Released:  June 3, 1988

Directed By:  Penny Marshall  

Screenplay By:  Gary Ross & Anne Spielberg  

Stars:  Tom Hanks, David Moscow, Jared Rushton, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia and John Heard

Tagline:  Have you ever had a really big secret?

How did this movie do
Budget: $18 Million
Box office: $152 Million

• When Spielberg was set to direct, he wanted Harrison Ford for Josh.
  
  
• After Spielberg left, Tom Hanks was the first choice to play Josh Baskin, but was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts with “Dragnet (1987)” and “Punchline (1988).” Robert De Niro was then offered the lead role, but was rejected because his $6 million salary demand was too high. Hanks then became available and accepted it for $2 million. David Moscow was originally cast not as young Josh, but as Billy, since he didn’t look like De Niro. When Hanks was given the role, Moscow was recast as young Josh.
  
  
• When Penny Marshall got the script, nobody was interested in doing the movie. It was only when Robert De Niro announced he wanted the part of Josh that the script received attention from people wanting to do it.
  
  
• Robert Loggia’s character is based on then FAO Schwarz CEO Peter Harris. The character is a youthful, albeit goofy, retailer, true to Harris’s own personality.
  
  
• Harrison Ford turned down the role of Josh Baskin.
  
  
• Debra Winger was originally considered for the Susan Lawrence role but could not take the part because she was pregnant at the time. She recommended Elizabeth Perkins.
  
  
• Robin Williams was considered for the role of Josh Baskin.
  
  
• Bill Murray was considered for the role of Josh Baskin, but chose to do “Scrooged (1988)” instead.
  
  
• Steven Spielberg almost directed the film, but didn’t want to steal the thunder of his sister, Anne Spielberg, who co-wrote the script.

Academy Awards

• Nominated for Best Actor (Hanks) and Best Original Screenplay. This movie was the first time Tom Hanks got nominated for an Oscar.

Golden Globe Awards

• Nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
• Hanks was nominated for (and won) for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

• Shimmy Shimmy Coco Pop was based on a song called “(Shimmy Shimmy) Ko Ko Wop,” which was released by a Pittsburgh group called the El Capris in 1956. It later was recorded by Little Anthony And The Imperials in 1960 (and is on YouTube).
  
  
• Other movies with similar themes (twin films): Like Father Like Son (1987), 18 Again! (1988), Vice Versa (1988), 14 Going on 30 (1988)
  
  
• In 1996, the film was made into a musical for the Broadway stage. It featured music by David Shire, lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr., and a book by John Weidman. Directed by Mike Ockrent, and choreographed by Susan Stroman, it opened on April 28, 1996, and closed on October 13, 1996, after 193 performances. I relaunched in 1998 and won a Tony and a Theater World Award.
  
  
• To give Tom Hanks an idea of how a 13-year-old would behave, director Penny Marshall filmed each “grown-up” scene with David Moscow (Young Josh) playing Hanks’ part, who then copied Moscow’s behavior. Hanks would go on to do something similar for Forrest Gump (1994), when he would spend time with Michael Conner Humphreys (Young Forrest) and imitate his Southern accent to prepare for the part.
  
  
• According to Robert Loggia, on the day they filmed the famous keyboard scene at FAO Schwarz, he and Tom Hanks noticed that doubles dressed like them were on hand just in case the two could not do the dance moves correctly. It became their goal to do the entire keyboard number without the aid of the doubles. They succeeded.
  
  
• Penny Marshall became the first female director to ever direct a movie that grossed more than $100 million at the box office with this movie.
  
  
• The ‘Shimmy Shimmy Coco Pop’ rap was Tom Hanks’s idea. According to Tom Hanks in an interview with Jonathan Ross, the rap was something his son had learned at summer camp and Hanks came up with the rap for the film and made up the words to the rap.
  
  
• John Travolta was one of director Penny Marshall’s top choices for Josh, and he wanted to do it, but the studio didn’t want him, considering him “box-office poison” at the time.
  
  
• David Moscow wore colored contact lenses to match the eye color of Tom Hanks.
  
  
• The Cavern of the Evil Wizard computer game wasn’t a real computer game and was created for the movie by David Satin and SMA Video Inc.
  
  
• DELETED SCENE: A scene was filmed, then cut for the theatrical release, and subsequently reinstated for the extended edition DVD: After Josh tells Susan that he is 13 and that he made a wish to be big on the Zoltar Machine, Susan looks through Josh’s wallet whilst he is sleeping and discovers a baseball card with bubble gum on it and Josh’s Zoltar Speaks card.
  
  
• Tom Hanks was 32 while Elizabeth Perkins was 28 while filming.
  
  
• During the sleepover scene, where Josh shows Susan his New York City apartment and toys, Patrice Rushen’s “Forget Me Nots” can be heard playing in the background. Will Smith would later sample this song for his successful Men in Black (1997) theme, written for a hit franchise directed by none other than Barry Sonnenfeld.
  
  
• The costume designers took special care to ensure that Susan realistically transitions from uptight businesswoman at the beginning of the film to a sweet, almost girl-like persona that she is at the end of the film. Notice that her wardrobe and hair gradually become less and less adult (hair goes from pinned up to loose, and with schoolgirl hand bands, clothes from tight suits to loose girlish angora separates and young skirts, and shoes from heels to flats), and more that of a schoolgirl. Susan may turn down the offer to become a little girl again, but we are left with the clear impression that, thanks to her relationship with the “adult” Josh character, she has found her inner child.
  
  
• At the end of the film when Susan discovers Josh’s real age, she was scripted to kiss Josh goodbye on the lips. However, Elizabeth Perkins insisted that she kiss him on the forehead instead.
  
  
• End of Movie Question: How does Josh explain where he’s been? The FBI Would be involved in kidnapping like this (which they probably would have traced his call from work). Plus there has been an adult running around New York using his name, who has just mysteriously disappeared right when Josh returns home.
  
  
• End of Movie Question: How does Susan explain the complete disappearance of her boyfriend Josh, leaving behind a fully furnished apartment and high paying job? Adult Josh was last seen fleeing a business meeting, followed shortly by his girlfriend (who has been known to sleep around with other office workers) who ends up being the last to see him.
  
  
• End of Movie Question: What happened with the investigations? The FBI investigating child Josh’s disappearance wouldn’t stop just because he’s home. Adult Josh’s disappearance would likely lead to an investigation into Susan. Eventually these 2 investigations would connect and would Susan be questioned regarding the disappearance and reappearance of young Josh.  Would she pass a lie detector test? If she tells the truth, would she end up in a mental institution?  There are so many ways the ending leads to a dark future.