Fire breaks out at South Parade Pier during filming of TommyFire breaks out at South Parade Pier during filming of Tommy
Fire breaks out at South Parade Pier during filming of Tommy

14 retro photos of Tommy being filmed in Portsmouth

TOMMY is one of The Who’s most famous albums of all time.

The rockers released it in 1969 and it told the tale of a ‘deaf, blind and dumb’ boy who becomes an expert pinball player.

In the year’s since its release it has been adapted in a variety of guises, from stage shows to ballets.

Among the most well-known adaptions is the 1975 film of the same name.

But did you know that it was filmed in Portsmouth? The shoot famously led to a fire at South Parade Pier in the final stages.

We decided to dive into our archives to find retro pictures from when filming was taking place.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.