James Mefford Hanks (born June 15, 1961) is an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

actor and

filmmaker Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, castin ...

. He has played numerous minor roles in film and guest appearances on television, and often does voice substitution work for his older brother

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

(most notably

Sheriff Woody Sheriff Woody Pride is a fictional, pull-string cowboy doll who appears in the Disney–Pixar ''Toy Story'' franchise. In the films, Woody is the main protagonist, alongside Buzz Lightyear. He is primarily voiced by Tom Hanks, who voices him ...

for ''

Toy Story ''Toy Story'' is a 1995 American computer-animated comedy film directed by John Lasseter (in his feature directorial debut), produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The first installment in the '' Toy Story ...

''-related talking toys and video games). He has produced, directed, and filmed several short films. Hanks made his film debut in '' Buford's Beach Bunnies'' (1993).

Early life

James Mefford Hanks was born in

Shasta County, California Shasta County (), officially the County of Shasta, is a county in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its population is 182,155 as of the 2020 census, up from 177,223 from the 2010 census. The county seat is Redding. Shasta ...

on June 15, 1961. He is the son of Janet Marylyn (''née'' Frager) and itinerant cook Amos Mefford Hanks.Stated on ''

Inside the Actors Studio ''Inside the Actors Studio'' is an American talk show that airs on Ovation. The series premiered in 1994 on Bravo where it aired for 22 seasons and was hosted by James Lipton from its premiere until 2018. It is taped at the Michael Schimmel C ...

'', 1999 Hanks is also the youngest brother of fellow actor

and entomologist Larry Hanks, but they were not raised together. After their parents divorced, Jim went to Red Bluff, California with his mother while older siblings Tom, Larry, and Sandra remained with their father. After college, he lived in

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

working as a waiter. The agent who employed his actress wife Karen Praxel as a receptionist encouraged him to get into acting. After he took acting lessons, he moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

in 1992 and began his career with roles in

B-movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feat ...

s and

commercial Commercial may refer to: * a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television) ** Radio advertisement ** Television advertisement * (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...

voice-overs.

Career

He got his first lead role as Jeeter Buford in '' Buford's Beach Bunnies'' (1993). Wishing to earn the role based on his own abilities, he auditioned as "Jim Matthews" (just his first and a modification of his middle name). While producers noted his "resemblance to

", he won the role based on his own comedic and acting skills and his relationship to his brother was not revealed until paperwork was completed. In 1995, '' A Current Affair'' revealed that Tom had created the mannerisms for the character of

Forrest Gump ''Forrest Gump'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson ...

based on the simpleton mannerisms earlier created by Jim for the role of Jeeter, including Forrest's "now-famous jerky run". His physical resemblance to his brother allowed him to act as

body double In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes FOR another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stun ...

for him in scenes in ''Forrest Gump''. Due to his vocal similarity, and with his brother Tom's personal recommendation, he often substitutes for Tom in the role of

in various ''

'' video games and spin-offs. Hanks began to provide the voice of Geoffrey the Giraffe in the

Toys "R" Us Toys "R" Us is an American toy, clothing, and baby product retailer owned by Tru Kids (doing business as Tru Kids Brands) and various others. The company was founded in 1957; its first store was built in April 1948, with its headquarters loca ...

commercials in 2001 and is the voice of Rudy from the Red Robin Gourmet Burgers commercials. He guest-starred in an episode of '' Scrubs'', appearing as a "Dr. Turner" partnered with a doctor called "Hooch" (in reference to his brother's film ''

Turner & Hooch ''Turner & Hooch'' is a 1989 American buddy cop comedy film starring Tom Hanks and Beasley the Dog as the eponymous characters respectively. The film also co-stars Mare Winningham, Craig T. Nelson and Reginald VelJohnson. It was directed by ...

''). In the 1998

film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...

O. Henry William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American writer known primarily for his short stories, though he also wrote poetry and non-fiction. His works include "The Gift of the ...

's "

The Ransom of Red Chief "The Ransom of Red Chief" is a short story by O. Henry first published in the July 6, 1907, issue of ''The Saturday Evening Post''. It follows two men who kidnap and demand a ransom for a wealthy Alabamian's son. Eventually, the men are driven cr ...

", Hanks played the role of the mailman who was the town gossip. He has appeared on stage, including playing "Lennie Small" in Theatrical Arts International's production of

John Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social ...

's ''

Of Mice and Men ''Of Mice and Men'' is a novella written by John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it narrates the experiences of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in California in search of new job o ...

''. In November 2016, Hanks guest-starred in a web series called ''Gary CK Needs Work'', a parody of the FX show '' Louie''.

Personal life

Hanks married actress Karen Praxel on May 25, 1986, together they have one son. The family resides in

Venice, California Venice is a neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles within the Westside region of Los Angeles County, California. Venice was founded by Abbot Kinney in 1905 as a seaside resort town. It was an independent city until 1926, when it was annexed by ...

. He works with Los Angeles-based "Feet First Films", a production company that provides actor demos as well as production support for short films.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theme parks

Filmmaking credits

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hanks, Jim Tom Hanks Living people Male actors from California American male film actors American male radio actors American male television actors American male voice actors American male video game actors People from Shasta County, California People from Venice, Los Angeles 1961 births