Born in California, Tom Hanks grew up in what he calls a 'fractured' family. His parents were pioneers in the development of marriage dissolution law in that state, and Tom moved around a lot, living with a succession of step-families. No problems, no abuse, no alcoholism, just a confused childhood. He had no acting experience in college, and in fact credits the fact that he couldn't get cast in a college play with actually starting his career - he went downtown, auditioned for a community theater play, was invited by the director of that play to go to Cleveland, and there his acting career started. He met his second wife, actress Rita Wilson on the set of the movie Volunteers - they have two children and Tom has another son and daughter by his first wife. In 1996 he made his first step behind the camera, directing as well as starring and writing the film That Thing You Do!.


Toy Story 3 (2010): $15,000,000
The Da Vinci Code (2006): $18,000,000 + profit participation
Cast Away (2000): $20,000,000
The Green Mile (1999): $20,000,000
Toy Story 2 (1999): $5,000,000
You've Got Mail (1998): $20,000,000
Saving Private Ryan (1998): $40,000,000+ (gross and profit participations)
Toy Story (1995): $50,000
Forrest Gump (1994): $70,000,000 (gross and profit participations)
The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990): $5,000,000
The 'burbs (1989): $3,500,000
Punchline (1988): $5,000,000
Big (1988): $1,750,000
Splash (1984): $70,000
He Knows You're Alone (1980): $800

Is a frequent guest host on "Saturday Night Live" (1975). Entertainment Weekly chose him as the only actor worthy of $20 million. Second actor to win back-to-back Best Actor Oscars, for his work in Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994). The first was Spencer Tracy, for Captains Courageous (1937) and Boys Town (1938). Attended Skyline High School in Oakland, California. Attended California State University, Sacramento. Younger brother of Sandra Hanks and Larry Hanks and older brother of Jim Hanks. Father, with first wife Samantha Lewes, of Colin Hanks (born on 24 November 1977) and Elizabeth Hanks (born on 17 May 1982). Hanks cited the help of a nearby ice cream shop which helped him gain 30 pounds for his role in A League of Their Own (1992). Was asked to play the title role in Jerry Maguire (1996). His Oscar acceptance speech for 1993's Philadelphia (1993) led to the plot of the movie In & Out (1997). Hanks thanked a gay teacher in his speech. Received American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award, presented by fellow Oscar winner Steven Spielberg, the youngest ever to receive that award (12 June 2002). According to Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard), he is a huge Trekkie and the first time the two met, Star Trek was the only thing he wanted to talk about. Hanks was actually the original choice to play Zefram Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact (1996), and desperately wanted to play the role, but had to back out due to his earlier commitment to That Thing You Do! (1996). Father, with Rita Wilson, of Chet Hanks (born on 4 August 1990) and Truman Theodore (born on 26 December 1995). He is a third cousin, four generations removed, of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Their common ancestor is John Hanks (1680 - 1740), who was the great-great-grandfather of Lincoln, and the great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather of Tom Hanks. It is commonly (albeit incorrectly) reported that they are fourth cousins, four times removed, but Thomas Hanks (b. 1819) and Abraham Lincoln were both great-great-grandchildren of John Hanks, making them third cousins. Tom Hanks was Thomas Hanks' great-great-grandson, making his relation to Abraham Lincolns four generations removed. Is a diehard Cleveland Indians baseball team fan. Lost 30 lbs. for his role in Philadelphia (1993). Is a fan of English Premier League soccer team Aston Villa and was presented with a shirt on a TV show with the print 'Hanks 1' on the back. Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 205-206. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387 He was voted the 26th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. His first wife Samantha Lewes died of cancer 14 years after their divorce. Shortly before the release of Columbia Pictures' Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001), he was one of several actors speaking out against the use of "synthespians" (computer-generated actors) in the place of flesh-and-blood humans. Nevertheless, he took the lead role in the computer-animated film The Polar Express (2004), a film highly-publicized for its use of new (and expensive) technique of digital actors. Was considered for the role of Peter Banning (Peter Pan) in Hook (1991). Has been good friends with Bruce Springsteen since his youth. Premiere Magazine ranked him as #28 on a list of the Greatest Movie Stars of All Time in their Stars in Our Constellation feature (2005). In three of his movies, he has had a scene where he is stranded at sea: Splash (1984), Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), and Cast Away (2000). He and actress Meg Ryan have been co-stars in three movies as love interests: Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) and You've Got Mail (1998). His ancestors originally came from England. The name "Hanks" can be traced back several centuries. Has been Member of the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Actors Branch) since 2001. Stepson of the former Frances Wong, whom his father married in 1965. His performance as Josh Baskin in Big (1988) is ranked #15 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006). He and President George Bush are both related to 19th-century Presidents. Bush, a Republican, is descended, by way of his mother's family, from Franklin Pierce, one of the last Democratic presidents before Abraham Lincoln. Hanks, a Democrat, is descended from the family of Lincoln's mother. His performance as Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump (1994) is ranked #43 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. Ranked #16 on Premiere's 2006 "Power 50" list. Had ranked #16 in 2005 as well. He once shared a record (with Tom Cruise and Will Smith) as the actor to star in the most consecutive $100 million-grossing movies (7). As of 2008, Smith holds the record alone with 8 movies. Both his maternal grandparents, though born in California, had Portuguese ancestry, originally from the Azores Islands. Cited as America's Favorite Movie Star in Harris Polls conducted in 2002, 2004, 2005, a record number of times as the #1 favorite. Harrison Ford and Clint Eastwood are the only other actors to have achieved that feat. Married Rita Wilson at Saint Sophia's Church, converting from Roman Catholicism to Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Auditioned for the role of Joel in Risky Business (1983), which eventually went to Tom Cruise. Favorite baseball team is the Cleveland Indians. He purchased a stone in the front of Jacob's Field when it was built. The asteroid "12818 tomhanks" was named after him. Publicly endorsed Senator Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election. Is a fan of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999), and has expressed desire to one day guest star on the show. Was originally cast in the dual role of "Charlie Kaufman/Donald Kaufman" in Adaptation. (2002), but later dropped out. Nicolas Cage, who went on to receive a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance, was cast instead. Lives in Pacific Palisades, Malibu, California and Ketchum, Idaho.