Some movie stars get big because they appear in big movies. Others make movies big by their very presence in them.

For example, there are two actors who started out around the same time in the early 1980s: Tom Hanks and Steve Guttenberg. One became a household name and the other has been mostly forgotten. Why is that? Guttenberg seemed primed to be a major movie star after a string of hits, while Hanks struggled to find his footing for a while but once he did, he became one of the most popular actors of all time.

Let’s explore similarities between these actors and see why they veered off in different directions.

Starring vs. Appearing

Tom Hanks and Steve Guttenberg worked with many of the same directors and actors in their early work.

In 1983, Guttenberg appeared in the Nicholas Meyer-directed The Day After, the most-watched TV movie of all time. In 1985, Hanks starred in Nicholas Meyer’s film entitled Volunteers.

In 1984, Hanks starred in Ron Howard’s Splash. The following year, Guttenberg appeared in Ron Howard’s Cocoon. They both got to be the romantic leads in their respective films, but Cocoon was much more of an ensemble movie than Splash was.

In 1987, Guttenberg appeared in Amazon Women on the Moon, which was partly directed by Joe Dante. That was two years before Hanks starred in The ‘Burbs, which was also directed by Joe Dante. Guttenberg was busy in 1987 because he co-starred with Sally Field in Surrender. The year after, she co-starred with Hanks in Punchline.

Tom Hanks vs. Steve Guttenberg

Have you noticed a pattern?

Tom Hanks was able to carry a lot of movies, but Steve Guttenberg always needed at least a co-star to help him carry each movie. Hanks worked well with ensembles and co-stars, such as Bachelor Party, Dragnet, and other comedies, but he could also stand out in Big, Turner & Hooch, Joe Versus the Volcano, and other films that required a lot of solo work. Those were great because of his performance.

No one ever wanted to see a Steve Guttenberg film per se. They wanted to see the next Police Academy sequel because the previous films in that series were funny. They wanted to watch Three Men and a Baby because of the crazy premise and the great performances by Tom Selleck and Ted Danson in addition to Steve Guttenberg. Fisher Stevens, Ally Sheedy, and Johnny Five stole the show in Short Circuit. Basically, any movie that Guttenberg is in, from The Boys from Brazil to Diner, is memorable and great because of something other than his performance in it.

The same couldn’t be said of any of Tom Hanks’ movies. They’re all elevated by his role in them.

Likable But Forgettable

I don’t think Steve Guttenberg is a bad actor. He simply lacks the charisma of Tom Hanks. Even when Hanks was in less-than-great movies like Mazes and Monsters or The Money Pit, he still gave his all. His ability to work well by himself and with large ensembles helped him succeed in a wide variety of films, from Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, and Cast Away to A League of Their Own, Apollo 13, and Saving Private Ryan.

I figured out why Hanks became a star and Guttenberg didn’t when I asked myself a question: can I picture Steve Guttenberg as Forrest Gump, Jim Lovell, or Sheriff Woody? Sadly, I can’t. Guttenberg is more of a side character or a fun background character, likable but forgettable. He reminds me of Jim Halpert from The Office. He’s a reassuring presence in the midst of chaotic situations, but he’s never the one I come to see first.

That’s why, following 1987, Tom Hanks became even more popular while Steve Guttenberg faded away. Hanks was able to turn good films into great ones with his performance, while Guttenberg mostly relied on a unique premise or other actors to support his work. In other words, Guttenberg was in great films, but Hanks made them great.

Steve Guttenberg hasn’t stopped working, starring in lots of films like The Big Green, Zeus and Roxanne, It Takes Two, and Tower of Terror. Yet he never achieved the level of fame that Tom Hanks did because he just couldn’t compete.

This is the Deja Reviewer bidding you farewell until we meet again.

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