Who Was Samantha Lewes? Tom Hanks’ First Wife, Life, Kids, Death & Legacy 

Samantha Lewes was an American actress, the first wife of Tom Hanks, and the mother of Colin Hanks and E.A. Hanks. Although many people search for her because of her connection to one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors, her life story goes beyond the phrase “Tom Hanks’ first wife.” She was a performer, a mother, a private figure, and, in recent years, a renewed subject of public interest because of her daughter’s memoir, The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road.

Born as Susan Dillingham, Samantha Lewes became publicly known through her marriage to Tom Hanks, her brief acting career, and her place in the larger Hanks family tree. She and Hanks married in 1978, had two children, and finalized their divorce in 1987. Lewes later died in 2002 at age 49.

Quick Facts About Samantha Lewes

These quick facts answer the most common searches around Samantha Lewes biography, including Samantha Lewes real name, Samantha Lewes children, Samantha Lewes cause of death, and her relationship with Tom Hanks.

Who Was Samantha Lewes?

Samantha Lewes was best known as Tom Hanks’ first wife, but she also had her own identity as an actress and mother. Her public story is closely tied to the early years of Hanks’ career, before he became a global movie star through films like Splash, Forrest Gump, and That Thing You Do!

Lewes and Hanks were part of the same creative world before fame fully arrived. They were young, connected through theater and acting, and building their lives while Hanks was still at the start of his career. Their relationship produced two children: Colin Hanks, who later became an actor, and Elizabeth Anne Hanks, who became a writer under the name E.A. Hanks.

For many readers, the search query “who was Samantha Lewes” comes from curiosity about the woman before Rita Wilson, Hanks’ current wife. But a complete Samantha Lewes biography should not reduce her only to an ex-wife. Her story includes Hollywood, family life, acting, privacy, illness, and complicated memories shared by her daughter years later.

Samantha Lewes’ Real Name and Early Life

One of the most searched questions is: What was Samantha Lewes’ real name? Public sources identify her real name as Susan Dillingham, while Samantha Lewes was the name by which she became known professionally and publicly. People describes E.A. Hanks’ late mother as Susan Dillingham, “otherwise known as Samantha Lewes.”

This name distinction matters for SEO and reader clarity because some users search “Samantha Lewes Susan Dillingham,” “Samantha Lewes born Susan Dillingham,” or “Tom Hanks first wife Susan Dillingham.” All of these searches refer to the same person.

Details about Lewes’ early life are not as widely documented as those of Tom Hanks. That is why a respectful article should avoid pretending that every part of her childhood or background is publicly known. What can be said clearly is that she was connected to the arts, enjoyed literature such as Shakespeare and poetry, and moved in the same college-theater environment that shaped Tom Hanks’ early acting life.

How Samantha Lewes Met Tom Hanks

Samantha Lewes and Tom Hanks met while they were students at California State University, Sacramento in the mid-1970s. This makes Sacramento State an important NLP entity in her life story and a natural keyword connection for searches like “how did Tom Hanks meet Samantha Lewes” and “Samantha Lewes met Tom Hanks at California State University Sacramento.”

Their early relationship grew out of a shared creative environment. Hanks later spoke about being drawn to the school because it allowed him to do plays, stage-manage shows, work as a carpenter for productions, and act. He also described spending time around the theater’s Green Room in Sacramento, a place where students and performers gathered.

This college-theater background helps explain why Lewes’ life was connected to acting, television, and the entertainment industry, even though her screen credits were limited. She was not just a celebrity spouse from outside Hollywood; she belonged to the same artistic circle that shaped Hanks before he became a household name.

Samantha Lewes and Tom Hanks’ Marriage Timeline

The Samantha Lewes Tom Hanks relationship is one of the central reasons people search for her today. Lewes and Hanks married in January 1978, during the early stage of Hanks’ career. Their marriage began before his biggest Hollywood success and before his long public relationship with Rita Wilson.

Their relationship timeline is important:

This timeline naturally supports keywords like Tom Hanks first marriage, when did Tom Hanks marry Samantha Lewes, Samantha Lewes married Tom Hanks in 1978, and Samantha Lewes and Tom Hanks divorced in 1987.

Why Did Samantha Lewes and Tom Hanks Divorce?

