This beloved star was born July 9, 1956, in Concord, Calif. Acting helped Hanks deal with a disruptive family life; eventually, a talent scout spotted him onstage and cast him in the 1980s TV sitcom "Bosom Buddies."That same year, his film debut in the slasher flick He Knows You're Alone went unnoticed, but 4 years later, the success of Splash established his likeable, easygoing style. An Oscar-nominated performance in Big (1988) displayed the emotional resonance that would distinguish Hanks's later work.
His career soared in the '90s with back-to-back Oscars for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, plus later nominations for Saving Private Ryan and Cast Away. Three teamings with Meg Ryan include the romantic hit Sleepless in Seattle; he's also ventured into directing with That Thing You Do! (1996). The Road to Perdition and The Ladykillers continued to demonstrate Hanks's amazing versatility.
Larry CrowneAfter he's laid off from his longtime job at a soulless retail giant, average middle-aged guy Larry Crowne decides it's time to change his life by heading back to college, where he finds a new perspective -- and a new romance with a professor. Read More
Charlie Wilson's WarTexas congressman Charlie Wilson sets a series of earth-shaking events in motion when he conspires with a CIA operative (Philip Seymour Hoffman, in an Oscar-nominated role) to aid Afghan mujahideen rebels in their fight against the Soviet Red Army. Read More
Road to PerditionHit man Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), known in his 1930s Chicago world as The Angel of Death, is on the run after his wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and son are murdered. With his surviving son (Tyler Hoechlin) in tow, Michael sets out to exact brutal vengeance. Complicating matters in this crime... Read More
Saving Private RyanAs U.S. troops storm the beaches of Normandy, three brothers lie dead on the battlefield, with a fourth trapped behind enemy lines. Ranger Capt. John Miller and seven of his men are ordered to penetrate German-held territory and bring the boy home. Read More
The Da Vinci CodeWhen the curator of the Louvre is found murdered in the famed museum's hallowed halls, Harvard professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) and cryptographer Sophie Neve (Audrey Tautou) must untangle a deadly web of deceit involving the works of Leonardo da Vinci. Ian McKellen, Jean Reno, Paul Bettany and... Read More
