The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Hanks, Tom
1956–, American film actor famous for his roles as an amiable American everyman, b. Concord, Calif., as Thomas Jeffrey Hanks. In 1980 he acted in his first film, and in 1980–82 he co-starred in a television sitcom. Hanks subsequently appeared in numerous Hollywood comedies, notably as the mermaid-loving lead in Splash (1984), and later starred in such hits as Big (1988), the baseball-themed A League of Their Own (1992), and the romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle (1993). Hanks turned to serious drama in Philadelphia (1993), receiving a best-actor Academy Award for his portrayal of an AIDS-stricken gay lawyer, and won a second, consecutive Oscar for his performance in the title role of the box-office smash Forest Gump (1994). His later films include Apollo 13 (1995), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Cast Away (2000), The Terminal (2004), and The Da Vinci Code (2006). Hanks wrote, directed, and played in the film That Thing You Do! (1996), voiced characters in several animated features, and has produced and directed television miniseries.
