount of weight he gained to play an autocratic Federal Express troubleshooter who gets trapped on a deserted island after a plane crash. His bravura performance - for nearly a third of the film Hanks was onscreen alone - brought him renewed critical acclaim and his fifth nomination for Best Actor.
After his experience portraying a veteran in "Saving Private Ryan," Hanks became active in the creation of a memorial to the men and women who fought during WWII. Both he and Spielberg joined forces to executive produce the HBO miniseries, "Band of Brothers" (2001), adapted from historian Stephen Ambrose's book, which followed the soldiers in the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division from their training in Georgia in 1942 through their participation in the invasion of Normandy. Hanks additionally directed one episode of the miniseries, for which he earned an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special. The actor then took on an atypical role, portraying a 1920s Chicago gangster seeking revenge for the death of family members in "The Road to Perdition" (2002). Though Sam Mendes' film prompted mixed critical responses, Hanks' efforts were roundly praised, even if his inherent likeability served to undermine the professional killer he played.
His next film, "Catch Me If You Can" (2002), reunited him with Spielberg who cast him as Carl Hanratty, a real-life FBI fraud investigator hot on the trail of the youngest con artist ever to make the Most Wanted list, Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio). Equal parts downtrodden and dogged, Hanratty was one of Hanks' most distinctive onscreen creations and stood in perfect contrast to DiCaprio's glamorous, happy-go-lucky Abagnale. In fact, Hanks' likeability served his underdog character well, allowing him to convincingly convey Hanratty's more unlikable aspects. Meanwhile, Hanks the movie producer scored mega-success with the unexpectedly popular comedy "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002), which Hanks' part-Greek wife Rita Wilson had discovered when it was a one-woman show created by Nia Vardalos. Hanks' next trick was a return to his wacky comedic roots - indeed, even quirkier territory than he had plumbed before - in the Coen Brothers' remake of the cult classic British film, "The Ladykillers" (2004). Hanks played the verbose, guffawing Professor Dorr, a criminal mastermind whose plan for the Heist of the Century is stymied by a stubborn old woman (Irma P. Hall).
The actor reunited with Spielberg yet again for "The Terminal" (2004), playing an Eastern European immigrant Viktor Navorski, who becomes stranded in a New York City airport terminal because of a quirk in international politics and passport law. He subsequently takes up residence and becomes involved with many of the terminal's temporary inhabitants, including a beautiful flight attendant (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Despite a strong performance and smart direction, "The Terminal" ultimately suffered from an obvious sentimental ending. Hanks teamed up again with Robert Zemeckis to appear as multiple characters in the ambitious CGI-animated adaptation of the popular children's story, "The Polar Express" (2004). Using groundbreaking performance capture technology to digitally morph his physical performances, Hanks was projected onscreen in various forms, playing The Conductor, Hero Boy, Santa Claus, the Hobo and the Boy's Father, which were subsequently woven seamlessly into the film's computer generated environments.
Hanks returned to his love of outer space to narrate the short IMAX film, "Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D" (2005), a stunning journey into mankind's most incredible adventure. The film showcased past, present and future space explorations, as audiences experienced the moon's surface as if they were Apollo astronauts. Returning to dramatic fare, he starred in "The Da Vinci Code" (2006), the long-anticipated adaptation of Dan Brown's monumental bestseller about a murder at the Louvre investigated by a famed symbologist, who unravels a sinister plot to keep a secret that has been protected since the time of Christ. While the script was kept a secret during filming as the fictional mystery in the story, the controversial nature of the book had kept filmmakers from shooting at key locations, including Westminster Abbey. Meanwhile, religious groups - already in a tizzy over the book - braced themselves for what was almost assured to be a blockbuster movie. Though on paper a huge success - it took in over $200 million in domestic box office - "The Da Vinci Code" was panned by most critics for failing to live up to expectations.
After providing voice cameos for "Cars" (2006) and "The Simpsons Movie" (2007), he helped narrate "The War" (PBS, 2007-08), Ken Burns' stunning and comprehensive look at ordinary Americans fighting in World War II. Hanks then starred in the critically-acclaimed political satire, "Charlie Wilson's War" (2007), adapted by Aaron Sorkin from George Crile's non-fiction novel. Hanks played "Good Time Charlie" Wilson, a U.S. congressman with a taste for hookers and blow whose deep patriotism and frustration with American foreign policy leads him to team up with the wealthiest woman in Texas (Julia Roberts) and a blue-collar CIA operative (Philip Seymour Hoffman) to fund the Mujahideen fighters after the Soviets invade Afghanistan. Once again, Hanks found himself being showered with praise for another strong performance, earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy as well as the requisite Oscar buzz.
