Tom Hanks’ 10 Best Pre-Oscar Comedies

Ever since his first Oscar win for playing an AIDS patient in Philadelphia, Tom Hanks has become deeply embedded in culture as one of America’s finest actors. His everyman quality and the trust he instills in audiences led to career-defining roles ranging from socially inept protagonists to real-life heroes.

Before shifting toward dramatic parts and high-profile collaborations with filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, Clint Eastwood and Paul Greengrass, Hanks built a reputation in comedy. This list revisits his ten best comedic performances from the period before his Oscar win in 1993.

Many of the films come from an era when the former sitcom star of Bosom Buddies was competing with the likes of Michael Keaton and James Belushi for similar mid‑30s roles. Standouts include broad studio fare such as Dragnet, Bachelor Party and The Money Pit, the dog‑and‑cop pairing Turner & Hooch, the darker suburban satire The 'Burbs, and more emotionally layered pictures like Nothing in Common and A League of Their Own.

United States

tom hanks, pre-oscar, comedies, philadelphia, bosom buddies, turner hooch, dragnet, bachelor party, money pit, the burbs