Tynemouth
Stan and Ollie visited the beautiful north east seaside town of Tynemouth in 1932. Black and white film shows them giving presents to the local children, and generally having a great time, fooling around for their fans. The shot above shows the approximate position of where the Boys were at the time of the film, but unfortunately, the Plaza Theatre was destroyed by fire in 1996. Note the hotel to the extreme right.
The Plaza, formerly the Palace Theatre
In the picture on the left, the area in the centre of the photo, on top of the grassy bank, is where the Plaza was before its demise. The picture on the right is how the Plaza would have looked to Stan and Ollie.
Grand Hotel
The Grand Hotel is where Stan, Ollie and their two wives stayed, about quarter of a mile from the Plaza. Its exterior appears to be unchanged from when the Boys were here.
Tynemouth is a lovely little seaside town, which is quite unspoiled. The beaches are clean, the Geordies are friendly, and I heartily recommend Stan's favourite fish and chips! The Boys held the people of Tyneside in high esteem, being quoted as saying they wish they could stay there forever. And visiting this town, I can understand why.
