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.[2] Hanks’s films have grossed more than $4.9 billion in North America and more than $9.96 billion worldwide,[3]
making him the fourth-highest-grossing actor in North America.[4] Hanks made his breakthrough with leading roles in a series of comedies: Splash (1984), The Money Pit (1986), Big (1988) and A League of Their Own (1992). He won two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor, playing a gay lawyer suffering from AIDS in Philadelphia (1993) and the title character in Forrest Gump (1994).[5] Hanks collaborated with Steven Spielberg on five films: Saving Private Ryan (1998), Catch Me If You Can (2002), The Terminal (2004), Bridge of Spies (2015) and The Post (2017), as well as the World War II miniseries Band of Brothers (2001), The Pacific (2010) and Masters of the Air (2024). He has also frequently collaborated with directors Ron Howard, Nora Ephron and Robert Zemeckis.
Hanks’s other films include the romantic comedies Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and You’ve Got Mail (1998); the dramas Apollo 13 (1995), The Green Mile (1999), Cast Away (2000), Road to Perdition (2002) and Cloud Atlas (2012); and the biographical dramas Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), Captain Phillips (2013), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), Sully (2016), A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019), News of the World (2020) and Elvis (2022). He appeared as the title character in the Robert Langdon series and voiced Sheriff Woody in the Toy Story films (1995–2019). Hanks directed the comedies That Thing You Do! (1996) and Larry Crowne (2011), and acted in both.
This 1955 song is one of the best ever recorded
Written by Alex North and Hy Zaret in 1955, this song is one of the most iconic ever, with its influence spanning decades.
Originally performed by Todd Duncan, it has since been covered by over 670 artists in different languages, but The Righteous Brothers’ 1965 version brought it lasting fame.
Their rendition is often considered the definitive version, with its soaring vocals and emotional depth capturing listeners around the world.
The song’s emotional intensity, highlighted by its powerful high notes, continues to resonate with listeners.
On a video of the song, which has reached 76 million views, one fan even commented: “I swear I can feel the chills going up and down my back when he hits those high notes. I feel like crying knowing that this amazing man is gone.”
In addition to The Righteous Brothers, Elvis Presley also gave Unchained Melody a new dimension when he performed it live.
Elvis, known for his versatility and charisma, added his own emotional weight to the song during his later years, captivating audiences with his impassioned delivery.
His version has helped the song maintain its timeless appeal and secure a place in pop culture history.
Elvis’ impact on Unchained Melody cannot be overstated. His influence not only kept the song in the limelight but also expanded its reach to new audiences.
His live renditions became legendary, proving his unique ability to make any song his own.
Even today, both The Righteous Brothers’ and Elvis’ versions keep the song alive, making it one of the most beloved ballads of all time!
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