Tom Hanks Receives Lifetime Award at Golden Globes

(Photo : reutersconnect.com)

The year starts well for Hollywood actor Tom Hanks who was given a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes to mark his 30-year movie career, according to an article by Reuters. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association said the award recognizes is his lasting impact on the film industry.

The 63-year old actor was presented with the Cecil B. DeMille Award during the awarding ceremony on Sunday where he was also nominated as best supporting actor for playing the role of the late, beloved U.S. children's television presenter Mister Rogers in "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood."

Hanks began his acceptance speech in a joke about the dawn of his career at the 1970s TV comedy "The Love Boat" but had to take a moment to compose himself during his speech, particularly when paying tribute to his family, adding that he had a bad cold that had made him particularly emotional.

"A man is blessed with a family sitting down front like that -- a wife who is fantastic in every way, who has taught me what love is," he said. "Five kids who are braver and stronger and wiser than their old man is. And, uh, a loving group of people who have put [up] with me being away months and months and months at a time."

Hanks also acknowledged a long list of co-actors and directors who he said had contributed to his long success.

"You're a dope if you don't steal from everybody you have every worked with," Hanks said, mentioning Meryl Streep, Meg Ryan, Denzel Washington, and Charlize Theron, and many more.

This is not the first time Hanks received an award from Golden Globes. He won best actor in the 1989 Golden Globes for his movie breakthrough in "Big" in 1988, playing a teenager who wakes up to find himself in the body of an adult.

He went on to win back-to-back Oscars and Golden Globes in 1994 and 1995 for his roles in AIDS drama "Philadelphia" and comedy "Forrest Gump."

In 2008, he won the Golden Globes Best Actor in a Motion Picture (musical or comedy) for his lead role in "Charlie Wilson's War."

Hanks has been dubbed as "America's Dad" for being genial and dependable image thanks to performances in more than 70 movies, including the romantic comedy "Sleepless in Seattle," war movie "Saving Private Ryan," action film "Sully" and the animated movie series "Toy Story" where he gave voice to the friendly cowboy Woody.

Hanks credited some of his success in the movies to a lesson about being on time - something he learned while working at a Shakespeare theater festival when he was still a young actor.

"Showing up on time is one of the greatest liberating acts you can give yourself in a movie," he said.

The Cecil B. DeMille award has been presented annually since 1952 by Golden Globe organizers the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, with exceptions being 1976 and 2008. The latter was due to the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike which led to the cancellation of that year's ceremony.

First presented at the 9th Golden Globe Awards ceremony in February 1952, the award is named in honor of its first recipient, "The Greatest Show on Earth" director Cecil B. DeMille due to his prestige in the industry and his "internationally recognized and respected name." Past recipients also include Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bridges and Harrison Ford.