Nick Nolte and Barbra Streisand led the 1991 film, shot around Beaufort in 1990. Here is who played whom and what you can still see.
The Prince of Tides (1991) follows Tom Wingo, a South Carolina teacher and coach, who goes to New York to help his sister’s psychiatrist and tells her about his Lowcountry childhood. Barbra Streisand directed and co-produced it and played the psychiatrist, and it was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Photography began in June 1990 in Beaufort, then moved to St. Helena Island and Fripp Island before wrapping in New York that September.
The principal actors and the characters they played:
Nick Nolte
Tom Wingo
Barbra Streisand
Dr. Susan Lowenstein
Blythe Danner
Sallie Wingo
Kate Nelligan
Lila Wingo Newbury
Jeroen Krabbé
Herbert Woodruff
Melinda Dillon
Savannah Wingo
George Carlin
Eddie Detreville
Jason Gould
Bernard Woodruff
Brad Sullivan
Henry Wingo
The film’s Lowcountry scenes were shot in and around Beaufort. A former Beaufort High School football field and the Beaufort River, in the opening flyover, were also used. Beaufort is about 40 miles from Hilton Head, an hour’s drive.
601 Bay Street, Beaufort
The Lewis Reeve Sams House, built about 1852, stood in for Tom Wingo’s mother’s home. It was the Bay Street Inn for 16 years and is a private residence now, so enjoy it from the sidewalk.
About 40 miles, an hour from central Hilton Head.
The hospital stood in for New York’s Bellevue in the film. It is an active military hospital, so there is nothing to visit.
About 40 miles, an hour.
The Wingo beach house was filmed here. Fripp Island is a gated community, open to residents, renters and their guests.
About 60 miles, an hour and a half.
The marshes and creeks of St. Helena, where the family’s shrimp boat, the Tiderunner, was filmed, are seen from the public roads. The island is also home to the Penn Center and Pat Conroy’s grave.
About 50 miles, an hour and 20 minutes.
Pat Conroy published the novel in 1986 and co-wrote the screenplay with Becky Johnston. The book is told by Tom and is set in the Lowcountry, where Conroy lived and wrote about for most of his career. For his book about a year of teaching on Daufuskie Island, see The Water Is Wide.
Stand on Bay Street, then drive out to St. Helena Island and Hunting Island. See movies filmed in Beaufort, SC for the rest of the town’s film history, and our Beaufort day trip page for the town.
Movies filmed in Beaufort, SC and the Lowcountry: Forrest Gump, The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides and more, plus a day trip from Hilton Head.
Where The Great Santini was filmed in Beaufort, SC: the Meechum house on the Point, the air station, Pat Conroy's Beaufort and the drive from Hilton Head.
Pat Conroy's Beaufort: the Pat Conroy Literary Center, his books and the films made from them, Daufuskie, his grave and the drive from Hilton Head.
Where Forrest Gump was filmed around Beaufort, SC: the bridge, Hunting Island and Fripp Island, which sites you can visit, and the drive from Hilton Head.
Hilton Head to Beaufort is under an hour: the drive, the waterfront, carriage tours, Penn Center, Old Sheldon Church and Hunting Island.
Hunting Island State Park is about 70 minutes from Hilton Head: climb SC's only public lighthouse, walk Boneyard Beach, camp, plus hours and admission.
Nick Nolte played Tom Wingo and Barbra Streisand played Dr. Susan Lowenstein, with Blythe Danner, Kate Nelligan, Jeroen Krabbé, Melinda Dillon, George Carlin, Jason Gould and Brad Sullivan.
In and around Beaufort, South Carolina, then on St. Helena Island and Fripp Island, with the New York scenes shot in New York City. Photography ran from June to September 1990.
The house at 601 Bay Street in Beaufort was the Bay Street Inn for 16 years and is now a private residence, so you can view it from the street but not go in.
Yes. Pat Conroy’s novel came out in 1986, and he co-wrote the screenplay with Becky Johnston.
About 40 miles, roughly an hour’s drive from central Hilton Head with no traffic.
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