TVXOHOF, FEBRUARY 2026 - HANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

 

Later this year, Tom Hanks turns 70 years old.  Now, he may have two Academy Awards, so much success on screen and behind the scenes, and Rita Wilson as his wife, BUT!  I have one thing he hasn't got - membership in the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.

Today, that oversight will be corrected.

By the power invested in me (by me), I hereby declare that as a member of the League of Themselves,

TOM HANKS

is hereby declared a member of the TVXOHOF!

Okay, so it's not as cool as membership in the Five-Timers' Club of SNL, but 'twill serve.

From Wikipedia:

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.

Hanks is ranked as the fourth-highest-grossing American film actor. His numerous awards include two Academy Awards, seven Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards; he has also been nominated for five BAFTA Awards and a Tony Award. He received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2002, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2014, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2020.

Hanks rose to fame with leading roles in the 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), then the title character in "Forrest Gump" (1994).

His breakthrough television role was a co-lead in the ABC sitcom 'Bosom Buddies' (1980–1982). He has hosted 'Saturday Night Live' ten times and launched a production company, Playtone, which has produced various limited series and television movies, including From the 'Earth to the Moon' (1998), 'Band of Brothers', 'John Adams' (2008), 'The Pacific', 'Game Change' (2012) and 'Olive Kitteridge' (2015).

That's his life here in Earth Prime-Time.  But as for his televersion, these are some of the appearances which differentiate him from the real Tom Hanks.  Also included are references to Hanks which verify his existence on several Toobworlds.  And as you will see, that means he is a multi-dimensional....

THE NAKED TRUTH
BALD STAR IN HOT OIL FEST! (1995)
Nora is anxious to get a job at a respectable publication, but during the interview she catches Tom Hanks in a very compromising situation.

THE NANNY
YOU BETTE YOUR LIFE (1997)
Maxwell Sheffield:
Good idea, C.C., putting Tom at our table.
Fran Fine:
So who's Tom, and does he have a Cruise, Hanks or Selleck after his name?

MOVIE STARS
21 Episodes (1999-2000)
Reese Hardin and his wife Jacey Wyatt lived next door to Hanks in Malibu.

POPULAR
BOOTY CAMP (2000)
The sergeant forces a recruit to watch "Philadelphia."

LIFE WITH BONNIE
WHAT IF? (2002)
On her wedding anniversary, Bonnie dreams she's married to Tom Hanks after she names him as her ideal fantasy.

WILL & GRACE
STEAMS LIKE OLD TIMES (2005)
Larry and Ellen come over to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Game Night Spectacular.  ("Big", "Splash", and "Philadelphia" come up during game night.)
&
THE MOURNING SON (2006)
Jordan Truman:
The last time I saw Grandpa, we played baseball in the backyard. Well, we played "A League of their Own". He was Tom Hanks, I was everybody else.

PSYCH
DIS-LODGED (2008)
Shawn says he lived in an airport for a month and Gus replies "That was Tom Hanks in 'The Terminal'."

