Hanks handed humanitarian accolade

After Tom Hanks found out he was being honoured by the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity at the New York Public Library, he remembered he owed a couple of books.

"I've got to turn them in from 1977," Hanks said on the red carpet before going into the gala event.

Hanks, accompanied by his wife Rita Wilson, joked that when he got the call, he responded, "No, this is the Hanks house", followed by "really" and "why?"

Rooted in the memory of the Holocaust, the foundation's mission is combating indifference, intolerance and injustice through international dialogue.

Hanks said he was stunned by the award, and added while he is fortunate he gets to make movies, at the end of the day it's more about making the world a better place.