Forrest Gump's Shrimp Boat: What's In A Name?

In the film Forrest Gump, the shrimp boat purchased by the titular character is named Jenny, after his beloved Jenny Curran. The shrimp boat was central to the plot of the film, as Gump's shrimping business allowed him to eventually acquire more boats, and the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company was born.

The shrimp boat in 'Forrest Gump' was named Jenny

The shrimp boat in Forrest Gump was named Jenny, after the protagonist's love interest, Jenny Curran. In the film, Forrest Gump purchases the shrimping boat from an old black shrimp fisherman, and it becomes the first vessel in the fleet of ships for the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Shrimping proves difficult at first, but Gump's business eventually takes off after Hurricane Carmen destroys the competition, leaving the Jenny as the sole surviving shrimping boat.

The real-life boat used in the film was called the Miss Sherri and was owned by shrimper Jimmie Stanley. It was renamed the Jenny by the film's lead actor, Tom Hanks. The Miss Sherri was built by Capt. Charles Sutler and his son, Parker, on the banks of the Chechessee River in 1972. The 55-foot trawler was selected by movie scouts during the Beaufort Water Festival in 1993.

The shrimp boat scenes in the film were shot in Beaufort, South Carolina, specifically along Lucy Creek on Lady's Island. The boat house on Coosaw Island, also located on Lucy Creek, served as the setting for the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

The iconic shrimp boat has since become a sought-after piece of Hollywood memorabilia, with artist and woodworker Tom Boozer creating detailed scale models of the vessel. Despite its fame, the boat's whereabouts are currently unknown, with some speculating that it may have been removed and scrapped. However, a Planet Hollywood spokeswoman has stated that the Jenny is still in storage, with no immediate plans to display it again.

It was christened by Tom Hanks' character

In the film Forrest Gump, the shrimp boat purchased by the titular character from an old black shrimp fisherman is named Jenny, after his love, Jenny Curran. The vessel was originally called Miss Sherri and was owned by shrimper Jimmie Stanley. It was renamed by Tom Hanks' character in the film, which was shot in Beaufort, South Carolina.

The 55-foot trawler was built by Capt. Charles Sutler and his son, Parker, on the banks of the Chechessee River in 1972. The boat was selected by movie scouts during the Beaufort Water Festival in 1993. The film crew worked to make the boat look weathered, and they disguised a place for Stanley to pilot the vessel during filming.

The shrimp boat scenes were shot on location along Lucy Creek on Lady's Island. The dock and boathouse on the Coosaw Island side of Lucy Creek served as the setting for the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Local shrimp were purchased from the Gay Fish Company on St. Helena Island for a scene in which Forrest and Lt. Dan (played by Gary Sinese) bring in a large haul.

The boat was later sold to Planet Hollywood at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, where it was displayed outside the restaurant. It was removed from the moat in 2014 and is currently in storage, with no immediate plans to exhibit it again.

The original boat was called 'Miss Sherri'

In the film Forrest Gump, the shrimp boat purchased by the titular character is called Jenny. The name is an ode to the love of his life, Jenny Curran. However, the original boat used during filming was called Miss Sherri.

Miss Sherri was a 55-foot trawler owned by Beaufort shrimper Jimmie Stanley. It was built by Capt. Charles Sutler and his son, Parker, on the banks of the Chechessee River in 1972. The boat was selected by movie scouts during the Beaufort Water Festival in 1993. Tom Hanks' character renamed the boat in the film, and it became the first of the fleet of ships for the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company was filmed on the Coosaw Island side of Lucy Creek, with the dock and boat house serving as the setting. The shrimp boat scenes were also filmed at Gay Fish Company, a family-operated business on St Helena Island.

The popularity of the film has resulted in Miss Sherri becoming an iconic piece of Hollywood memorabilia. Tom Boozer, an artist and woodworker, has created several detailed models of the boat, which are highly sought-after by fans of the film.

It was a 55-foot trawler

In the film Forrest Gump, the shrimp boat that the titular character purchases is named Jenny, after his love, Jenny Curran. The vessel is a 55-foot trawler, originally called Miss Sherri, owned by shrimper Jimmie Stanley. It was built by Capt. Charles Sutler and his son, Parker, on the banks of the Chechessee River in 1972. The boat was selected by movie scouts during the Beaufort Water Festival in 1993.

In the film, Forrest buys the boat from an old black shrimp fisherman, and it becomes the first of the fleet of ships for the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Shrimping is initially hard and unproductive for Forrest, until Hurricane Carmen runs through Bayou La Batre, leaving Jenny the one surviving shrimping boat. The subsequent boom in business allows Forrest's company to acquire more boats, and he says at one point in the film that he has "twelve Jennys".

The boat used in the film was not a prop, but a real shrimping vessel, and its use in the movie brought it fame. It was sold to Planet Hollywood at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, where it was displayed outside the restaurant. However, it was later removed and placed in storage in 2014, with no immediate plans to display it again.

The shrimp boat scenes in the film were shot on location along Lucy Creek on Lady's Island, with the dock and boathouse on Coosaw Island serving as the setting for the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company was inspired by the film

The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company was inspired by the 1994 film Forrest Gump. The first Bubba Gump restaurant opened in 1996 in Monterey, California, two years after the release of the film. The restaurant was named after the film's characters Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue and Forrest Gump. Before his death in the Vietnam War, Bubba convinces Gump to go into the shrimping business.

In the film, Forrest Gump purchases a shrimping boat and names it Jenny, after the love of his life, Jenny Curran. The boat is shown to be instrumental in the formation of the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, as Gump acquires more boats following a hurricane that destroys his competition.

The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in the film inspired the creation of a real-life restaurant chain of the same name. The first Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant debuted in 1996 in Monterey, California, as the first and only casual restaurant chain based on a motion picture property. The restaurant serves southern-style comfort dishes, including various shrimp preparations, alongside other American classics like burgers, salads, and baby back ribs.

The success of the first Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant led to its franchising on an international scale. As of October 2022, 35 Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurants operate worldwide, with locations in the United States, Mexico, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Canada, and Qatar. The restaurants display movie memorabilia, offer dishes named after characters in the film, and feature Forrest Gump movie trivia for guests to enjoy.

Frequently asked questions