PARTY DOWN
PRECIOUS LIGHTS PRE-SCHOOL AUCTION (2010)
The producer mentions the movie "Turner and Hooch".  The wife of Leonard Stiltskin, an agent, is auctioning lunch with Tom Hanks.
Stiltskin:
What the hell are we auctioning?
Mrs. Stiltskin:
Lunch with Tom Hanks.
~~~~
Casey:
When we met you said you and Tom are close--
Stiltskin:
I was trying to get into your pants.  Hanks hasn't talked to me since I put him in "Turner and fucking Hooch".
~~~~
Stiltskin:
I made a promise to myself - that I would support my daughter Escapade's dreams.  And Tom Hanks would love Escapade.
~~~~~
You're not gonna get a grand for that shit-box.  I think you need to set the bar a little bit lower.  You're never gonna get Hanks; R Kelly maybe, if he's available--
~~~~
Okay wait a second, bidding on the Hanks lunch?   I heard Stiltskin say that he can't make the Hanks lunch happen, so he's gonna outbid anyone who tries to win it.
~~~~
?1: You once told me you'd drink two pints of ape sperm to play Pebble Beach with Tiger Woods.
?2: Yeah, but that's sports. Sports are cool.  Tom Hanks is a grown man who wears eyeliner and plays make believe.

30 ROCK
100: PART 2 (2011)
When Hank Hooper threatens to cancel "TGS", Jack convinces him to allow Liz and company the chance to do their 100th episode. To produce the best show possible, however, Liz must deal with less-than-ideal working conditions.
Tom Hanks is singing Billy Joel's "My Life", which was the theme song to his breakout TV series Bosom Buddies (1980).

HOT IN CLEVELAND
I LOVE LUCCI: PART ONE (2011)
Melanie:
You lost your L.A. driving privileges when you flipped off Tom Hanks.
Elka:
Forrest Gump drives like a soccer mom.

COMMUNITY
PILLOWS AND BLANKETS (2012)
Britta:
If you want, I can read it in the documentary.  That is, unless you get Tom Hanks.
Narrator:
We tried to get Tom Hanks, but he's too expensive.

THE MINDY PROJECT
PILOT (2012)
Mindy is watching "You've Got Mail" in a flashback when she was in High School.
&
IN THE CLUB (2012)
1] Baron Davis says "Splash" is his favorite Tom Hanks romantic comedy.
2] Amar'e Stoudemire says "Sleepless In Seattle" is his favorite Tom Hanks romantic comedy.
3] Josh says "Apollo 13" is his favorite Tom Hanks romantic comedy.
4] Danny Granger says "You've Got Mail" is his favorite Tom Hanks romantic comedy.

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
THE SLUMP (2013)
Boyle refers to "Turner & Hooch".

NCIS
BLAST FROM THE PAST (2015)
"Big" is mentioned in dialogue by Bishop.
McGee:
He's like a teenage boy living in a 50-something-year-old's body.
Bishop:
Hmm. Tom Hanks in "Big."
McGee:
Hah. Tony would be proud you actually saw that one.
Bishop:
Well, half of it.

MULANEY
FRENCH ROAST (2015)
John is faced with a dilemma when he is asked to roast Lou. (Hanks sent a polite text message to get out of it.)

FRESH OFF THE BOAT
A LEAGUE OF HER OWN (2017)z
O'Bservation: Hoping to break it to her Dad that she is gay, Nicole sets up a movie night to show "A League Of Their Own".
Marvin:
"That Tom Hanks isn't half bad either."

GRACE AND FRANKIE
THE LODGER (2018)
Frankie mentions "Larry Crown" is bad even though Tom Hanks played in it.

UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT
KIMMY DISRUPTS THE PARADIGM! (2018)
Jacqueline mentions Tom Hanks shooting Nazis in "Saving Private Ryan".

BULL
A REDEMPTION (2018)
Bull jokes that in "A League Of Their Own", Tom Hanks said, "There's no crying in trial science".
Benny responds to Bull that Tom Hanks said something about chocolate, and not trial science in "Forrest Gump".

BOOMERANG
GAME NIGHT (2019)
During game night, "Forrest Gump" is used as a substitute for Tom Hanks' name.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
THE FALLOUT (2019)
The narrator (Ron Howard):
"Reminds me of how Hanks walked around like Jim Lovell for a year."  
(Howard directed the movie "Apollo 13.")

KIMMY VS. THE REVEREND (2020 TV movie)
Hanks is referenced.

THIS IS US
FORTY: PART ONE (2020)
1] Tom Hanks got it.
2] Hanks got the corona?
1] Hanks got the corona.
2] Oh, I got to call Kate.

(News of Tom Hanks getting covid and the death of George Floyd are mentioned as happening at about the same time. In reality Tom Hank's found out he got covid in March of 2020 and George Floyd died in May 2020.)

SUPERSTORE
ESSENTIAL (2020)
(The news of the NBA suspending play and the news that Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson had contracted the Coronavirus are presented as occurring simultaneously. The NBA suspended play on March 11, 2020, while Hanks and Wilson's diagnosis was made public on the 12th.)

