Watch Tom Hanks do standup comedy in 1987 (VIDEO)

Before he starred in "The Da Vinci Code" and "Forrest Gump," you might remember Tom Hanks as the go-to comedy star of the '80s.

Starting in 1980, the actor made a name for himself in many big-screen comedies, including "Splash" and "Big." And, when he starred in "Punchline," Hanks finally played a comedian. In the 1988 film, the actor played Steven Gold, a medical student who moonlights as a mediocre standup comic.

BuzzFeed stumbled upon vintage footage of Hanks practicing for the role by doing a bit at New York's Comic Strip comedy club in 1987, during which he jokes about the Sylvester Stallone movie "Over the Top."

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The short bit isn't overly funny, so perhaps Hanks was holding back for the film. In any case, it must have felt like a coup for the actor to perform at the longest-running Comedy Showcase Club in America, which boasts alumni such as Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Murphy, and Adam Sandler.

Before "Punchline" premiered, Hanks reportedly performed standup comedy more than 30 times in clubs across New York and Los Angeles. His first performance was a five-minute act at the Comedy Store in L.A.

"It was pure flop sweat time, an embarrassment," he told the New York Times when "Punchline" came out. "The material lasted 1 minute 40 seconds, and it had no theme."

See also: Tom Hanks writes hilarious thank-you note

But once Hanks got comic Barry Sobel and comedy writer Randy Fechter to help him, his comedy act improved -- so much so that a then-unknown Chris Rock reportedly shared a set with the actor and thought Hanks was the funniest standup he had ever seen.

Still, we're glad Hanks didn't quit his day job.

Watch the trailer for "Punchline" below: