Authored by Sylvia Cochran in Celebrities 
Published on 09-11-2009

Actor Tom Hanks is well known for his portrayal of character roles rather than dramatization of ancillary players. He focuses on the complexities of the players, attempts to draw out what makes them act the ways they do, and also seeks to provide a means for the audiences to connect with the triumphs and shortcomings of the people depicted. Have you ever wondered about Tom Hanks’ biography and the events in his life that made it possible for him to so successfully act?

Tom Hanks Biography: The Early Years

Initially, Tom Hanks’ life started like that of millions of other children: in a broken home. When his parents divorced early in his life, Tom and two of his siblings went to live with their father, while one sibling went to live with the mother. A few years down the line, Hanks’ father remarried for a brief period of time.

The actor considered himself to be a very shy child, who would be the perpetual odd ball. He did not make friends easily, but at the same time he did not get into trouble, since he conscientiously prepared his assignments.

Over the course of time, there was a new hobby for high school aged Tom Hanks; biography writers note that he discovered school play acting, and was soon seen in local theatres in the audience. It was at Ohio’s Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival that he learned all he could about the behind the stage work that goes into putting together a performance.

Tom Hanks Biography: Early Career and Beyond

Tom Hanks’ official acting career began in 1979 in New York City, where he cut his teeth at a low budget horror flick but also a respective stage play. From there, the budding actor went to Los Angeles, where his film career took off and supplied a number of hits and few misses. In 1996, Tom Hanks made his directing debut, which also led to huge successes.

Honoring his life’s achievements is a number of awards, such as the Hollywood Film Festival’s Actor of the Year award in 2002, and also an asteroid that was named after him. Over the last few years, Tom Hanks has also become a staple in local as well as national politics. A staunch left of center supporter of many causes, Hanks made headlines when he opposed voters supporting California’s Prop 8 and declared his support for 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama.