In this blog series, we’re delving a little deeper into what makes some of our favourite movie characters and actors so iconic. From coloured frocks to over-sized props, each month we’ll take a deep dive and look at 5 movie props that made our chosen actors’ careers and character what they are today.
And his popularity today has only grown stronger. With a following on Instagram of over 9 million, he delights his fans with old movie set photos, strong morals and a strange propensity to find lost gloves.
So let’s dive into the movie career of this much-loved actor and see our top five favourite movie props that have made Tom Hanks’ characters so iconic…
Edgecomb is an authoritative figure and reflects his authority through his uniform. Historically, in the 1930s it was not actually necessary for guards to wear uniforms for prison work. However, King and costume designer Karyn Wagner wanted the ‘Mile’ to feel authentic and official for the viewer.
Hanks’ costume represents one of Hank’s most memorably movies from the late 90s, but also a slightly more serious role for the actor who is usually seen in comedic or lighter roles and comes in at number 5 on our top costumes or props from Hanks’ career.
The spacesuits used in the film cost around $30,000 each and were highly accurate in their replication. They functioned as an airtight suit and had to have oxygen pumped in as the actors wore them. As far as spacesuits in movies go, these are by no means the fanciest or most advanced but they represent working real-life designs, without which we wouldn’t have the awesome suits seen in our favourite sci-fi movies today! So, for accuracy’s sake and for an amazing role, Commander Lovell’s spacesuit comes in at our number 4.
Discovered by the young Josh (David Moscow) in the Playland Amusement Park – a real park which has been operating in Rye, New York since 1928 – the Zoltar machine was made in its entirety for the production. Its design was based on similar fortune-telling machines from the turn of the 20th century, most of which contained female gypsy characters.
From the ‘uncanny valley’-esque movements and spooky sounds, to the coin slide into its mouth, the Zoltar Machine has the combination of creepy and cool that makes anyone want to make a wish with it, making it our number 3 Tom Hanks prop.
Forrest Gump (2994) follows the presidencies of Kennedy and Johnson, the events of Vietnam, Watergate and other historical events, all of which unfold through the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, whose only desire is to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart, Jenny. Regarded as one of Hanks’ best movies, Forrest Gump is a must see and nothing is more iconic about this film than his Nike 1974 Cortez running shoes.
Gifted to him by Jenny (Robin Wright) halfway through the film, these shoes represent all of Forrest’s journeys from running from bullies and through Vietnam, to his three-year marathon through America.
These shoes were so cool that Nike actually rebooted them in 2015 and in 2019 a screen-matched pair were sold in our Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction for a staggering £20,000! It’s obvious that the love for this film and the unforgettable lines from the film make this an easy number 2 on our list.
Wilson had actual dialogue written for it so that Hanks’ one-sided interactions could seem like a natural conversation.
Wilson the volleyball isn’t the only ‘Wilson’ Hanks has been associated with. Hanks’ wife’s maiden name is Rita Wilson, his first TV role was Kip Wilson in Bosom Buddies (1980-82) and he played Charlie Wilson in Charlie Wilson’s War (2007).
Due to its quirky imagery it’s no wonder why this ball has continued to live on in pop-culture to now. He was even reunited with Hanks at a New York Rangers game in 2015 after a fan from the crowd threw the actor a ball that looked like his long-lost friend. It’s the continued love for this little guy and his everlasting iconic status as an ultimate movie prop, that makes Wilson our top Tom Hanks movie career prop!
So, what do you think? Do you agree with our top 5 props that have made Tom Hanks’ career so iconic? Let us know in the comments below what you thought, or what you would have included, or join in the discussion about this blog
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Wilson is my favorite movie. I have watched it a multiple times. Thank you so much for sharing this.
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He was my most favorite actor!
I love Tom Hanks!
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I watched Cast Away again and it made me cry so hard. 🙁
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The Green Mile will forever be included in one of my Top 5 movies of all time. It was entertaining, emotional, and most importantly, powerful at the same time.
Agreed. The Green Mile will always be a classic. I’ll let everybody at https://www.protreeloppingmandurah.com.au/ know we should watch this over the weekend.
Gotta love this guy. I watched Forrest Gump with my workmate from commercial painters brisbane and it was such an enjoyable but depressing film.
I watched Forest Gump together with the team at skip bin hire Ipswich and boy, was that one for the books. Truly a great classic.
I was watching The Green Mile with my fellow carpet cleaners last week and we all agreed that it’s one of the best films we’ve seen in a long time. Nothing beats classics, eh?
Forrest Gump hits differently when you watch it twice. Lucky I watched while I was at my office in car detailing ballarat otherwise I would’ve ended up bawling