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01
He enjoys collecting typewriters, having purchased over 80 of them globally. This interest led to the creation of an iPad app called Hanx Writer, which simulates the sound and feel of antique typewriters; it was successful and reached the top of the App Store in August 2014.
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02
His daughter Elizabeth Hanks appears in Forrest Gump 1994 as the girl on the school bus who refuses to let young Forrest sit next to her.
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03
He often encounters children in places like elevators who do not understand that he is the voice of Woody from Toy Story, so he asks them to close their eyes and performs the voice to their delight.
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04
In 2015, Tom Hanks began using his Twitter feed to post photos of lost items he found on New York streets, such as gloves and shoes. In at least one case, the property was returned to its owner — in October 2015, he found the Fordham College ID of a woman named Lauren, who retrieved it from his office.
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05
He is the second actor to win back-to-back Best Actor Oscars, for Philadelphia 1993 and Forrest Gump 1994. The first was Spencer Tracy for Captains Courageous 1937 and Boys Town 1938.
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06
He is a third cousin, four times removed, of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Their common ancestors are John Hanks 1680–1740 and his wife Catherine. Tom Hanks is also a seventh cousin, once removed, of actor George Clooney.
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07
He is a huge fan of Monty Python’s Flying Circus 1969, which is why he agreed to play one of the Canadian Mounties in the Lumberjack song during Concert for George 2003.
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08
He ranked as the third highest-grossing actor of all time, with all his films grossing $4.3 billion in the United States as of 2016.
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09
He gained weight and later lost 55 pounds while playing Chuck Noland in Cast Away 2000.
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10
His performance as Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump 1994 is ranked #43 on Premiere’s 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
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11
He was a member of Monty Python for one night only, filling in for John Cleese at A Concert For George.
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12
He attended Princess Diana’s funeral along with Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise, and Nicole Kidman.
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13
He has been good friends with Bruce Springsteen since his youth.
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14
He has four children: son Colin Hanks born November 24, 1977, daughter Elizabeth Hanks born May 17, 1982 with ex-wife Samantha Lewes; sons Chet Hanks born August 4, 1990 and Truman Hanks born December 26, 1995 with wife Rita Wilson.
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15
That Thing You Do! 1996 is the only film to feature Tom, wife Rita Wilson, son Colin Hanks, and daughter Elizabeth Hanks.
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16
Entertainment Weekly chose him as the only actor worthy of a $20 million salary.
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17
He is the third most represented actor behind Sidney Poitier and Gary Cooper on the American Film Institute’s 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time, with four films: Forrest Gump 1994 at #37, Philadelphia 1993 at #20, Apollo 13 1995 at #12, and Saving Private Ryan 1998 at #10.
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18
After a one-shot guest appearance on Happy Days 1974, producer Ron Howard asked him to read for a secondary role in Splash 1984; he ended up getting the lead role instead.
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19
He once worked as a hotel bellman, carrying bags for celebrities like Cher, Sidney Poitier, Slappy White, and Bill Withers.
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20
His performance as Josh Baskin in Big 1988 is ranked #15 on Premiere’s 100 Greatest Performances of All Time 2006.
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21
He and his good friend 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.
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22
He dislocated his shoulder when he fell through a rotting floor in a building in Germany while scouting locations with Steven Spielberg for the HBO series Band of Brothers 2001.
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23
He bought the film rights to a true crime story, A Cold Case, outbidding other studios by paying $1 million. He plans to produce and possibly star in it.
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24
He married Rita Wilson at Saint Sophia’s Church after converting to Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
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25
He has portrayed eight real-life people in his films: Jim Lovell Apollo 13, Charlie Wilson Charlie Wilson’s War, Captain Richard Phillips Captain Phillips, Walt Disney Saving Mr. Banks, James B. Donovan Bridge of Spies, Chesley Sullenberger Sully, Ben Bradlee The Post, and Fred Rogers A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
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26
He received the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award in 2002, presented by Steven Spielberg, becoming the youngest recipient at the time.
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27
He sold popcorn and peanuts as a teenager at the Oakland Coliseum.
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28
He has appeared in ten films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Forrest Gump 1994, Apollo 13 1995, Saving Private Ryan 1998, The Green Mile 1999, Toy Story 3 2010, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close 2011, Captain Phillips 2013, Bridge of Spies 2015, The Post 2017, and Elvis 2022. Forrest Gump won the category.
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29
He has two granddaughters, Olivia Jane Hanks born February 1, 2011 and Charlotte Bryant Hanks born July 1, 2013, through son Colin Hanks and his wife Samantha Bryant.
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30
He is a huge fan of Doctor Who 1963.
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31
He received the Distinguished Public Service Award, the United States Navy’s highest civilian honor, on Veterans Day 1999 for his work in Saving Private Ryan 1998.
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32
He returned to his old high school, Skyline High School in Oakland, California, to dedicate a renovated theater named after his drama teacher Rawley T. Farnsworth. Hanks donated about a quarter of the $465,000 cost and led the audience in a chorus of There’s No Business Like Show Business March 6, 2002.
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33
He has another brother who is a professor at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
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34
He has been referred to as the modern James Stewart by many.
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35
His top five favorite films are 2001: A Space Odyssey 1968, The Godfather 1972, Fargo 1996, Elephant 2003, and Boogie Nights 1997, with Kubrick’s film holding the top ranking.
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36
He is a distant cousin of Walt Disney, whom he portrayed in Saving Mr. Banks 2013.
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37
His Oscar acceptance speech for Philadelphia 1993, in which he thanked a gay teacher, led to the plot of the movie In & Out 1997.
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38
He once shared the record with Tom Cruise and Will Smith for most consecutive $100 million-grossing movies 7. As of 2008, Smith holds the record alone with 8.
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39
He was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes on October 7, 2013.
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40
He was 38 and 39 when he won his back-to-back Oscars in 1994 and 1995, exactly the same ages as Spencer Tracy when he won in 1938 and 1939.
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41
He has appeared in six films selected for the National Film Registry: A League of Their Own 1992, Philadelphia 1993, Forrest Gump 1994, Apollo 13 1995, Toy Story 1995, and Saving Private Ryan 1998.
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42
He credited a nearby ice cream shop for helping him gain 30 pounds for his role in A League of Their Own 1992.
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43
The asteroid 12818 tomhanks was named after him.
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44
He is a huge fan of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 1999 and has expressed a desire to guest star.
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45
After his parents divorced in 1960, siblings Tom, Larry, and Sarah lived with their father, moving frequently, while younger brother Jim stayed with their mother.
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46
He designated 2001: A Space Odyssey 1968 as his favorite film for an AFI poll.
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47
He is related to Bill Cosby’s wife Camille O. Cosby through a shared lineage to Abraham Lincoln via his mother Nancy Hanks.
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48
According to Ancestry, he and Fred Rogers are sixth cousins, sharing the same great-great-great-great-great grandfather Johannes Mefford.
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49
He was asked to play the title role in Jerry Maguire 1996, which eventually went to Tom Cruise.
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50
He is friends with Julia Roberts, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Denzel Washington, and Frances McDormand.