Tom Hanks’ Reluctant Leap: How David S Pumpkins Became a Halloween Icon
Tom Hanks was far from keen on playing David S Pumpkins on SNL, but the oddball character unexpectedly became a Halloween phenomenon. Discover how Hanks’ initial doubts gave way to cult status and repeat appearances.
Actors often have the luxury of turning down roles that don’t quite sit right. Yet, for Tom Hanks, that option was off the table when he found himself at the heart of a sketch that would soon take on a life of its own. The world of film typically allows its stars to weigh up scripts, suggest tweaks, and, if they’re big enough names, shape a project to their liking. Hanks, with his two Oscars and a reputation as America’s cinematic everyman, is no stranger to such influence. But television, especially the unpredictable realm of Saturday Night Live, plays by its own rules.
Since his first stint as host back in December 1984, Hanks has become something of a fixture on the SNL stage. He joined the so-called ‘Five-Timers Club’ in 1990 and has since returned to host several more times, not to mention a string of cameos. Despite this long association, there’s one role that stands out above the rest—a character that, ironically, Hanks wanted nothing to do with at the outset.
From Reluctance to Reluctant Stardom
October 2016 saw the debut of David S Pumpkins, a character whose garish pumpkin suit and wild hairdo quickly became the stuff of Halloween legend. The idea, as it turns out, was as daft as it sounds. Bobby Moynihan, a regular on the show, found himself pondering the lack of a Halloween figurehead to rival Father Christmas.
“We started joking around, saying, ‘What if it was just a guy named David Pumpkins?’”
he recalled. With Hanks lined up to host just before Halloween, Moynihan seized the moment.
Hanks, however, was less than thrilled.
“Tom Hanks hated it and asked us to give it to somebody else,”
Moynihan admitted. The writing team stood firm. Between the dress rehearsal and the live broadcast, Hanks had a change of heart—or perhaps simply resigned himself to the absurdity.
“I’m just going to be weird,”
he declared, to which the team responded with enthusiasm.
Passing the Pumpkin
Not only did Hanks try to sidestep the role, he even suggested a replacement.
“He thought it was very bizarre, and was like, ‘Hey, I think Chris Hemsworth would make a great David Pumpkins,’”
Moynihan revealed. The attempt to hand off the part to another upcoming host was politely ignored. In the end, Hanks donned the suit and embraced the oddity, much to the delight of audiences.
What began as a throwaway gag quickly snowballed. Within weeks, shops were struggling to keep up with demand for pumpkin-patterned suits and curly wigs. The character’s nonsensical charm struck a chord, and Hanks found himself returning to the role on several occasions. The sketch’s popularity was such that it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the part now, no matter how much Hanks might have preferred otherwise.
Legacy of a Reluctant Icon
David S Pumpkins has since become a fixture of SNL’s Halloween episodes, with Hanks reprising the role multiple times. The character’s enduring appeal lies in its sheer randomness—a quality that, ironically, was the very thing that put Hanks off in the first place. Despite his initial misgivings, he’s now inextricably linked to one of the most memorable sketches in the show’s recent history.
Given Hanks’ ongoing relationship with SNL, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him don the pumpkin suit again. Stranger things have happened, after all.