ChronoFive
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Setting the scene
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks was born on July 9, 1956, in Concord, California; his parents divorced when he was young, and he moved often, developing a knack for comedy and observation. He studied theater at Chabot College and California State University, Sacramento.
What happened
Hanks rose from TV's Bosom Buddies to Oscar wins for Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994), then starred in Saving Private Ryan (1998), Cast Away (2000), and Toy Story as Woody. He became one of Hollywood's most bankable and trusted actors.
Why it still matters
Hanks also produced Band of Brothers and documented American history through projects like From the Earth to the Moon. Memorable detail: while filming Apollo 13, Hanks convinced NASA to let the cast fly the zero-gravity 'vomit comet' so weightless scenes would not rely entirely on wires.
Background
Forrest Gump and Saving Private Ryan followed.