1. Star Tom Hanks signed on for the role of Forrest an hour and a half after reading the script.

On July 6, 1994, "Forrest Gump" opened in U.S. theaters, earning actor Tom Hanks his second Oscar for Best Actor.

It's been 31 years since Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump arrived in theaters. And while, like a box of chocolates, you never know ...