What a great human being.. I first saw Hanks (& became a fast fan), when he was on the show, 'Bosom Buddies'.. & been a fan ever since!! Hanks has proved himself worthy of ANY genre of character he takes on.. VERY amicable with fans (though NOT so, with da paps!)
YeAHH!! I'm Tom Hanks.. What?!?
I remember thinking when I saw him on 'Bosom Buddies'- I'll be seeing him A LOT MORE.. For mannny years to come - & yea & behold? Here we are...
Hanks on fellow legend, Clint Eastwood!! Very cool stuff!! And Jimmy Kimmel is the LATE NIGHT KING!!
He was born... Thomas Jeffrey Hanks.. July 9, 1956, in Concord, California.. He was 'self-described' as a horribly shy kid! Tom's 'rents divorced when he was 4.. (mine too!!). Tom always had a love for cinema.. saying of his 'Forrest Gump' script when first read...'I saw it as one of those kind of grand, hopeful movies that the audience can go to and feel ... some hope for their lot and their position in life... I got that from the movies a hundred million times when I was a kid. I still do." (ME TOO!) By the time he was 10, he'd lived in 10 different places.. Self-described as NOT one to get in trouble but 'a real good kid, & pretty responsible.' (Me too!! Most of the time)
He attended high school here.. (thru these gates!!)
Upon 'graduating' - Tom enrolled at Chabot College, studying theater.. Then attended Cal State - Sacramento. It was while here, he said, '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." Whilst studying theater - a friend suggested he take an internship at the Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland, Ohio, where that friend was a director. Tom accepted.. Thus learning the ins and outs of theater & filmmaking. Tom stayed as an apprentice intern there for 3-years. After 'that' experience being so 'hands-on' - Tom quit college, to directly spend more time pursuing his dream of acting.
In 1979 - Tom moved to New York to better his advancement - & received it.. With his film debut in the low-budget slasher film He Knows You're Alone . Continuing his pursuit auditioning by day for film/television - by night- doing 'Shakespeare' for a NYC theater company. His dayside auditioning paid off when he landed a guest spot on the tv show- 'Happy Days.' His character, 'Skip Wilson', rolled on into a spin-off tv show called.. Mmmhmm - 'Bosom Buddies.' Thus - he continued the show as the ratings for the show spiking all the way. During his 'guest spot' on 'Happy Days', however.. Fellow legend, Ron Howard, remembered Tom and thought him for the 'PERFECT' role on a 1984 film he was in pre-production of- called, 'Splash.' Tom went on to claim the 'lead' role in the film.. The part Ron thought him perfectly fit for - went to fellow legend, John Candy, as the overbearing brother in the film. Tom was WELL on his way- up the ladder of success.
To see his UNprecedented wide swath of a career.. Clicky here!
Probably my favorite by Tom, was one that tanked at the box office.. 'The Burbs.'
He lives here- with wife, Rita Wilson. His star?? His prints??
Tom has proven himself a 'formidable' filmmaker.. Whether acting, producing, or directing.. He brings a 'style' we've all come to love to his films.. So the fact that he'll be around A LOOOONG time?? Well? That's a GOOOOD thing!!
TRIVIA
Entertainment Weekly chose him as the only actor worthy of $20 million.
Was considered for the role of Peter Banning (Peter Pan) in Hook (1991), which went to fellow legend Robin Williams.
Sold popcorn and peanuts as a teenager at the Oakland Coliseum.
Now YOU can wear/OWN Tom Hanks 'Forrest Gump's' sweat wear!! Lucky YOU!
#tomhanks