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In a league of his own
Posted Tue, 20 Feb 2001
Tom Hanks has become the leading man in Hollywood after a childhood where he constantly had to change schools, religions and stepmothers.
Hanks was born on 9 July 1956 in Concord, California and settled in Oakland, California, where he began performing in high school plays. He continued acting while attending school but left to pursue his career full-time.
In 1978, Hanks went to find work in New York; while there he married actress-producer Samantha Lewes, whom he later divorced. The couple have two children one of which, Colin Hanks, also has a very promising career and is currently starring in the Roswell television series.
Hanks’ debut in 1979 was in a horror movie "He Knows You're Alone" but shortly afterwards he landed a co-starring role in the TV sitcom "Bosom Buddies". But it was in 1984 that Tinseltown sat up and took notice of Hanks when he starred opposite Daryl Hannah in the romantic comedy "Splash". His curly head and lanky physique was a winner with audiences.
His next huge project was in 1988 with "Big" in which he gave a delightful performance as a child in a grown man's body. His 1990 film "Bonfire of the Vanities" was one of the biggest flops of that year but he made up for it with his role as an outwardly disgusting, inwardly warm-hearted coach in "A League of Their Own".
Hanks was now set and landed the role in the smash romantic hit "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993) where he starred opposite Meg Ryan. But Hanks traded his comedic roles for a more serious role when he played the tormented AIDS-afflicted homosexual lawyer in the drama "Philadelphia" (1993) and won that year's Oscar for "Best Actor". He made it an Oscar double the following year when he picked up the "Best Actor" award again for his convincing portrait of the slow-witted but phenomenally lucky "Forrest Gump".
Hanks's career continued to soar with outstanding performances in the smash space epic "Apollo 13" in 1995 and "Saving Private Ryan". Ryan won vast critical acclaim and was nominated for eleven Oscars, including Best Actor. The film won five, notably a Best Director Oscar for Steven Spielberg.
"That Thing You Do!" (1996) an upbeat tale of a one-hit wonder group and their manager was not particularly successful, unlike Hanks' next directing endeavor, the TV mini-series "From Earth to the Moon" (1998). The series was nominated for and won a string of awards, including a series of Emmys.
In 1998, Hanks teamed up with Meg Ryan again for "You've Got Mail.". Although the film got mixed reviews, it was popular with filmgoers, and thus provided Hanks with another success to add to his resume.
Hanks, who was ranked 17th out of "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" by Empire Magazine in October 1997, is married to actress Rita Wilson, with whom he appeared in "Volunteers" in 1985. The couple has two children.
Hanks is tipped to make Oscar history when he goes for his third Best Actor Oscar for his
powerful performance in "Cast Away".
