Hanks Salutes Drama Teacher at Dedication

Tom Hanks never had it this good when he started acting at Skyline High School.

Hanks dedicated a renovated theater--complete with high-end lighting and sound equipment and a new grand piano and stage floor--in front of 1,000 students, teachers and fellow alumni.

At Hanks’ urging, the theater was named after retired drama teacher Rawley T. Farnsworth, whom Hanks credited as an influence when accepting the best actor Oscar for “Philadelphia” in 1993.

“Who knows what I would have ended up doing with my time if it wasn’t for Mr. Farnsworth,” Hanks said Saturday night. He reportedly gave at least $100,000 toward the $465,000 project.