Hank

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Hanks rose to fame with leading roles in the comedies Splash (1984), The Money Pit (1986), Big (1988), and A League of Their Own (1992). He won two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor, playing a gay lawyer suffering from AIDS in Philadelphia (1993), then the title character in Forrest Gump (1994). Hanks has collaborated with Steven Spielberg on five films—Saving Private Ryan (1998), Catch Me If You Can (2002), The Terminal (2004), Bridge of Spies (2015) and The Post (2017)—and three World War II-themed miniseries: Band of Brothers (2001), The Pacific (2010) and Masters of the Air (2024). He has also frequently collaborated with directors Ron Howard, Nora Ephron and Robert Zemeckis. Hanks cemented his film stardom with lead roles in the romantic comedies Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and You've Got Mail (1998); the dramas Apollo 13 (1995), The Green Mile (1999), Cast Away (2000), Road to Perdition (2002), Cloud Atlas (2012) and News of the World (2020); and the biographical dramas Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Captain Phillips (2013), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), Sully (2016), A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) and Elvis (2022). He played the title character in the Robert Langdon series (2006–2016), voiced Sheriff Woody in the Toy Story franchise (1995–present) and multiple roles in The Polar Express (2004). Hanks directed and acted in That Thing You Do! (1996) and Larry Crowne (2011).

In Their Own Story

His breakthrough television role was a co-lead in the ABC sitcom Bosom Buddies (1980–1982). He has hosted Saturday Night Live ten times and launched a production company, Playtone, which has produced various limited series and television movies, including From the Earth to the Moon (1998), Band of Brothers, John Adams (2008), The Pacific, Game Change (2012) and Olive Kitteridge (2015). He made his Broadway debut in Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy (2013), earning a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. Hanks was born at the Mount Diablo Hospital in Concord, California. His mother, Janet Marylyn, was a hospital worker. His father, Amos "Bud" Hanks was an itinerant cook. His mother was from a Portuguese family; their surname was originally "Fraga". His father had English ancestry, and through his line, Hanks is a distant cousin of Nancy Hanks and her son President Abraham Lincoln and children's host Fred Rogers (whom Hanks has portrayed in a film role). Hanks' parents divorced in 1960. Their three oldest children, Sandra (later Sandra Hanks Benoiton, a writer), Larry (who became an entomology professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), and Tom, went with their father, while the youngest, Jim (who also became an actor and filmmaker), remained with their mother in Red Bluff, California. In his childhood, Hanks' family moved often. By age ten, he had lived in ten different houses.

Reader's Guide

Hanks studied theater at Chabot College in Hayward, California, and transferred to California State University, Sacramento after two years. During a 2001 interview with sportscaster Bob Costas, Hanks was asked whether he would rather have an Oscar or a Heisman Trophy. He replied that he would have rather won a Heisman by playing halfback for the California Golden Bears. He told New York magazine in 1986, "Acting classes looked like the best place for a guy who liked to make a lot of noise and be rather flamboyant. I spent a lot of time going to plays. I wouldn't take dates with me. I'd just drive to a theater, buy myself a ticket, sit in the seat and read the program, and then get into the play completely. I spent a lot of time like that, seeing Brecht, Tennessee Williams, Ibsen, and all that." During his years studying theater, Hanks met Vincent Dowling, head of the Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland, Ohio. At Dowling's suggestion, Hanks became an intern at the festival. His internship stretched into a three-year experience that covered most aspects of theater production, including lighting, set design, and stage management, prompting Hanks to drop out of college. During the same time, Hanks won the Cleveland Critics Circle Award for Best Actor for his 1978 performance as Proteus in Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona, one of the few times he played a villain. In 1979, Hanks moved to New York City, where he made his film debut in the low-budget slasher film He Knows You're Alone (1980) and landed a starring role in the television movie Mazes and Monsters (1982).

Did You Know?

• Hanks won two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor, for Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994).
• Hanks made his film debut in the low-budget slasher film He Knows You're Alone (1980).
• He earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play for his Broadway debut in Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy (2013).
• Hanks was ranked as the highest-grossing American film actor of all time at the domestic box office in 2020.

Early Life and Formative Years

Born in Concord, California, Thomas Jeffrey Hanks navigated a childhood defined by frequent relocation and family fragmentation following his parents' divorce. Raised initially with his father, an itinerant cook, Hanks lived in ten different homes before turning ten, fostering a restless spirit that later fueled his artistic pursuits. Despite being described as painfully shy and unpopular during his school years at Skyline High School, he found solace and expression through theater, performing in productions like South Pacific. His academic path took him from Chabot College to California State University, Sacramento, where he initially considered a future in sports but ultimately gravitated toward the stage. A pivotal shift occurred when an internship with Vincent Dowling at the Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland led him to drop out of college entirely. Immersing himself in all aspects of theater production, from lighting to set design, Hanks honed his craft and earned a Critics Circle Award for his villainous portrayal of Proteus in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, setting the stage for his transition to professional acting.

Breakthrough in Comedy and Television

Hanks' ascent to stardom began with a blend of television experimentation and comedic film roles that showcased his unique charm. His breakthrough arrived with the ABC sitcom Bosom Buddies (1980–1982), where he played Kip Wilson, an advertising executive forced to disguise himself as a woman to secure affordable housing alongside partner Peter Scolari. Although the series was short-lived, it established his presence on television and led to ten hosting stints on Saturday Night Live. Transitioning to film, Hanks solidified his reputation as a leading comedic actor through a string of memorable hits in the 1980s. He starred in Splash (1984), The Money Pit (1986), and Big (1988), the latter earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. His ability to balance humor with genuine warmth was further highlighted in A League of Their Own (1992). These roles not only made him a household name but also demonstrated his versatility, proving he could anchor both lighthearted rom-coms and ensemble sports dramas before tackling more serious dramatic material.

Dramatic Mastery and Critical Acclaim

In the early 1990s, Hanks successfully pivoted from comedy to profound drama, cementing his status as one of cinema's most respected actors. This transformation was marked by two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor: first for his poignant portrayal of a gay lawyer battling AIDS in Philadelphia (1993), and then for embodying the iconic Forrest Gump in 1994. His dramatic range expanded through collaborations with renowned directors like Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, and Nora Ephron. He delivered powerful performances in Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Green Mile (1999), Cast Away (2000), and Road to Perdition (2002). Hanks also excelled in biographical dramas, portraying real-life figures such as Captain Phillips, Chesley Sully Sullenberger, and Fred Rogers. His dedication to complex roles earned him numerous accolades beyond the Oscars, including seven Emmy Awards and four Golden Globes. By 2020, he was recognized as the fourth-highest-grossing American film actor of all time, a testament to his enduring appeal across genres.

Production Legacy and Cultural Impact

Beyond his on-screen achievements, Hanks has profoundly influenced the entertainment industry through his production company, Playtone. Co-founded with Gary Goetzman, the company has produced critically acclaimed limited series that often explore American history, including From the Earth to the Moon, Band of Brothers, The Pacific, John Adams, and Masters of the Air. These projects frequently feature collaborations with Steven Spielberg and have garnered multiple Emmy Awards for Hanks as a producer. His commitment to storytelling extends to voice acting, where he famously brought Sheriff Woody to life in the Toy Story franchise and voiced multiple characters in The Polar Express. Additionally, Hanks has ventured into directing with films like That Thing You Do! and Larry Crowne. Recognized as an American cultural icon, he has received prestigious honors such as the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, reflecting his significant contribution to both film and television history.