Career
Jim Hanks' first lead role was as Jeeter Buford in the film Buford's Beach Bunnies. Wishing to earn the role based upon his own abilities, he had auditioned as "Jim Matthews", using just his first and a modification of his middle name. While production noted his "resemblance to Tom Hanks", he won the role based upon his own comedic and acting skills and his true relationship to Tom was not revealed until paperwork was completed.
In 1995 A Current Affair revealed that Tom Hanks had created the mannerisms for the character of Forrest Gump in the film of the same name based upon the simpleton mannerisms earlier created by Jim for the role of Jeeter in 1993, including Forrest's "now-famous jerky run". Jim's physical resemblance to Tom allowed him to act as body-double in scenes in Forrest Gump, and due to his vocal similarity, Jim often substitutes for Tom in the role of Sheriff Woody in various Toy Story video games and spin-offs.
Hanks has been the voice of Geoffrey the Giraffe in the Toys "R" Us commercials since 2001, and is also 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 one of his brother's films, Turner & Hooch).
In the 1996 film adaptation of O. Henry's The Ransom of Red Chief, Jim Hanks played the role of the mailman who was the town gossip.
Hanks has also appeared on stage, including playing "Lennie Small" in Theatrical Arts Internationals production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.
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Famous quotes containing the word career:
“Each of the professions means a prejudice. The necessity for a career forces every one to take sides. We live in the age of the overworked, and the under-educated; the age in which people are so industrious that they become absolutely stupid.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“What exacerbates the strain in the working class is the absence of money to pay for services they need, economic insecurity, poor daycare, and lack of dignity and boredom in each partner’s job. What exacerbates it in upper-middle class is the instability of paid help and the enormous demands of the career system in which both partners become willing believers. But the tug between traditional and egalitarian models of marriage runs from top to bottom of the class ladder.”
—Arlie Hochschild (20th century)
“In time your relatives will come to accept the idea that a career is as important to you as your family. Of course, in time the polar ice cap will melt.”
—Barbara Dale (b. 1940)