Turning back to the role of producer, he helped bring to life the exquisite and much-acclaimed seven-part miniseries, "John Adams" (HBO, 2008), which starred Paul Giamatti as the American Revolutionary leader and second President of the United States. Turning back to the role of producer, he helped bring to life the exquisite and much-acclaimed seven-part miniseries, "John Adams" (HBO, 2008), which starred Paul Giamatti as the American Revolutionary leader and second President of the United States. The epic series took a fresh perspective behind-the-scenes of the American Revolution, focusing on Adams' battles with Thomas Jefferson (Stephen Dillane) and Ben Franklin (Tom Wilkinson) while maintaining an often long-distance love affair with wife Abigail (Laura Linney). "John Adams" won just about every major award possible, including 13 Emmys, four Golden Globes and the Humanitas Prize. In 2009, Hanks won the Producers Guild of America Award for Producer of the Year - Longform Television. After executive producing the film adaptation of the West End musical "Mama Mia!" (2008) with his wife, Hanks co-starred with son Colin Hanks in "The Great Buck Howard" (2009), a comedy about a young aspiring magician who becomes an assistant to a renowned illusionist against his father's wishes. Meanwhile, he reprised the role of Professor Robert Langdon for the successful adaptation of Dan Brown's "Angels & Demons" (2009), after which he went back to producing with director Spike Jonze's take on "Where the Wild Things Are" (2009). Returning to his fascination for World War II, Hanks rejoined "Band of Brothers" cohort Steven Spielberg for "The Pacific" (HBO, 2010), a true-to-life fictionalization of the war between Japan and the U.S. in the Pacific theater, as told though the intertwining stories of three U.S. Marines (Joseph Mazzello, James Badge Dale and Jon Seda) who fight their way through the blood-soaked beaches of Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Early career
In 1979, Hanks packed his bags for New York City, where he made his film debut in the low-budget slasher film He Knows You're Alone and got a part in the television movie Mazes and Monsters. Early in 1979, Hanks was cast in the lead role of Callimaco in the Riverside Shakespeare Company's production of Niccolò Machiavelli's The Mandrake, directed by Daniel Southern. This remains Hanks's only New York stage performance to date; as a high profile Off Off Broadway showcase, the production helped Tom land an agent, Joe Ohla with the J. Michael Bloom Agency. The next year Hanks landed a lead role on the ABC television pilot of Bosom Buddies, playing the role of Kip Wilson. Hanks moved to Los Angeles, where he and Peter Scolari played a pair of young advertising men forced to dress as women so they could live in an inexpensive all-female hotel. Hanks had previously partnered with Scolari in the 1970s game show Make Me Laugh. Bosom Buddies ran for two seasons, and, although the ratings were never strong, television critics gave the program high marks. "The first day I saw him on the set," co-producer Ian Praiser told Rolling Stone, "I thought, 'Too bad he won't be in television for long.' I knew he'd be a movie star in two years." But if Praiser knew it, he was not able to convince Hanks. "The television show had come out of nowhere," best friend Tom Lizzio told Rolling Stone. "Then out of nowhere it got canceled. He figured he'd be back to pulling ropes and hanging lights in a theater."
Bosom Buddies and a guest appearance on a 1982 episode of Happy Days ("A Case of Revenge," where he played a disgruntled former classmate of The Fonz) prompted director Ron Howard to contact Hanks. Howard was working on Splash (1984), a romantic comedy fantasy about a mermaid who falls in love with a human. At first, Howard considered Hanks for the role of the main character's wisecracking brother, a role that eventually went to John Candy. Instead, Hanks got the lead role and a career boost from Splash, which went on to become a box office hit, grossing more than US$69 million. He also had a sizable hit with the sex comedy Bachelor Party, also in 1984.
Bosom Buddies and a guest appearance on a 1982 episode of Happy Days ("A Case of Revenge," where he played a disgruntled former classmate of The Fonz) prompted director Ron Howard to contact Hanks. Howard was working on Splash (1984), a romantic comedy fantasy about a mermaid who falls in love with a human. At first, Howard considered Hanks for the role of the main character's wisecracking brother, a role that eventually went to John Candy. Instead, Hanks got the lead role and a career boost from Splash, which went on to become a box office hit, grossing more than US$69 million. He also had a sizable hit with the sex comedy Bachelor Party, also in 1984.
