Hollywood High School is a four-year public secondary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, located at the intersection of North Highland Avenue and West Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. As of the 2024–25 school year, the school served 1,025 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 15.94.

History In September 1903, a two-room school was opened on the second floor of an empty storeroom at the Masonic Temple on Highland Avenue, north of Hollywood Boulevard (then Prospect Avenue). Hollywood was incorporated as a municipality in November 1903. The Hollywood High Organ Opus 481 was a gift from the class of 1924. After suffering severe water damage from the Northridge earthquake in 1994, it was restored in 2002. The campus was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 4, 2012. The school's mascot was derived from the 1921 Rudolph Valentino film of the same name, The Sheik.

It was in the Los Angeles City High School District until 1961, when it merged into LAUSD.

In the 2015–16 football season, the boys' varsity football team played in the school's third championship game led by head coach Frank Galvan. They finished the season with a 12–2 record. Coach Galvan ended his 6-year Hollywood coaching career with 4 league titles, 6 playoff appearances, 1 city championship appearance, city semi finals, beating rivals 5 years straight (owning SUNSET), 25 plus all city players and ended as the winningest coach in Hollywood history. In the 2016–17 season, coached by Beverley Kilpatrick, the boys' varsity volleyball team played in the school's first-ever championship game. Their historic season ended with an overall record of 17–5.

Filming location

Hollywood High has been the filming location for movies, television shows, and other productions, including: It's A Wonderful Life MadeFavreau, Jon (2001). Made script by Jon Favreau. (see page 17, line 23). Retrieved on June 2, 2008. Morrissey: 25 Live Nancy Drew Neon Maniacs The Optimist (Season 1, Episode 7: "A Challenge") Penn & Teller: Bullshit! (Season 5, Episode 1: "Obesity") Sex and the Teenage Mind Teenagers from Outer Space Tony Hawk's American Wasteland

Skate spot During the rise of street skating in the '90s, the school became a famous skate spot. Many skate videos were filmed there and one of the more iconic sites at the spot is the set of stairs, called the "Hollywood High 16."

Mural In 2002, artist Eloy Torrez painted a mural of 13 famous entertainers, titled "Portrait of Hollywood", across the entire east wall of the school's auditorium.Deoima, Kate. "Hollywood High School" . About.com. Retrieved on March 23, 2010.Johnson, Reed. "A marriage as a work of art; Eloy Torrez paints with intensity. Margarita Guzman assists with a sense of calm. But it was her brush with death that helped him see his work in a new light." . Los Angeles Times. October 12, 2003. E48. Sunday Calendar, Part E, Calendar Desk. Retrieved on March 23, 2010. Info page . "HOLLYWOOD HIGH: Eloy Torrez and his mural on an east-facing wall of the..." From left to right, the entertainers displayed are Dorothy Dandridge, Dolores del Río, Brandy Norwood, Selena, Lana Turner, Laurence Fishburne, Cantinflas, Carol Burnett, Cher, Ricky Nelson, Bruce Lee, Rudolph Valentino, and Judy Garland. In 2007, Torrez added a tall mural of John Ritter, who died four years earlier, on the connecting portion of the building's north wall."John Ritter photo added to mural" (June 5, 2008). The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on March 23, 2010. All but six of the entertainers—Cantinflas, Lee, Selena, Del Rio, Garland, and Valentino—were students at Hollywood High School. The artist said the mural is a celebration of a diverse ethnic range of actors and entertainers.

Present-day learning academies Hollywood High School has four academies, each with a different purpose.

Teaching Career Academy. For students who seek to work with children as a career. Potential careers range from becoming a teacher to being a social worker. In order to give a student a little experience, the school works with other elementary schools and allows Hollywood High School students to tutor elementary school students.

Performing Arts Magnet. Helps students develop their talents as actors, singers, and/or dancers.

New Media Technology. For students who would like to go into filmmaking. Helps students build their knowledge of technology. They are afforded hands-on experience with equipment usually found inside a film studio. This academy also provides internships to permit graduates to immediately start working in that field.

School for Advanced Studies. This academy does not focus on a specific career but helps students prepare for university life. Offers classes that are at the same level of difficulty as a college class.

