The original Gump was an idiot savant – an idiot by his own admission, but also a brilliant mind for advanced mathematical equations, musical instruments, and chess. In fact, Groom has envisioned John Goodman in the role instead of the comparatively slight Hanks. The original Gump was 6’6” and 240lbs of solid man. The character belonged to the audience and Hanks as much as he did Winston Groom.įorrest had also undergone significant changes in his eight-year journey from page to screen (in development hell terms, the equivalent of Forrest’s epic run across the United States).
Gump – a slow-witted boy turned accidental hero, sports star, and shrimping millionaire – was immediately accepted as an icon of wholesome Americana. His nuggets of doe-eyed wisdom (alongside the box of chocolates zinger, Gumpisms such as “Stupid is as stupid does”) and biggest moments (“Run, Forest! Run!”) became oft-repeated, universally-recognised lines from the cultural lexicon.Īnd though Tom Hanks already had an Academy Award win under his belt, having won Best Actor for Philadelphia, it was Forrest Gump that turned him into Hollywood’s most lovable A-list heavyweight. Winston Groom – who has died, aged 77 – relinquished ownership of his character swiftly after the film’s release in July 1994. “It’s on everybody’s tongue, the box of chocolates business.” I hate chocolates!” But the author would have to concede that the reimagined line of dialogue, like the film’s liberal interpretation of his story, was a success. “Well, what do I know? Everywhere I go people send me chocolates. “Why the hell didn’t they use my line? Why are they using this line?” said Groom, interviewed after the film’s release.
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The project wound up stalling in development hell, but fans of the original movie can always check out Groom's followup novel to see what became of Forrest Gump.Forget Forrest Gump’s famous line, “Life is like a box of chocolates.” The real line – or the original line, at least, from the 1986 novel by Winston Groom – is “Bein an idiot is no box of chocolates.” For years, there were rumors that Paramount would bring back Hanks to turn Gump and Co. Titled Gump and Co., it was published in 1995 and directly continues to follow what happens next with Forrest's life after the events of the original story. The immense success of the movie brought even greater fame to Groom.Īlthough a movie sequel was never made, Groom actually wrote a followup novel to Forrest Gump.
Tom Hanks famously played the titular role when the Forrest Gump story was adapted as a movie by screenwriter Eric Roth and director Robert Zemeckis in 1994. Its story follows a man recalling adventures from his incredibly bizarre life, which includes serving in the Vietnam War, working on shrimp boats, and participating in a ping pong championship. Published in 1986, Forrest Gump is Groom's most celebrated work. He also wrote the sports book The Crimson Tide: The Official Illustrated History of Alabama Football, National Championship Edition. With a continued interest in the military, Groom would also pen many nonfiction books on various historical topics, including the Civil War, the Battle of New Orleans, the generals of World War II, and a book on Ronald Reagan.
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