WASHINGTON — Tom Hanks has starred in many hit movies and racked up numerous awards, including two Oscars. Now, he’s received a new award but you might be surprised by where this one is from.
The actor was in town Saturday night where he was honored by the National Archives at a Gala awards dinner.
“I didn’t know they gave away dinner at the National Archives,” the actor joked.
He was given the National Archives Foundation’s highest honor, the 2017 Records of Achievement Award for raising awareness of American history through his acting and filmmaking.
Hanks is credited with bringing to life the American story through his films and TV miniseries such as “Band of Brothers.” The 10-part series chronicled World War II through the eyes of the soldiers from Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division with the U.S. Army. It was based on interviews with survivors as well as soldiers’ letters and journals.
Hanks shares the American experience with audiences through such films as “Saving Private Ryan” and “Apollo 13” which entertain but also educate.
“The movie that we make, the story we tell, the piece of nonfiction entertainment is going to be viewed as the record, a document that will be studied as ‘here’s what happened,'” he said.
Hanks prides himself on getting history right.
“You get to find out what happened and try to figure out how to dramatize that. You must cherry pick the accurate truthful details of behavior and procedures because for good or bad, people are going to say ‘oh, that’s what really happened back then.'”
Other recipients of this award include Steven Spielberg and Ken Burns.
