In the 1984 romantic comedy Splash, which actor plays Allen Bauer?

Tom Hanks plays Allen Bauer in the 1984 romantic comedy Splash.

Allen is a New York City businessman whose life changes after he encounters Madison, a mermaid played by Daryl Hannah. The film combines romance, fantasy, comedy, and a fish-out-of-water story built around Madison’s attempt to understand the human world.

Splash was directed by Ron Howard and released by Walt Disney Studios through Touchstone Pictures. It became an important early leading role for Hanks, who had previously gained attention through television and supporting film parts. The movie’s commercial success helped establish him as a major film star.

A common mix-up is confusing Splash with Hanks’s later romantic comedies, such as Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. Splash is the Hanks film involving a mermaid, while those later movies are contemporary relationship stories without fantasy elements.