9-1-1
TREASURE HUNT (2021)
Hollis Harcourt:
"Gutted in Glendale". It's my next novel. I've been working on it for two years. Huge advance. Already sold the movie rights. Tom Hanks wants to star. He loves these, uh, blood and treasure stories. Mine is gonna be like The Da Vinci Code, only bigger.

AMERICAN AUTO
COMMERCIAL (2022)
Katherine and the team re-shoot a commercial to make it more inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.  Katherine mentions Tom Hanks playing a gay character in "Philadelphia".

ABBOTT ELEMENTARY
CANDY ZOMBIES (2022)
Janine
Chesley Sullenberger shouldn't have had a movie before Harriet Tubman.
Gregory (dressed as Sully):
Tom Hanks couldn't play her.

TOON IN WITH ME
DOG DAY MORNING (2023)
Bill mentions Hooch, the dog in the film; image shown of Tom Hanks and Hooch.

O'Bservation: "Big" Picture is from another episode in which they discussed boardwalk fortune teller machines.  Good enough for me.

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING
BLOW-UP (2024)
Rudy Thurber:
Mr. Spielberg movie.... "Catch Me If You Can". I play an agent in Tom Hanks' office.
Oliver:
Oh!
Rudy Thurber:
At the 1:07 mark, you can see me in the far right cubicle making a phone call.
Oliver:
Really?
Rudy Thurber:
Yeah, and then he got up and walked to the bathroom! But Leo DiCaprio had it cut. Too threatened. Also, I kept looking in the lens.

From alternate Toobworlds....
CASTLE
A CHILL GOES THROUGH HER VEINS (2009)
CASTLE:
Sometimes, when I'm trying to figure out how a character of mine does something, I will walk the crime scene. This one time, I was trying to figure out how to throw someone off the Empire State Building, and that movie 'Sleepless in Seattle' had just come out. So many lonely women approached me, thinking I was their Tom Hanks. I got laid--
BECKETT:
Castle....
&
GET A CLUE (2013)
The team investigates the ritual murder of a woman. Symbols on the woman's body and the items left in her apartment seem reminiscent of "The Da Vinci Code".

VEEP
FUNDRAISER (2012)
SELINA
You think they'll hear tomorrow?
MIKE
They might not hear. What if Tom Hanks dies?
ANNA
What?
MIKE
Just a for-instance - what if Tom Hanks dies? That's all that will be on the news for like a week. When Phil Spector was convicted we couldn't get anything in the papers for two days.  
&

VEEP (2019)
Mike McLintock:
We will have more coverage of the funeral of President Selina Meyer. But first, as someone who served with President Meyer for over two decades, I feel I'd be remiss if I did not offer my own heartfelt eulogy to a president who many feel was very underrated and deserved m...

I'm sorry. Breaking news. I've just been told that four-time Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks has died at the age of 88. The star of such Hollywood films as "Big," "Forrest Gump," "Philadelphia" and "Philadelphia 2" passed away in his Bel Air home after a long illness, surrounded by his loving family. Husband of actress Rita Wilson and father of four children, Hanks was often considered the finest actor of his generation, an American everyman who could leap effortlessly between comedy and drama, and moved audiences both young and Old. Today the world mourns the loss of this towering and beloved figure. Let's take a look at the storied career of Tom Hanks, American icon.

SUPERGIRL
DREAM WEAVER (2021)
They are playing a celebrity variation of either 'Password' or '$10,000 Pyramid'

Kelly Olsen:
Um... typewriters?
Alex Danvers:
Tom Hanks?

From Skitlandia....

MAD TV
Episode 1.1 (1995)
A sketch that combines "Forrest Gump" and "Pulp Fiction".

And over in the Tooniverse....

FAMILY GUY

DEATH HAS A SHADOW (1999)
The family is watching "Philadelphia" in a theater, where everybody except Peter is crying.

Peter Griffin:
I got it!  It's the guy from 'Big'. Tom Hanks, that's it! Aw, funny guy, Tom Hanks. Everything he says is a stitch.
Tom Hanks:
I have AIDS.
[Peter starts laughing uncontrollably]

MAD
DA GRINCHY CODE
Christmas will be ruined in Whoville unless Tom Hanks can solve Da Grinchy Code.   Tom Hanks, Nicolas Cage & Harrison Ford team up to solve the mystery of the Whoville present heist.

BLESS THE HARTS
MIRACLE ON CULPEPPER SLIMS BOULEVARD (2019)
Wayne Edwards says all that is missing from the party is "The Polar Express".  But when the Polar Express crashes, Wayne exclaims, "Oh, my Lord! Tom Hanks! No!"