Gallery

Notable alumni

Name Class ofNote(s) ReferenceIndia Adams1945Singer, ActressJohn F. Aiso 1926 WW2 Army Legion of Merit recipient, first Japanese American judge in the US. Frank Albertson 192? Actor Ben Alexander 1929 Actor Kathryn Reed Altman 1942 Actress, writer, archivist, film consultant Anthony Anderson 1988 Actor, comedian, writer Donna Anderson 1957 Actress John Archer 1933 Actor Bill Armstrong – Football player Alison Arngrim 1979 Actress Vivian Austin 1939 Actress Eve Babitz 1961Artist, authorMeredith Baxter 1964 Actress Tony Becker 1981 Actor Earl Bellamy 1935 Film Director Bruce Belland 1955 Singer, The Four Preps Mary Kay Bergman 1978 Actress Sharon Brown 1980 Actress Vincent Bugliosi 1952 Attorney, author Carol Burnett 1950 Actress, comedian Bill Burrud 1943 Actor Diana Canova 1971 Actress, singer Keith Carradine 1966 Actor Robert Carradine 1971 Actor Adriana Caselotti 1934 Actress, singer Peggy Castle 1943 Actress Henry P. Caulfield Jr. 1931 Political scientist, college professor Marge Champion 1936 Dancer, choreographer, actress Norman Chandler 1917 Los Angeles Times publisher Lon Chaney Jr. 1924 Actor Rae Dawn Chong 1979 Actress Warren Christopher 1942 U.S. Secretary of State John Clifford 1965 Choreographer, dancer, director, producer Ed Cobb 1956 Singer, The Four Preps Lisa Coleman 1978 Musician Jackie Condon 1936 Actor Johnny Crawford 1964 Actor, The Mickey Mouse Club Denise Crosby 1976 Actress James Dannaldson – Actor Elyssa Davalos 1977 Actress Frank Darabont 1977 Film director, screenwriter, producer Jorel Decker – Singer Rod Dedeaux 1931 longtime USC Trojans baseball head coach Edward Dmytryk 1926 Film director, member of the Hollywood Ten Harley Earl – Automotive designer and executive P. David Ebersole 1981 Filmmaker Stephen Eckelberry 1979 Filmmaker Norman Eisen 1980 U.S. Ambassador to Czech Republic Marguerite Empey 1949 Model Linda Evans 1960 Actress Nanette Fabray 1938 Actress Mimsy Farmer 1963 Actress Mike Farrell 1957 Actor Lorraine Feather 1965 Singer, lyricist, songwriter Jay R. Ferguson 1992 Actor Syd Field 1954 Screenwriter, Author Laurence Fishburne 1978 Actor After filming Apocalypse Now, Laurence attended a semester at HHS in 1978. He was enrolled mid-semester, taking drama from long-time teacher, Mr. Melton.Anthony M. Frank 1949 U.S. Postmaster General Frank, Anthony M. In: Charles Moritz (Editor): Current Biography Yearbook 1991, volume 52. New York 1991, page 227.James Garner 1945 Actor Mitzi Gaynor – Actress Lowell George 1963 Musician, songwriter, producer Gigi Graciette Journalist, TV News Anchor Gloria Grahame 1942 Actress Gigi Levangie Grazer 1979 Novelist, screenwriter Harold Grieve 1915–1917 Motion Picture Art Director Rob Grill 1962 Singer, songwriter, guitarist Horacio Gutiérrez 1966 Classical pianist Alan Hale Jr. 1938 Actor Richard Halsey 1957 Film editor Linda Hart 1965 Singer, musician, actress Francisco Herrera Los Angeles Dodgers ball boy Julius Heldman 1934 tennis playerBarbara Hershey 1965 Actress Karl Hubenthal 1935 Cartoonist John Huston 1923 Film director, screenwriter, actor Eddie Imazu Art director and production designer Richard Jaeckel 1943 Actor Lawrence Johnston 1936 Manhattan Project physicist, the only person to witness all 3 atom bombs of WWII Chuck Jones 1930 Animator Dickie Jones 1945 Actor Frank Keller 1940 Film Editor, 1968 Academy AwardSally Kellerman 1955 Actress William Kennard 1974 U.S. Federal Communications Commission chairman Barbara Kent 1924 actress, Miss Hollywood Enid Kent 1962 actress Lois Kibbee 1940 actress Lynton Richards