Tom Hanks’ Secret Role in Forgotten Sitcom Before Stardom

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Prior to achieving his current status as a cinematic icon, it’s worth noting that Tom Hanks once graced our TV screens in a sitcom series that currently enjoys an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Over the years, Hanks has amassed a filmography that few other actors can rival. Since the 1980s, when he made his debut in the movie “Splash”, Hanks has garnered no less than 13 Emmy nominations, winning seven of them; ten Golden Globe nominations, taking home four awards; and six Academy Award nominations, earning two victories. He’s had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed directors such as Steven Spielberg, Brian De Palma, Nora Ephron, Robert Zemeckis, the Coen Brothers, and Clint Eastwood, among others.

Before Tom Hanks became famous for his movie roles, he starred in a sitcom that is now mostly forgotten but had an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Over the years, Hanks has built a filmography that very few actors can match. Starting with “Splash” in the 1980s, he has been nominated for numerous awards, including Emmys, Golden Globes, and Oscars, and won several of them. He’s worked with many talented directors, such as Spielberg, De Palma, Ephron, Zemeckis, the Coen Brothers, and Eastwood.

Tom Hanks initially made his mark on television, a stepping stone that many movie stars have traversed before moving into films. While some celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Bryan Cranston might be more associated with their small-screen roles, others, including Hanks, used TV as a temporary stopover en route to Hollywood’s silver screen. His television show has largely been relegated to obscurity now.

Tom Hanks Starred In ABC’s 2-Season Sitcom Bosom Buddies

Bosom Buddies Features Two Male Roomates Who Dress In Drag To Get Cheaper Housing

1980 found Tom Hanks gracing two television series. The first was “The Love Boat,” where he made a brief appearance as Rick Martin in a single episode. The second role was a starring one in the two-season ABC sitcom, “Bosom Buddies.” In this series, he portrayed Kip Amos Wilson/Buffy Wilson, with Peter Scolari as Henry Desmond/Hildegard Desmond. The storyline kicks off when Kip and Henry find themselves homeless after their apartment is demolished. Strapped for cash, they contrive an unusual solution: cross-dressing to secure a room at the inexpensive, all-female hotel.

In their daily lives, Kip and Henry, who go by “Buffy” and “Hildegard” respectively, maintain two distinct identities – living as men for work outside their apartment, but as women within it. Their humorous escapades revolve around juggling these dual personas without giving themselves away. The first season primarily explores this contrast, while the second season uncovers their use of drag and shifts more towards a conventional buddy comedy sitcom format, with occasional episodes highlighting the drag aspect.

Initially, the television series was proposed as a simple buddy comedy, similar to a “refined Billy Wilder-style comedy” (as reported by The Hollywood Reporter). When Thomas L. Miller and Robert L. Boyett, the show creators, presented their idea to ABC, they referenced the film “Some Like It Hot,” a 1959 comedy about two men disguising themselves as women to escape gangsters. The executives were particularly interested in the cross-dressing aspect and demanded that Miller and Boyett’s series incorporate a similar element. Despite only running for two seasons, the show’s impact continues, largely due to Tom Hanks’ involvement.

Tom Hanks Was Showing His Comedic Talent Long Before He Was A Movie Star

Philadelphia In 1993 Was Hanks’ First Big Dramatic Role

Tom Hanks landed the dual role of Kip/Buffy following casting agents discovering him while he was working as an understudy off-Broadway. The director of “Bosom Buddies,” Joel Zwick, remembered the casting agents saying, “He was a man with little professional experience, but he knew his strengths and simply excelled at them.” This marked Hanks’ significant debut, as he hadn’t been involved in much outside theater work prior to this performance. Although he’s now widely recognized for his dramatic roles, Tom Hanks initially focused almost entirely on comedy.

Bosom Buddies gained fame for its unconventional, offbeat humor and the cast’s frequent improvisation, notably between Hanks and Scolari. Hanks swiftly demonstrated his comedic prowess, showing an aptitude for quick thinking, and he excelled at knowing when to let others steal a joke, making a scene more amusing. It wasn’t only Bosom Buddies that established him in a comic role. After Bosom Buddies, Hanks starred in Splash, Bachelor Party, The Money Pit, Dragnet, Big, and Turner & Hooch in the ’80s, one after another.

Tom Hanks is particularly skilled at both straight-faced and comedic roles, with each performance being made all the more exceptional because he’s Tom Hanks. For a long time, there was no bigger movie star than him, starting from around the time of Philadelphia. He’s well-known for movies like Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, and Captain Phillips, but his appearances on shows like SNL serve as a reminder that Tom Hanks actually began his career in something similar to Bosom Buddies.

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2025-06-05 02:31