The exact private reasons behind the Samantha Lewes divorce from Tom Hanks are not fully public, and this topic should be handled carefully. What is documented is that the couple went their separate ways in 1985 and finalized their divorce in 1987.

Because Hanks’ career was rising during the 1980s, many articles discuss the marriage in the wider context of work commitments, Hollywood pressure, and personal differences. However, it is better not to invent motives or overstate what public sources confirm. A human, trustworthy article should say that the marriage ended after several years and that both continued separate lives afterward.

After the divorce, Lewes remained connected to the Hanks family through their two children, while Hanks later married Rita Wilson in 1988. Together, Hanks and Wilson later had two more children, Chet Hanks and Truman Hanks, making Hanks a father of four.

Samantha Lewes’ Children: Colin Hanks and E.A. Hanks

Samantha Lewes’ children are a major part of her biography. She and Tom Hanks welcomed two children: Colin Hanks and Elizabeth Anne Hanks, who is also known as E.A. Hanks.

Colin Hanks, born on Nov. 24, 1977, followed his parents into the entertainment world and became an actor. His career has helped keep public interest alive in the broader Tom Hanks family tree.

Elizabeth Anne Hanks, born on May 17, 1982, appeared as an extra in Forrest Gump and That Thing You Do! before becoming a writer. She now publishes under the name E.A. Hanks.

After the divorce, Lewes had primary custody of Colin and E.A. at first. Reports around E.A. Hanks’ memoir say that Lewes moved the children from Los Angeles to Sacramento, which became a major part of E.A.’s childhood story. SCMP also reports that Dillingham, known professionally as Samantha Lewes, had primary custody and moved the family to Sacramento without notice.

This section answers important long-tail searches such as “how many children did Samantha Lewes have with Tom Hanks,” “Colin Hanks mother,” “E.A. Hanks mother,” and “Tom Hanks first wife and children.”

Samantha Lewes’ Acting Career and Filmography

Samantha Lewes was an actress, though her acting career was brief compared with Tom Hanks’ later filmography. Her best-known screen credits include a 1981 episode of Hanks’ ABC sitcom Bosom Buddies and the 1984 TV movie Mr. Success.

Her limited filmography makes search terms like Samantha Lewes actress, Samantha Lewes acting career, Samantha Lewes filmography, and Samantha Lewes movies and TV shows especially useful for an SEO article. Readers often want to know whether she was famous as an actress or mainly known because of her marriage to Hanks.

The most accurate answer is balanced: Lewes did act, but her public recognition today comes mostly from her connection to Tom Hanks, her children Colin and E.A., and renewed attention around E.A.’s memoir.

Life After Divorce and Family Context

After the divorce, Samantha Lewes’ life after divorce appears to have been more private and complicated than her years in the public eye. She did not remain a major Hollywood figure, and much of what the public now knows comes from later accounts by her daughter.

People reports that after Lewes and Hanks divorced, Lewes had primary custody of E.A. and Colin, while Hanks initially had weekend and summer visits. The same report says Lewes moved the children from Los Angeles to Sacramento without notice.

This part of the story should be written with care. It involves family history, custody agreement details, and painful memories shared years later. A strong article should not sensationalize it. Instead, it should explain that Lewes lived more privately after her marriage ended and that later memoir coverage added more context, but also more emotional complexity.

Samantha Lewes’ Death and Cause of Death

Samantha Lewes died in 2002 at age 49. People reports that she died from lung cancer, and SCMP also states that Susan Dillingham died of lung cancer in 2002 at 49 years old.

This section is important because users often search “Samantha Lewes cause of death,” “how did Samantha Lewes die,” “Samantha Lewes age at death,” and “Samantha Lewes cancer type.” Some online pages mention bone cancer, while stronger entertainment-news sources report lung cancer. For accuracy, the safest wording is:

Samantha Lewes died in 2002 at age 49. People and SCMP report her cause of death as lung cancer.

That phrasing avoids repeating uncertain claims as fact and gives readers a clear answer. It also improves trust because the topic has conflicting information across the web.

E.A. Hanks’ Memoir and Renewed Interest in Samantha Lewes

Public interest in Samantha Lewes increased again because of E.A. Hanks’ memoir, The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road. The book explores E.A.’s childhood, her relationship with her mother, and a later journey tied to family history. Amazon lists the publication date as April 8, 2025, while People reported on the memoir and its family claims in 2025.