BOB'S BURGERS
THE HANDYMAN CAN (2020)
Teddy says he sees Reggie crying about his gazebo like Tom Hanks when he loses his volleyball in "Castaway".

CLOSE ENOUGH
HANDY/BIRTHDAZE (2021)
Randy ends up on a desert island.  He fails to name the movie "Castaway", but he does mention "Big".

SOLAR OPPOSITES
ENDAMAME DUFFEL BAG (2022)
A picture of Tom Hanks in "The Polar Express" is inside Korvo the train.

THE SIMPSONS
BART'S BIRTHDAY (2024)
&

THE SIMPSONS MOVIE (2007)

This is one time when one could say "It couldn't happen to a nicer guy."  But I'm sure there are others who are wondering what he did wrong to deserve this "honor".

Welcome to the Hall, Tom Hanks!  
(A warning to his televersion in the 'Veep' dimension:
Just be careful, 18 years from now.  There will be a target on your back when you turn 88 years old....)

TVXOHOF MEMORIAL TRIBUTE - KATHY "KITTEN" ANDERSON

From People
[Brenton Blanchet]:
Lauren Chapin, a former child star known for her role in '50s sitcom Father Knows Best, has died. She was 80.
Chapin's son, Matthew, announced the news via Facebook on Tuesday, Feb. 24, and shared that the actress died following a cancer diagnosis.

"After a long hard-fought battle over the past 5 years, the time has come. My mother, Lauren Chapin passed away from her battle with cancer tonight," Matthew wrote, tagging a fan page for his mom. "I'm at a complete loss for words right now. Please keep my sister and family in your thoughts and prayers as we go through this incredibly tough time."

And hopefully, the Television Crossover Hall of Fame will do just that with the memorial tribute induction of

KATHY "KITTEN" ANDERSON

From Wikipedia:
Lauren Ann Chapin (May 23, 1945 – February 24, 2026) was an American actress who played the role of the youngest child "Kathy Anderson" (nicknamed "Kitten") on the television show 'Father Knows Best' between 1954 and 1960. She appeared in 196 episodes of the 203 in the series. Chapin was awarded five Junior Emmys for Best Child Actress.

The TV cast reunited for a pair of TV films on NBC: "Father Knows Best Reunion" on May 15, 1977, and "Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas" on December 18, 1977.

In the 17 years since the series had ended, the characters of Betty and Bud had both married and had families of their own. Betty was the widowed mother of two girls, Jenny (Cari Anne Warder) and Ellen (Kyle Richards), while Bud and his wife Jean (Susan Adams) were the parents of a son, Robert "Robby" (Christopher Gardner).

Kathy had become engaged to a doctor, Jason Harper (Hal England).

Here are the productions which get "Kitten" in the TVXOHOF:

FATHER KNOWS BEST
201 Episodes (1954-1960)

THE FATHER KNOWS BEST REUNION (1977 TV movie)

FATHER KNOWS BEST: HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (1977 TV movie)

Three separate productions are all that is needed for membership in the Hall.  And the two reunion movies are distinct from the actual series.

Welcome to the Hall, Lauren Chapin.  As Red Skelton would say, "Good night and may God bless...."

TVXOHOF TRIBUTE 02/24/2026 - SAM McGUIRE

 
From Deadline
[by Mike Fleming, Jr.]:
Robert Carradine has died at age 71. He took his own life Monday. The actor is best known for his roles in The Long Riders, Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire.

A beloved member of the storied clan of actors, Carradine was the bedrock of his family, according to surviving older brother Keith Carradine. But he struggled for two decades with bipolar disorder and ultimately it got the best of him.

SAM McGUIRE

From Wikipedia:
Robert Reed Carradine (March 24, 1954 – February 23, 2026) was an American actor. A member of the Carradine family, he made his first appearances on television Western series such as Bonanza and his brother David's TV series, Kung Fu.

Carradine is also well remembered for his roles as fraternity nerd Lewis Skolnick in the Revenge of the Nerds films and Sam McGuire in the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire.

From 2001 to 2004, Carradine played father Sam McGuire on 'Lizzie McGuire', starring Hilary Duff. The series was widely popular among young viewers, and its realistic portrayal of adolescent issues also appealed to parents.  (Sam McGuire sometimes struggles with the pressure of raising a teenager and is a bit slow-minded.)

