Big > Trivia

Tom Hanks improvised the scene where he eats the baby corn as if it were a normal-sized ear of corn.
According to Monica Rushton, Jared Rushton (Billy), David Moscow (Young Josh), and Tom Hanks (Big Josh) were put in a room with a bunch of toys to play with. With silly string, they tried to use it to gross each other out, and that is how the silly string scene between Hanks and Rushton appeared in the movie.
John Travolta was one of director Penny Marshall’s top choices for Josh Baskin, and he wanted the role, but the studio didn’t want him, considering him “box-office poison” at the time.
The building used as the MacMillian Toys office is now a Home Depot.
The amusement park at the end, Playland in Rye, New York, was also used in Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” video.
When they show Josh Baskin missing, the date is 9/12/87.
The costume designers paid close attention to Susan’s transformation, making sure her shift from a stiff, businesslike professional at the start of the movie to a softer, almost childlike figure by the end felt natural. This change is reflected gradually in her appearance—her hair moves from being tightly pinned up to worn down with schoolgirl-style headbands, her fitted suits are replaced with looser, more youthful angora tops and skirts, and her heels give way to flats. While she ultimately turns down the chance to literally become a child again, it’s clear that her time with Josh has helped her reconnect with her inner child.
Tom Hanks received an Oscar nomination for his role as Josh Baskin. He lost to Dustin Hoffman for Rain Man.
According to Robert Loggia, on the day they filmed the famous Walking Piano scene at FAO Schwarz, he and Tom Hanks noticed doubles dressed like them on hand in case they couldn't do the dance moves correctly. Their goal became to do the entire number without the doubles. They succeeded.
To give Tom Hanks an idea of how a 13-year-old would behave, director Penny Marshall filmed each “grown-up” scene with David Moscow (Young Josh) playing Hanks’s part, and then Hanks copied Moscow’s behavior. Hanks would go on to do something similar for Forrest Gump (1994), spending time with Michael Conner Humphreys (Young Forrest) and imitating his Southern accent to prepare for the part.
Penny Marshall became the first woman to direct a movie that grossed more than $100 million at the box office with this film.
Robert De Niro was considered for the role of Josh, but his salary demands were too high.