Samantha Lewes was an actress best known for being the first wife of Hollywood superstar Tom Hanks. Long before Tom became a household name, he shared his life with Samantha during some of his most formative years as an actor. While she largely stayed out of the public eye, recent memoirs and interviews from her children have shed new light on her story, including her career, her struggles, and her early death. This article looks at who Samantha Lewes really was, from her childhood to her lasting legacy.
Quick Bio Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Real name | Susan Jane Dillingham |
| Stage name | Samantha Lewes |
| Date of birth | 29 November 1952 |
| Place of birth | San Diego, California, USA |
| Date of death | 12 March 2002 |
| Age at death | 49 |
| Cause of death | Bone cancer |
| Profession | Actress |
| Known for | Bosom Buddies, Mr. Success |
| Spouse | Tom Hanks (married 1978, divorced 1987) |
| Children | Colin Hanks, Elizabeth Ann Hanks |
| Father | John Raymond Dillingham |
| Mother | Harriet Hall Dillingham |
Early Life and Background
Samantha Lewes was born Susan Jane Dillingham on 29 November 1952 in San Diego, California. Her father, John Raymond Dillingham, served as a US Marine through three wars, while her mother, Harriet Hall Dillingham, worked as an elementary school teacher. Because of her father’s military career, young Susan grew up moving between California, Hawaii, Florida, and Virginia.
Her parents separated when she was a child, and her mother raised her and her siblings alone. After the split, the family moved closer to relatives in Northern California, eventually settling near Sacramento. This is where Susan, who later adopted the stage name Samantha Lewes, would meet the man who changed her life forever.
Meeting Tom Hanks and Getting Married
Samantha met Tom Hanks while they were both studying theatre at California State University, Sacramento. The pair quickly bonded over their shared passion for acting, and their friendship soon turned into romance. In 1977, when Tom was just 21 years old, the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Colin. They married a year later, in 1978, when Samantha was 26 and Tom was 22.
The young couple faced financial struggles in their early years together, as Tom worked hard to build his acting career from the ground up. In 1982, they welcomed their second child, a daughter named Elizabeth Ann Hanks. Despite the pressures of raising a young family, Samantha supported Tom through his earliest roles, including his breakout sitcom Bosom Buddies.
Samantha Lewes’ Acting Career
Although she is mostly remembered today as Tom Hanks’ first wife, Samantha had an acting career of her own. She appeared in an episode of Bosom Buddies in 1981, playing a waitress alongside her then husband. She also took on a role in the 1984 film Mr. Success.
Samantha’s acting credits stayed modest compared to Tom’s rapidly growing fame. As his career took off, he spent long stretches away from home filming, leaving Samantha to manage most of the household and the children on her own. This imbalance placed real strain on their marriage, one that would eventually prove too difficult to overcome.
Divorce and Life After Tom Hanks
Tom and Samantha separated in 1985, and their divorce was finalised in 1987. Tom later admitted that he had married too young and was not fully ready for the responsibilities of marriage and fatherhood at the time. The children mainly lived with their mother in Sacramento, visiting their father on weekends, holidays, and during summer breaks.
After the divorce, Samantha lived a quiet life away from the spotlight. According to her son Colin, she never remarried and rarely dated, reportedly finding comfort in her faith instead. However, her daughter Elizabeth later revealed in her memoir that these years also brought emotional difficulties at home, including outbursts she believes may have stemmed from undiagnosed bipolar disorder.
Illness and Death
In 2001, Samantha was diagnosed with bone cancer following a routine check up. The disease progressed quickly and soon spread to her lungs and brain. Despite their divorce, Tom reportedly stepped in to help, arranging for her treatment with specialists at UCLA and covering the medical costs himself.
Samantha passed away on 12 March 2002 in Sacramento, California, at the age of 49. Friends close to the family said Tom was deeply saddened by her death, noting that the former couple had stayed on good terms over the years for the sake of their children.
Legacy and Her Children’s Reflections
Samantha’s legacy lives on through her two children, both of whom found success in creative fields. Colin Hanks became a well known actor, appearing in films such as Orange County and King Kong, while Elizabeth Ann Hanks built a career as a writer and editor.
In her memoir, The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road, Elizabeth opened up about growing up with her mother, describing both loving moments and painful memories side by side. Her honest account gave the public a deeper understanding of the woman behind the headlines, a mother who faced real struggles while raising her children largely on her own.
Conclusion
Samantha Lewes may not have reached the same level of fame as her former husband, but her story remains an important part of Tom Hanks’ early life and family history. Through her children’s honest reflections, the world now knows a little more about the woman who helped shape his journey, the good times and the hard ones alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who was Samantha Lewes?
Samantha Lewes was an American actress best known as the first wife of actor Tom Hanks and the mother of his two eldest children, Colin and Elizabeth.
2. What was Samantha Lewes’ real name?
Her real name was Susan Jane Dillingham. She used the stage name Samantha Lewes for her acting career.
3. How did Samantha Lewes and Tom Hanks meet?
They met while studying theatre together at California State University, Sacramento, before getting married in 1978.
4. How did Samantha Lewes die?
She died on 12 March 2002 from bone cancer, which had spread to her lungs and brain by the time of her diagnosis.
5. Did Samantha Lewes remarry after divorcing Tom Hanks?
No. According to her son Colin, she never remarried and rarely dated after her divorce from Tom Hanks.
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