E.A. Hanks has described a difficult childhood involving confusion, violence, deprivation, and love. People reports that E.A. claimed her mother was emotionally and physically abusive and that at age 14, a violent incident led to a custody change.

This part of the article must be written with sensitivity. These are memoir claims from E.A. Hanks, not details that should be turned into gossip. The right wording is: “E.A. Hanks wrote,” “E.A. claimed,” “according to her memoir,” or “People reported that E.A. described…”

Tom Hanks also publicly addressed his daughter’s memoir in 2025. People reported that he said he was not surprised by her willingness and curiosity to examine her family history, adding that everyone comes from “checkered, cracked lives.”

Samantha Lewes’ Legacy Beyond Being Tom Hanks’ First Wife

The phrase “Tom Hanks first wife” is the biggest search driver, but Samantha Lewes’ legacy should be treated with more depth. She was a mother, an actress, a woman connected to the early creative life of Tom Hanks, and a private person whose story has been discussed publicly mostly through other people’s memories.

Her life also reflects the difficulty of being connected to a major celebrity. Many people who search Samantha Lewes biography want simple facts: her real name, children, acting career, marriage, divorce, and death. But the full story includes emotional complexity, especially because of E.A. Hanks’ later writing.

A respectful celebrity biography should remember that Lewes was not only an “ex-wife” or a “Hollywood footnote.” She was part of a family story that included love, separation, illness, pain, and memory. That is why the best article angle is not just “Who was Tom Hanks’ first wife?” but “Who was Samantha Lewes as a person?”

Samantha Lewes Timeline

This timeline supports searches like Samantha Lewes timeline, Samantha Lewes life timeline, and Tom Hanks marriages timeline.

Family Tree: How Samantha Lewes Fits Into Tom Hanks’ Family

Understanding the Tom Hanks family tree helps explain why Samantha Lewes remains a searched public figure.

This family tree naturally includes the entities Samantha Lewes, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Colin Hanks, E.A. Hanks, Chet Hanks, and Truman Hanks. It also answers the long-tail question “Tom Hanks first wife and children.”

Frequently Asked Questions About Samantha Lewes

What was Samantha Lewes’ real name?

Samantha Lewes’ real name was Susan Dillingham. She was publicly and professionally known as Samantha Lewes. People identifies E.A. Hanks’ mother as Susan Dillingham, otherwise known as Samantha Lewes.

Was Samantha Lewes Tom Hanks’ first wife?

Yes. Samantha Lewes was Tom Hanks’ first wife. They married in 1978 and finalized their divorce in 1987.

How many children did Samantha Lewes have?

Samantha Lewes had two children with Tom Hanks: Colin Hanks and Elizabeth Anne Hanks, also known as E.A. Hanks.

Was Samantha Lewes an actress?

Yes. Samantha Lewes was an actress. Her known credits include Bosom Buddies in 1981 and Mr. Success in 1984.

How did Samantha Lewes die?

Samantha Lewes died in 2002. People and SCMP report that her cause of death was lung cancer.

How old was Samantha Lewes when she died?

Samantha Lewes was 49 years old when she died in 2002.

Why is Samantha Lewes being searched again?

Samantha Lewes is being searched again partly because of E.A. Hanks’ 2025 memoir, The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road, which discusses E.A.’s childhood, her mother, and complicated family history.

Conclusion: Remembering Samantha Lewes

Samantha Lewes was more than Tom Hanks’ first wife. She was Susan Dillingham, an actress, a mother to Colin Hanks and E.A. Hanks, and a private figure whose life has become part of a larger Hollywood family story. Her marriage to Hanks, brief acting career, death at age 49, and renewed public attention through E.A. Hanks’ memoir all make her a meaningful subject for readers searching for a complete Samantha Lewes biography.

The most respectful way to understand her life is to balance the facts with care: she lived partly in the public eye, partly outside it, and her legacy continues through her children and the memories they have shared.

Disclaimer:

This article is for general informational purposes only. Details may vary by source, context, and individual interpretation. Readers should use their own judgment when reviewing biographical information, public reports, and personal accounts.