In what year was Tom Hanks born?

Tom Hanks was born in 1956, specifically on July 9, in Concord, California. He became one of the most recognizable American actors of his generation through a career spanning comedy, drama, voice acting, and filmmaking.

Hanks first gained broad attention with the television sitcom "Bosom Buddies" in the early 1980s and then became a major film star through movies such as "Big," "A League of Their Own," "Sleepless in Seattle," and "Philadelphia." His performance in "Philadelphia" earned him his first Academy Award for Best Actor, and he won the same award again the following year for "Forrest Gump."

His birth year is sometimes confused with the dates of his best-known films, especially because several landmark roles arrived in the 1990s. Hanks was 37 when "Philadelphia" was released in 1993 and 38 when he won his second Oscar for "Forrest Gump" in 1994.

Beyond live-action acting, Hanks voiced Woody in Pixar’s "Toy Story" films and portrayed television host Fred Rogers in "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood." He has also directed and produced films and television projects.