Tom Hanks on Omaha Beach: I was in a holy place

Tom Hanks calls himself a “lay student of history,” and his filmography indicates a fascination with war. When he was 10 years old Hanks saw a photograph of a young polish boy being taken from his home during the Holocaust, and it sparked a realization in Hanks, and began his march into adulthood. But it was Laurence Olivier’s The World at War that showed Hanks the scope of war, but also showed him that information could be entertaining. Plus, Hanks recounts stepping foot on Omaha Beach following filming Saving Private Ryan, and comments on gaps in the teaching of American History.
The full interview with Tom Hanks is available on the In Depth with Graham Bensinger Podcast, available at the links below and wherever you enjoy listening to podcasts:
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[@NxDoyle]

The body of work Tom Hanks will leave behind is just amazing. And all created with humility and grace.

[@kristinj3339]

He is a master communicator. I really love listening to him speak.

[@kurts6741]

Saving Private Ryan ... the greatest first 20 minutes I have ever seen in a movie.

[@jiggeplaya7182]

While in the U.S Navy nobody would ever dare to speak during those 20 minutes. I can remember at 19 years old we always clowned around, fist fighting, etc. but when that scene began all hands on deck watched and listened.

[@michaelseeker9680]

@@jiggeplaya7182 The Navy, where you meet alot of boys huh playa?

[@jiggeplaya7182]

@@michaelseeker9680 that is so funny

[@sandrarhymer5148]

I’ve always loved the honesty and goodness of Tom Hanks

[@iLurq]

What about his honesty and goodness going to Epstein island

[@Dreamskater100]

@@iLurq Did he go there? Do you have a link/Article or something? Thanks.

[@richardclegg5853]

Tom's description of the series "The World at War" is dead on, must see TV if you haven't seen it before... best documentary I've ever watched.

[@abdullahbrum]

Agreed, amazing series.

[@goodrealm]

A fantastic interview of a truly humble man despite his tremendous fame and success. Kudos.

[@comicman8724]

Thoroughly enjoyed this interview. Tom Hanks is a brilliant man and I appreciate his insight.

[@skyvedder]

How about those Epstein plane trips?

[@immortal_SO]

Jones ignorance is bliss. Don’t ruin his idol.

[@lucozade8373]

@@immortal_SO so true

[@ted5128]

He left the states cause he likes little children

[@Antonio88870]

@@skyvedder those made by Donald Dump? Tom hanks weren't in any of them

[@JimmyTownmouse]

I lived in Ukraine for a couple years. On an intellectual level I was aware of much of the history that occurred there-the battles of WWII etc. I had visited Soviet monuments and the war museum in Kiev, but this interview brings to mind two experiences where the reality of the human experience snuck up on me. One was in the City of Cherkassy where going about my business, I noticed a small plaque which directed my attention to an area of damage where the wall of an old building had been shot up during WWII. History hadn’t just happened generally, axis forces had clashed with soviet soldiers right there, where I stood. The other was a time when driving on our way to the other side of Kiev, a local pointed to a wooded area we were passing within the city and explained that 30,000 Jews had been murdered there over the course of only two days. There is hallowed ground sprinkled across the Earth. As we move forward, those places help us not to forget the past.

[@michaelorsini9695]

Tom Hanks comes across as a very humble man... very nice to see and it puts the lie to the myth that all actors are stuck up and self-important.

[@Retrostar619]

I remember watching the world at war as a kid, and it was the most gripping and emotional documentary I had ever seen. It did what history class didn't - it took dates and events and 'important people' and presented a very human story in a very straightforward manner.

[@Harpo86]

Hanks is right about the World At War. I was a boy when I first saw that series and it was brilliant, and started my interest in WWII

[@Heisenberg-dy6sy]

Love tom and when he talks i listen and can respect his life insight

[@kathleentyson6727]

Omg ,I was stunned when Tom Hanks said his first experience with the Holocaust was when he was in the fifth grade and I was also. Several years ago a group of friends and I went to the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles,at the beginning of the tour we were given a card,at the end of the tour we had the honor of meeting a lovely woman was a Holocaust survivor,I saw the numbers tattooed in her wrist,it was the most humbling experience of my life.

[@joshw6993]

😪😪😪😪😪

[@ultrainvestigacionesultravideo]

Graham always doing his homework. He's amazing

[@NxDoyle]

He's a better researcher than he is an interviewer.

[@alexsmuckler8556]

@@NxDoyle PUTZ

[@zachcloutier3111]

Tom Hanks is my all time favorite actor and he's a wonderful actor and a wonderful man!!!

[@immortal_SO]

Wonderful man? Do some research

[@immortal_SO]

He is a wonderful actor, idk about his person. Even hanks himself would disagree with you here.

[@LouStoriale]

How many times are you going to say that?

[@immortal_SO]

L. S. As many times as I need to.

[@Antonio88870]

@@immortal_SO do you NEED to? Do you have any PROOF against him? Or just imbecile theories?

[@brucedavid7231]

Nice job here. Always wanted to listen to Tom Hanks reflect on that opening scene. Amazing.

[@overthehills_faraway8747]

Tom Hanks is the Best.

[@georgeshotrodbarn2113]

I was born in 1958 and had the pleasure of growing up amongst giants all the men and women that served in the war. these people were true giants to me and i rested in the comfort of their arms.

[@ArmyofLove]

Tom hanks always an interesting listen. I'm still amazed that a beach in Ireland could look like the D day landing. What a film

[@shanemason7929]

It was filmed in Ireland?

[@ArmyofLove]

Yes, you should look into it. Wexford must have increased their tourism after that.

[@pamwatson5905]

My introduction to the Holocaust was reading 'Scribbler's Arc'. It was harrowing and I cried throughout the reading. I have never been the same since.

[@chanakornfeld7575]

The young man in the photo is Rabbi Israel Lau the former Chief Rabbi of Israel was the boy in the photo from Poland.

[@PH--ov7tf]

A fact that is not known to most people, there were more Canadian and British forces that stormed the beaches of Normandy, at Juno and Sword beaches, than American forces at Omaha beach!

[@dustinmharrison]

P H - 1961 I need some more info here because the fact that British and Canadian forces were larger at two locations against one American location... how is that a surprise?

[@PH--ov7tf]

D Harrison - Actually, it’s not a surprise that Americans don’t acknowledge and recognize the efforts and contributions of their two principal allies in Europe during WW II.

[@ML-lg4ky]

P H - 1961 as an American I recognize contributions of all nations to defeat the Germans.

[@PH--ov7tf]

Mike L - Thank you for your acknowledgement, it just happens often that Hollywood does not present a complete picture of what really occurred in such events. I had two uncles that I never got to know because of WW II, one was in the navy and the other in the infantry. Thanks again.

[@buddyrichrp]

P H - 1961 facts

[@alphalifestyleacademy]

I was in 7th grade and surviver came to our school. I never hear such a thing it was not until years later did I understand what happened. Perhaps its because my great grandma came from Austria 1912.

[@daedalron]

Being french, and born in Normandy, we had a lot of people who participated in the war who came to our school (we were 10-12 years old at the time) to explain to us how it was. We had quite a few resistants, two holocaust survivors, as well as some soldiers who were on the beaches on D-day. It was really eye-opening to get all those testimonies.

[@alexstewart9068]

Well said

[@Dreamskater100]

Very nice.

[@bobsmith6953]

Great Actor, that's about it.

[@manikanthanraman5646]

no question on FOREST GUMP???

[@flelite3994]

Tom Hanks is the greatest male actor of our time not Robert DeNiro

[@michaelquinn7710]

He has two different lamps behind him

[@captkerosene]

Love his movies. Needs to stand up to the bigotry that is so pervasive in Hollywood now.

[@user-iw4gz7vh4w]

He won't because he's a part of it.

[@Antonio88870]

@@user-iw4gz7vh4w he's not

[@JD-ij5fi]

God keep those who lost their lives on that holy ground.

[@mandymanning3678]

i dont alway agree with tom lib lefty leaning policy but everything that guy touches turns to gold all of his movies turn out alsome and he is probably the best act that I have ever seen cause he can do it all his not limited to one or two kinds of roles

[@Est.1998]

Saving Ryan’s Privates

[@Mr_G_s_Route_66]

Ryan's Private Savings.

[@ibeg1951]

Did they learn about native americans...colonization of americas and africa...conquest...inquisition...??

[@nodice8739]

RIP Isaac Kappy

[@pacmanpaquette]

Its a 7 min video, whats with the stupid preamble flash forward BS at the beginning of these videos? Its not TV, you can skip that shit.

[@k31rifleman]

Did you learn about Thomas Jefferson. The writer of the Declaration of Independence

[@spacecatboy2962]

tom was walking the beach and seen fonzi jump a shark

[@bobbycratchet3958]

Completely horrible audio seems like it's on a roller coaster. Thumbs down for careless editing.

[@batboy5023]

More like Tomato Hanks.

[@liammaxwell6114]

I don’t see how a place where thousands of people where killed from man to man could be considered holy. Really good interview though

[@clutchitup9861]

"Holy" meaning, "of great significance". Thats my interpretation at least.

[@liammaxwell6114]

@@clutchitup9861 I didn’t know it had that meaning too. Mmm cheers

[@alexanderhayward8505]

His historical perspective is kind of cringe. Imagine bringing up Oklahoma and ignoring the Gulags and mass executions and 10s of millions of people murdered in Soviet Russia.

[@lilchaos4792]

Nice whataboutisms

[@BOBBYSOX86]

I thought Epstein Island was your "holy place'" Tom?

[@cg741graf5]

Why is Tom Hanks not speaking out about the huge Anti Semitic movement in Black community of likes Sean Combs, Farrakhan, and Democratic Progressives. The words framed calling it a farce to over exaggerated is absolutely disgusting and disgraceful.

[@maplebear6527]

Tom "I had covid and i can be extra dramatic about the hoaxacaust" Hanks

[@texastoast2961]

Hanks is a good actor but he’s not on the same level as Phillip Seymor, or Leonardo, or Christian Bale...but he thinks he is. I’ve seen several interviews with him and he’s arrogant af

[@WhiskerWhippers]

Texas Toast you think Christian Bale is a better actor? You’re probably young. Hanks has been killing roles for 40 years.

[@texastoast2961]

Whisker Whippers ™️ I’m 50. Everyone thinks Hanks is overrated and no, he is nowhere in the ballpark of Christian Bale or Joaquin.

[@jonnysupreme]

He's been in a lot of kiddies "holy" places

[@theclimbingchef]

You mean trump? Or Epstein?