Hollywood Professional School was a private school in Hollywood, California. Initially established as a music conservatory by pianist Gladys T. Littell in 1921 under the name Hollywood Conservatory of Music and Arts,[1] the school quickly expanded its offerings into theater and dance as well as music. In 1929 the Hollywood Professional School (HPS) was established by Viola Foss Lawler as a companion private school to the conservatory, with both schools operating legally as a single institution under the Hollywood Conservatory of Music and Arts name. In 1944 the school was purchased by Bertha Keller Mann and it ceased teaching the arts and became solely a private school teaching traditional academic subjects in grades K-12 to mostly children working in the entertainment business or competitive athletics in Los Angeles.
History
Hollywood Conservatory of Music and Arts
The Hollywood Professional School (HPS) was established in 1921 by pianist Gladys T. Littell under the name the Hollywood Conservatory of Music and Arts (HCMA).[1] The HCMA taught both children in a pre-professional program and young adults on a pre-professional conservatory track of development.[1] Originally the school only offered instruction in string instruments, piano, and vocal music, with instruction in singing initially being led by Louis Graveure, and Frances Kendig teaching piano and music theory, and string instruction by Zoellner.[1] For the Fall of 1924, bandmaster, clarinetist, and composer Albert Perfect joined the faculty of the school when it expanded its offering to include woodwinds and brass instruments.[1] At the same time Modest Altschuler was a visiting lecturer at the institution, and Russian pianist Alexander Kosloff joined the piano faculty.[2] Soon after, Bruno David Ussher was hired to teach music history for the school, Arthur Kachel was hired to teach acting in the tradition of Leland T. Powers, Roy Harris was hired as an instructor in ear training, and Jean Galeron taught French and diction for singers.[3]
Several important appointments were made in December 1924 for the beginning of the Spring 1925 academic semester, including the appointment of the HCMA's first official administrative director, its founder Gladys T. Littell.[3] Hugo Kirchhofer was appointed as the head of the vocal music department, and Lizeta Kalova taking over the strings department.[3] In 1925 the HCMA moved into new premises at 5400 Hollywood Boulevard at Serrano Avenue with a recital on November 17, 1925.[4] Opera singer Alma Stetzler taught singing at the school in the late 1920s.[5] German concert pianist and composer Georg Liebling was a member of the piano faculty in the early 1930s.[6] The school presented numerous student recitals and productions during the 1920s and early 1930s, as well as hosting concerts given by established professionals. During the late 1930s and early 1940s the conservatory portion of school reduced steadily. The HPS continued to operate at the HCMA under Littell.
In 1944 Littell sold the HCMA to Bertha Keller Mann and it ceased teaching the arts. The HPS private school became the sole focus of the institution. In 1948 the school was enrolling students K-12 and operating under the name the Hollywood Professional School while legally still existing under its former name, the Hollywood Conservatory of Music and Arts, on paper.[7] Many of the pupils who attended the school were children working in show business, operating mornings only so that the children could work in the afternoon.[8] It closed down in June 1985 due to insufficient enrollment and the death of the owner that same year. The school's building and many of its assets were auctioned in August 1985.[9]
Hollywood Professional School
In 1929 Viola Foss Lawler established the Hollywood Professional School (HPS) at 5402 Hollywood Boulevard as a private school addition to the HCMA.[10] This allowed students at the conservatory to attend grammar school and secondary school classes while studying subjects like music and drama. Lawler's school focused on catering to children in the entertainment business, following a similar model pioneered by the Professional Children's School in New York City. By 1930 there were close to 300 students enrolled in the first through 12th grades at HPS.[10]
Lawler parted ways with the HCMA in 1937 to establish her own independent school, the Lawler Professional School which was later known as the Mar-Ken Professional School.[11][12][13][14][15] Martha O'Driscoll's mother was a financial partner in the Mar-Ken Professional Children's School.
Notable alumni
- Beverly Aadland, actress[16]
- Dick Addrisi of "The Addrisi Brothers"[17]
- Donna Atwood, figure skater[18]
- Jill Banner
- John Drew Barrymore, actor[19][20]
- Molly Bee, singer[21][18]
- Valerie Bertinelli, actress[22]
- Barbara Bouchet, actress[23]
- Jimmy Boyd, actor, singer[18][24]
- Todd Bridges, actor[25]
- Lonnie Burr, actor, dancer[9]
- Tony Butala, singer (member of The Lettermen)[18][26]
- John Hope Bryant, entrepreneur and actor[25]
- Charles L. Campbell, sound editor[27]
- Roger Campbell, ice skater and Olympic medalist[28]
- Jo Ann Castle, pianist[29]
- Cyd Charisse, dancer and actress[30]
- Tommy Cole, actor, makeup artist[31][9]
- Larry Collins, singer[18][32]
- Lorrie Collins, singer[18][32]
- The Cowsills, singing group[33][34]
- Martha Crawford Cantarini, actress[35]
- Joan Davis, actress, comedian[18]
- Gloria DeHaven, actress[18][36]
- Bobby Driscoll, actor[18][37]
- Edith Fellows, actress[38]
- Peggy Fleming, Olympic figure skater, television sports commentator[9][18]
- Annette Funicello, actress[39]
- Judy Garland, singer, actress[40][41][9]
- Leif Garrett, actor, singer[42]
- John Gary, singer[43]
- Lisa Gaye, actress[18][44]
- Wally George, talk-show host[45][18]
- Barry Gordon, actor, former Screen Actors Guild President[18]
- Peter Gowland, photographer[46]
- Betty Grable, actress, singer, dancer[9][41][47]
- Urbie Green, trombonist[48]
- Melanie Griffith, actress[18][33][49]
- Arthur Hamilton, song writer[50]
- Sherry Jackson, actress[18][51]
- Larry Kert, actor, singer[18][52]
- Val Kilmer, actor[53]
- Tommy Kirk, actor[18][54]
- Christopher Knight, actor (The Brady Bunch)[20]
- Marta Kristen, actress[18][55]
- Mickey Kuhn, actor[56]
- Piper Laurie, actress[45][57]
- