Tom Hanks Turns 70: A Career of Kind Characters and Oscar Wins
Tom Hanks, born July 9, 1956, celebrates his 70th birthday. Over 45 years, he has embodied kind, affable characters like Forrest Gump, Viktor Navorski in The Terminal, and Paul Edgecomb in The Green Mile. Off-screen, he is known for similar warmth: in 2008, he escorted a bride into the Pantheon during filming of Angels & Demons in Rome; in 2015, he found a student's ID in Central Park and returned it. Hanks won back-to-back Oscars for Philadelphia (1994) and Forrest Gump (1995), a feat last achieved by Spencer Tracy. He has worked with directors including Ron Howard, Penny Marshall, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, the Coen brothers, Sam Mendes, Clint Eastwood, and Wes Anderson. Recent roles include Colonel Tom Parker in Elvis (2022) and Geppetto in Pinocchio (2022). He stars in Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme (2025).
Key facts
- Tom Hanks was born July 9, 1956.
- He has over 45 years of acting career.
- He won Oscars for Philadelphia (1994) and Forrest Gump (1995).
- He is the first actor since Spencer Tracy to win consecutive Best Actor Oscars.
- In 2008, he helped a bride enter the Pantheon during filming in Rome.
- In 2015, he found a Fordham University student's ID in Central Park and returned it.
- He has worked with directors Ron Howard, Penny Marshall, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, Coen brothers, Sam Mendes, Clint Eastwood, and Wes Anderson.
- Recent films include Elvis (2022), Pinocchio (2022), Asteroid City (2023), and The Phoenician Scheme (2025).
Entities
Artists
- Tom Hanks
- Robert Zemeckis
- Ron Howard
- Penny Marshall
- Brian De Palma
- Jonathan Demme
- Steven Spielberg
- Coen brothers
- Sam Mendes
- Clint Eastwood
- Wes Anderson
- Baz Luhrmann
- Leonardo DiCaprio
- Roberto Benigni
- Chesley Sullenberger
- Frank Abagnale Jr.
- Dan Brown
- Spencer Tracy
Institutions
- Fordham University
- FedEx
- FBI
- CIA
- Academy Awards (Oscars)
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- New York City
- United States
- Central Park
- Pantheon
- Hollywood