Movies List
He Knows You're Alone (1980)
He Knows You're Alone (1980)
Mazes and Monsters (1982)
Splash (1984)
Bachelor Party (1984)
Bachelor Party (1984)
The Man with One Red Shoe (1985)
Volunteers (1985)
Volunteers (1985)
The Money Pit (1986)
Nothing in Common (1986)
Every Time We Say Goodbye (1986)
Every Time We Say Goodbye (1986)
Dragnet (1986)
Big (1988)
Punchline (1988)
Turner and Hooch (1989)
The 'Burbs (1989)
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)
The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
A League of Their Own (1992)
Radio Flyer (1992)
Radio Flyer (1992)
Sleepless in Seattle (1992)
Philadelphia (1993)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Apollo 13 (1995)
Philadelphia (1993)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Apollo 13 (1995)
Toy Story (1995)
That Thing You Do! (1996)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
You've Got Mail (1998)
Toy Story 2 (1999)
The Green Mile (1999)
The Green Mile (1999)
Cast Away (2000)
Road to Perdition (2002)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
The Terminal (2004)
The Ladykillers (2004)
The Ladykillers (2004)
Elvis Has Left the Building (2004)
The Polar Express (2004)
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Cars (2006)
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
The Great Buck Howard (2008)
Angels & Demons (2009)
The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009)
Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Larry Crowne (2011)
Larry Crowne (2011)
Awards
Hollywood Women's Press Club
Golden Apple Award Won in 1998.
Hasty Pudding Theatricals
Man of the Year Won in 1995.
American Film Institute
AFI Life Achievement Award Won in 2002.
Hollywood Women's Press Club
Golden Apple Award Won in 1998.
Hasty Pudding Theatricals
Man of the Year Won in 1995.
American Film Institute
AFI Life Achievement Award Won in 2002.
Hollywood Film Festival
Actor of the Year Won in 2002.
BAFTA/LA Britannia Awards
Britannia Award for Excellence in Film Won in 2004.
Actor of the Year Won in 2002.
BAFTA/LA Britannia Awards
Britannia Award for Excellence in Film Won in 2004.
Bambi Awards
Bambi for Film – International Won in 2004.
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Gala Tribute Won in 2009.
Bambi for Film – International Won in 2004.
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Gala Tribute Won in 2009.
Political Activity
Hanks has made donations to many Democratic politicians and has been open about his support for same-sex marriage, environmental causes and alternative fuels. Hanks made public his presidential candidate choice in the 2008 election when he uploaded a video to his MySpace account in which he announced his endorsement of Barack Obama.
A proponent of environmentalism, Hanks is an investor in electric vehicles and owns both a Toyota RAV4 EV and the first production AC Propulsion eBox. Hanks was a lessee of an EV1 before it was recalled, as chronicled in the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? He is on the waiting list for an Aptera 2 Series.
Hanks was extremely outspoken about his opposition to Proposition 8, an amendment to the California constitution that defined marriage as a union only between a man and a woman. Hanks and others who were in opposition to the proposition raised over USD$44 million in contrast to the supporters' $39 million, but Proposition 8 passed with 52% of the vote.
While premiering a TV series in January of 2009, Hanks called supporters of Proposition 8 "un-American" and attacked the LDS (Mormon) church members, who were major proponents of the bill, for their views on marriage and their role in supporting the bill. About a week later, Hanks apologized for the remark, saying that nothing is more American than voting one's conscience.
A proponent of environmentalism, Hanks is an investor in electric vehicles and owns both a Toyota RAV4 EV and the first production AC Propulsion eBox. Hanks was a lessee of an EV1 before it was recalled, as chronicled in the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? He is on the waiting list for an Aptera 2 Series.
Hanks was extremely outspoken about his opposition to Proposition 8, an amendment to the California constitution that defined marriage as a union only between a man and a woman. Hanks and others who were in opposition to the proposition raised over USD$44 million in contrast to the supporters' $39 million, but Proposition 8 passed with 52% of the vote.
While premiering a TV series in January of 2009, Hanks called supporters of Proposition 8 "un-American" and attacked the LDS (Mormon) church members, who were major proponents of the bill, for their views on marriage and their role in supporting the bill. About a week later, Hanks apologized for the remark, saying that nothing is more American than voting one's conscience.
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