Kistlerprintmaker, artistFrank Kurtz 1930 World War II pilotSwoosie Kurtz 1962 Actress Adele Lacy 1928 Actress Glen A. Larson 1955 Producer, Singer, The Four Preps John Phillip Law 1955 Actor Ted Lawson 1935 Author Ruta Lee 1954 Actress Donovan Leitch 1985 Actor Al Leong 1970 Stuntman, Actor Dick Linthicum 1927 Basketball playerCarole Lombard 1923 Actress Richard Long 1946 Actor Bill Manbo 1929 PhotographerStephen Marglin – Economist, college professorJune Marlowe 1922 Actress Benito Martinez 1986 Actor Lincoln MayorgaPianist, arranger, conductor and composer; co-founder of The Mastering Lab and Sheffield LabGladys McConnell 1924 Actress, aviator Joel McCrea 1922 Actor Leighton Meester 2004 Actress, singer Heather Menzies 1967 Actress Ann Miller 1937 Dancer, actress, singer Judith Miller 1965 Journalist Aprile Millo 1977 Opera singer Yvette Mimieux 1960 Actress Jean Moorhead 1953 Actress Karen Morley 1927 Actress David Nelson 1954 Actor, producer Ricky Nelson 1957 Actor, singer Marni Nixon 1948 Singer Sheree North 1948 Actress Brandy Norwood 1996 Singer, actress Marcel Ophüls 1946 Film director Sarah Jessica Parker 1983 Actress Klein, Alvin. "Actress, 18, Has Some Regrets", The New York Times, October 30, 1983. Accessed December 27, 2007. "Before attending Hollywood High School, she was a student at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, NJ."Barbara Parkins 1960 ActressSusan Patron 1965 Author Radames Pera 1977 Actor Cynthia Pepper 1957 Actress Richard Perle 1959 U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense Susan Peters 1939 Actress James A. Pike 1930 Episcopal Bishop of California Stefanie Powers 1960 Actress Terry Richardson 1983 Photographer John Ritter 1966 Actor Jason Robards 1940 Actor Ann Robinson 1949 Actress Ruth Roland 1908 Actress Mickey Rooney 1937 Actor Mickey stated at the HHS Centennial that he attended Fairfax High School. He only came to HHS to find girls. He is not an HHS Alum.Fred Roos – Film producerMeta Rosenberg 1930 Talent agent, television producerGeorge Roth 192? 1932 Olympic Gold Medalist Debbie Rowe 1977 Ex-wife of singer Michael Jackson Evelyn Rudie 1967 Actress Everett Ruess– Artist, poet, wanderer Paul Salamunovich 1945 Conductor, Musician Catherine Share 1960 "Manson Family" follower Scott Shaw 1976 Filmmaker, actor, writer William Shockley 1927 Physicist, inventor of the transistor, Nobel laureate Ione Skye 1986 Actress Michael Sloane 1976 Actor, writer, director Rick Sloane 1979 Filmmaker Alexis Smith 1938 Actress Darwood Kenneth Smith 1946 Actor Andrew Solt 1965 Film producer, director, and writer Louise Sorel 1957 Actress Mark Spiegler 1975 Talent agent Adela Rogers St. Johns 1910 Journalist, novelist, screenwriter Jill St. John 1957 Actress Don Steele – Boss Radio disc jockey Arran Stephens 1961 Nature's Path Foods FounderTogo Tanaka 1939 Journalist and editor Vince Taylor 1958 Singer Hilary Thompson 1966 Actress Charlene Tilton 1976 Actress Virginia Trimble 1961 Astronomer Joe Trippi – Political activist, chairman of the Howard Dean U.S. presidential campaign Lana Turner 1936 Actress Victoria Vetri 1963 Model, actress, 1968 Playboy Playmate of the Year Michael G. Vickers – U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Larry Walters1968Lawnchair balloon pilot Joseph Wapner 1937 Judge, star of The People's Court Tuesday Weld 1960 Actress Carole Wells 1960 Actress Alice White 1925 Actress Stuart Whitman 1946 ActorRhoda Williams 1948 Actress Rita Wilson 1974 Actress Beatrice Wood – Studio potter Fay Wray 1924 Actress

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