George Formby's South Shields ties: Why the town holds a unique claim to his fame
He’s one of Britain’s best known entertainers and South Shields can claim a ‘first’ on George Formby.
He had many close ties to South Tyneside but did you know that George bought his first ukulele in Shields.
He honed his skills at the Empire Theatre
It was a music shop in King Street which had that great honour and it was not the only connection between the Lancashire legend and our area.
George perfected his ukulele skills at the Shields Empire in the 1920s.
He appeared in South Tyneside under the tutelage of Newcastle showman Thomas F Convery.
Formby’s Night Out
George went on stage in reviews such as ‘Formby Seeing Life’ and ‘Formby’s Night Out’.
George might have been Leaning On A Lamppost when he shot to fame but South Tyneside’s links go even further.
Local man Arthur Mertz wrote many of the songs for Formby’s early films and directed him in ‘Off the Dole’.
Pathe News and Bogie at the Savoy
George Formby died in 1961 but the memories live on and they were certainly alive and kicking when we paid tribute to the star in the Gazette in 1952.
That same year, Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn were starring in African Queen at the Savoy Theatre in South Shields. Those were the days when filmgoers would also get to enjoy a Pathe News feature.
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