Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Tom Hanks to Create HBO Miniseries from "Factory Man"
September 16,
2014 by in Industry, Special Events 
Actor and producer Tom Hanks has bought the broadcast rights for "Factory Man," the recently released story of John Bassett III's fight against the first wave of Asian competition in the furniture industry.
Hanks and Gary Goetzman of Playtone plan to co-producer a for-HBO miniseries on the book written by Beth Macy. Earlier this summer, Hanks tweeted his admiration for the book.
The book tells the story of the Bassett family and how Bassett, chairman of bedroom producer Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co., took on China and much of the rest of the furniture industry.
"It's wonderful news that a man as honorable and decent as Tom Hanks has secured the rights to 'Factory Man,'" Bassett said. "I believe the story of all the furniture manufacturers who have fought to keep their U.S. factories open and the effects of globalization on our employees will be told with great care and sensitivity because that story is now in the hands of Tom Hanks, Playtone and HBO."
Hanks and Goetzman, through their production company Playtone, co-produced "Band of Brothers" in 2001 and won seven Emmys for their work. The duo also produced "John Adams" in 2008, and "Game Change" in 2011. All of the productions appeared on HBO.