A feature film based on the series, "The Lizzie McGuire Movie", was released in 2003.   It serves as the finale of the Disney Channel television series 'Lizzie McGuire' and was the first theatrical film based on a Disney Channel show. It follows the title character and her classmates on a graduation trip to Rome, where she gets mistaken for a famous Italian pop star and embarks on an unexpected adventure. The events of the film take place after the second and final season of 'Lizzie McGuire'.

A revival series was announced in August 2019 to be entering production for Disney+, with Duff reprising her role and Minsky returning as showrunner, but Minsky later departed from the role. Lamberg, Thomas, Todd and Carradine were also attached to return to the series in their original roles. The series began production in association with Disney Channel, but entered a hiatus after Minsky's departure and did not resume; the revival was officially canceled in December 2020.

LIZZIE McGUIRE
65 Episodes (2001-2004)

THE LIZZIE McGUIRE MOVIE (2003)

LIZZIE McGUIRE (2020)
2 Episodes

Eventually Hilary Duff, Hallie Todd, and Jake Thomas should enter the TVXOHOF as well, with those exact same qualifications.  But hopefully there will be plenty of time for that.

For now, the Hall salutes the memory of Robert Carradine.

TVXOHOF, FEBRUARY 2026 PART TWO - BUY GEORGE!

While I’m at it, the Hall has another induction tied into that of George Foreman’s...

The George Foreman Grill  

Along with the countless infomercials and commercials which eventually led to netting Foreman over 4 million a month rom the resulting sales, the Grill was either featured or mentioned in the following shows:

THE OFFICE
THE INJURY (2006)

Michael accidentally cooked his foot after stepping on his George Foreman Grill, which he used to cook bacon bedside. 

Michael Scott:

I enjoy having breakfast in bed. I like waking up to the smell of bacon. Sue me. And since I don't have a butler, I have to do it myself. So, most nights before I go to bed, I will lay six strips of bacon out on my George Foreman grill. Then I go to sleep. When I wake up, I plug in the grill. I go back to sleep again. Then I wake up to the smell of crackling bacon. It is delicious. It's good for me. It's a perfect way to start the day.

Jim Halpert:
I wanna clamp Michael's face in a George Foreman grill.

CHICAGO FIRE
TRY LIKE HELL (2019)

Joe Cruz: 
Are you moving?
Captain Casey:
No, Benny's house sold. Had to clear the place out.
Cruz:
Oh, um... well... I happened to notice a classic George Foreman Grill in there.
Casey:
All yours.
Cruz:
Thanks, Boss!

THE CARMICHAEL SHOW
LOW EXPECTATIONS (2017)

GRACE & FRANKIE
THE LABELS (2017)

THE BIG BANG THEORY
THE ROBOTIC MANIPULATION (2010)

Penny:
So, um, Amy, what about you? Do you date much?
Amy Farrah Fowler:
Once a year. It's a deal I made with my mother in exchange for her silence on the matter, as well as the occasional use of her George Foreman Grill that seals in the flavor without the fat.

KING OF THE HILL
BOXIN’ LUANNE

George Foreman:
Hey, Maybe there's something you can do for me. How would you feel about carrying my grill in your shop?
Hank Hill:
Oh, huh... sorry. We have a strict policy about that, no novelty grills.
George Foreman:
NOVELTY GRILL?
Hank Hill:
Yeah, you know, no offence, but your grill is kinda like an iron.
George Foreman:
YOU'RE CALLING MY GRILL AN IRON? I've been hit below the belt before, but nothing like this.
Hank Hill:
I think it's a great product for dieters and little girls who want to play barbeque, But you can't compare it to a propane powered grill.
George Foreman:
FIGHT'S ON!
Hank Hill:
WHAT? No.
George Foreman:
I said 'Fight's on!' What's the matter? SMELLING ALL THAT PROPANE CAUSED YOU BRAIN DAMAGE?  THAT'S WHAT IT DOES YOU KNOW!
Hank Hill:
NO, THAT IS NOT ACCURATE. Those studies were done on sick monkeys. And at least my grill isn't sold in... housewares.

The George Foreman Grill is not the first inanimate object to be inducted into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.  But most of those were fictional - Playpen magazine, the LA Tribune, the NY Chronicle, Morley Cigarettes. 

As an actual item, the grill isn't alone in the Hall, however; there are also real movies and TV shows, like the 'Tonight' show, 'The View', 'Star Trek', "It's A Wonderful Life", and "Miracle On 34th Street".  Plus the Titanic, COVID 19, and locations like the White House, Las Vegas, and the Playboy Mansion.

So there we have it for this February - the George Foreman Grill joins George Foreman in the Class of 2026!