If you’re a movie buff you’ve probably heard of the famous “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game. The premise is simple – link any actor to prolific character actor Kevin Bacon through their mutual co-stars in as few links as possible. This number of links is called their “Bacon number.” Kevin Bacon himself has a Bacon number of 0. Actors who have co-starred directly with Bacon have a Bacon number of 1. Their co-stars have a number of 2 and so on. But what is Tom Hanks’ Bacon number, and how is he connected to Kevin Bacon through some surprising films? Let’s unravel the web.
Understanding Bacon Numbers
Created in 1994 after Kevin Bacon’s wide-ranging career, the game only allows links through feature films. No TV shows, straight-to-video, or voice acting roles count. To have a Bacon number, one must be identifiable in the final cut of a movie, whether an extra or a star. Directors and crew can only be linked if they also appeared on screen.
The lower the Bacon number, the fewer degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon. Big stars like Tom Hanks tend to have low Bacon numbers through their many collaborations Character actors who have long careers also may have low numbers despite never being A-listers So what direct or indirect on-screen links connect Tom Hanks to the prolific Kevin Bacon?
Tom Hanks’ Surprising Bacon Number of 1
Turns out, Tom Hanks has a low Bacon number of just 1. This means he has co-starred directly with Kevin Bacon in a feature film. That movie was the 2000 dramatic comedy directed by Robert Zemeckis – Cast Away. In Cast Away, Tom Hanks plays a FedEx executive stranded alone on a deserted island after his plane crashes. Kevin Bacon has a small but memorable role as one of Hanks’ co-workers in the film’s early scenes. Though they share no scenes on the island, their on-screen interactions early in Cast Away are enough to link them.
Since Hanks and Bacon appeared in scenes together and were identifiable in the final cut, they “co-starred” in the strict sense of the Bacon game. This gives Hanks the minimum possible Bacon number of 1. Surprising that two such big stars worked together so directly? Let’s examine another astounding link.
Another Link – Apollo 13 with Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton
Tom Hanks could also connect to Kevin Bacon through the 1995 space historical drama Apollo 13. Hanks played the lead role of astronaut Jim Lovell. Though Kevin Bacon wasn’t in this film, Bill Paxton was – appearing alongside Hanks as astronaut Fred Haise. So how does this allow a link to Bacon?
Well, earlier in his career, Bill Paxton co-starred with Kevin Bacon in the 1990 gritty crime thriller Tremors. Paxton and Bacon were the two lead characters, monster hunters battling giant underground worms. Paxton’s on-screen collaboration with Kevin Bacon in Tremors gives him a clear Bacon number of 1.
And since Paxton later co-starred with Tom Hanks in Apollo 13, this gives Hanks a Bacon number of 2 through Paxton. This demonstrates the quirkiness of the Bacon game – Hanks has apparently “co-starred” with Bacon through Paxton, even though Bacon was never in Apollo 13.
Other Routes to Connect Tom Hanks to Kevin Bacon
With his numerous roles, Tom Hanks has several other routes to link with Kevin Bacon, some even more convoluted. For example, Hanks’ co-star in Catch Me If You Can, Leonardo DiCaprio, also starred in JFK with Kevin Costner, who was in Tin Cup with Don Johnson of Nash Bridges, who was in The Hot Spot with Kevin Bacon. This gives Hanks a whopping Bacon number of 5 using some twists and turns through his co-stars’ films.
While one can dig to find obscure connections, it’s clear that Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon crossed on-screen paths directly in the memorable Cast Away. This gives Hanks the minimum Bacon number of 1, proving he’s worked closely over his prolific career with the man at the center of Hollywood’s Six Degrees.
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What is Kevin Bacon’s Bacon number?
The higher the Bacon number, the farther away from Kevin Bacon the actor is. For example, Kevin Bacon’s Bacon number is 0. If an actor works in a movie with Kevin Bacon, the actor’s Bacon number is 1. If an actor works with an actor who worked with Kevin Bacon in a movie, the first actor’s Bacon number is 2, and so forth.
What is a Bacon number?
The Bacon number is a measure of an actor’s or actress’s distance from Kevin Bacon in terms of movie roles. It is calculated by finding the shortest path between the actor or actress and Kevin Bacon using co-starring roles in movies as links. An actor who has worked with Kevin Bacon in a movie has a Bacon number of 1.
What is an actor’s Bacon number?
An actor’s Bacon number is determined by how many degrees of separation they are from Kevin Bacon. If an actor has worked with Kevin Bacon in a movie, their Bacon number is 1. If they’ve worked with someone who has worked with Kevin Bacon in a movie, their Bacon number is 2, and so on.
How do I Find my Kevin Bacon number?
Alternatively, you can use Google’s Bacon number feature by typing “Bacon number” followed by your name into the search bar. Google will then provide you with your Bacon number and the path that connects you to Kevin Bacon.