Date of Birth (location) 9 June 1963, Owensboro, Kentucky

Parents: John Sr & Betty Sue, siblings: Dan (D.P), Debbie, Christi.

Real name: John Christopher Depp III

Tom Hanson was originally written to be a young, smart and conservative man who completely believed in the job he was doing - a process which was hampered by Johnny Depp’s absolute distaste for the whole concept of undercover work in high schools. We had plenty of opportunity to get to know Hanson, as he stars in the majority of the episodes in Seasons 1-4. Hanson drove a light blue Mustang (shown in photo).

At the beginning of the series, he is on a regular police unit and is just too young-looking to be effective. He initially rebels against his assignment, but he takes to it well. He is often partnered with Penhall; sometimes they go into schools as "The McQuaid Brothers," and sometimes not. Hanson is quiet and intuitive, with a wild streak and a subtle sense of humor, as well as being highly intelligent (he graduated top of the class at the academy).

I get the sense that if Hanson hadn’t become a cop, he would have become one of the criminals he spends his life pursuing - or a rock star or even an actor. His is a mind of absolutes - causes that deserve his absolute devotion and friends that have his unquestioned loyalty, no questions asked. He carries himself warily, revealing himself through his actions, not his words. Hanson attracts women very easily, but he never seems to actually be coupled with them, as if he always holds most of himself separate from them. Sometimes it seems as if he could get up, walk out and never even remember he had met them.

When he was on, he was on, and in a series with different writers and directors every week, the character development rests largely in the hands of the actor. In a few episodes, Depp merely memorized his lines without knowing the context and simply played himself, but some of his episodes in Seasons 3 and 4 are marvelous pieces of work, as he created a new Tom Hanson - a jaded & hurt man who has seen too much and isn’t sure he wants to be a part of his own life anymore.  

 Johnny Depp

 Everyone knows about Johnny Depp’s great looks, unconventional roles and undeniable talent, but he has carved his career against mainstream opposition. He spent the first 6 years of his life in Owensboro, Kentucky, surrounded by his extended family, and then in 1970, the family moved to the outskirts of Miami, where Johnny grew up. His childhood and adolescence were spent hanging out with best friend Sal Jenco and feeling like an outcast. In junior high he learned to play guitar, lost his virginity and began drinking and using hard drugs. When he was 15, his parents divorced. He stopped using drugs and spent most of his time reading and playing guitar, dropping out of high school at age 16. Johnny moved to Los Angeles with his band, and his new wife, Lori Ann Allison, and he and Lori got divorced soon after. Johnny is primarily a movie star, with 21 Jump Street being his only significant television appearance. He has gone through a series of very intense relationships with other celebrities, including Sherilyn Fenn, Jennifer Grey, Winona Ryder & Kate Moss. In 1996 he was chosen by People Magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. Johnny has appeared in music videos and he currently owns the Viper Room nightclub in Los Angeles (co-owned by Sal Jenco) and plays in a band called "P" in his spare time between films, which isn’t much. He has starred in many movies, including "Edward Scissorhands," "Benny & Joon," "Ed Wood," "Don Juan De Marco" "Nick of Time" and "Dead Man." His directorial debut, "The Brave," in which he also stars, was premiered at Cannes. He continues to film movie after movie, and he is regarded as one of the best actors in the business. His daughter, Lily-Rose, was born in May 1999.

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