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Tom Hanks
Many critics cite Tom Hanks as a throwback to the Golden Era of Hollywood's brand of leading
man, and, in particular, to the light comedic talents of Cary Grant or James Stewart, and to the
quiet magnetism of quintessential Everymen Henry Fonda and Gary Cooper. Whether he's played
a ping-pong-playing half-wit, a lovelorn widower, a cool-under-pressure astronaut, a gay lawyer
trying to find justice and dignity as he dies of AIDS, or the voice of an animated toy sheriff
named Woody, Hanks has woven his hopelessly likable, American-dreaming screen persona into
one of the most gravity-defying careers in Hollywood history. He seems to have accepted his
public countenance of likability: "That's the bed I've made, and it's very comfortable." Most
actors would kill to get into that kind of bed: not only did Hanks win back-to-back Best Actor
Oscars, but two of his films alone, Forrest Gump and Apollo 13, racked up $500 million at the
box office — a healthy bottom line that certainly disproves the old adage about where nice guys
always finish.
Hanks landed his most promising assignment when an ABC talent scout tapped him for Bosom
Buddies, a sex farce about two ad guys who dress in drag a la Some Like It Hot in order to live in
an all-women's residence. The show held on for two seasons, after which Hanks made his living
with guest stopovers on such TV series as Taxi, The Love Boat, Family Ties, and Happy Days.
Ron Howard remembered Hanks' fair piece of work on the latter show and invited him to read for
a supporting role — one that eventually went to John Candy — in his film Splash. Howard
wound up entrusting Hanks with the lead.
Hank’s carrer was struggling until 1993, when he bounced back with a romantic and funny turn
in Sleepless in Seattle, and a brave and tragic performance in Philadelphia. As the first
Hollywood leading man to play a victim of AIDS in a major studio production, Hanks won an
Academy Award, and delivered what was arguably the most emotional and poetic acceptance
speech in the annals of the ceremony. The following year, Hanks played to a tee the title role of
Forrest Gump, the Alabama simpleton who becomes the unlikeliest of heroes. Once again, the
Academy slapped him with the Best Actor Oscar.
It was during filming on Philadelphia that director Jonathan Demme urged Hanks to try his own
hand at directing, and furthermore pledged his support when it came time to produce the
resulting film. Two years later, after turning in a commanding portrayal of astronaut Jim Lovell
in Ron Howard's smash film Apollo l3, Hanks completed his first-ever screenplay for the buoyant
That Thing You Do!, a film which chronicles the make-it-big story of a small-town Pennsylvania
rock-n-roll band called the Wonders. Anything but an act of hubris, the film proved that his
golden touch extends behind the camera.
Hanks was received another Osacar Nomination for , Saving Private Ryan, in the Best Actor
category. In 1999, Hanks reteamed with Tim "Buzz Lightyear" Allen for the ecstatically received
Toy Story 2, on the heels of which came the Oscar-buzz-laden film The Green Mile. He was
likewise nominated in the Best Actor Oscar race for his role as a FedEx systems analyst who
becomes marooned on a South Pacific island following a plane crash in the Robert Zemeckis-
directed Cast Away (2000).
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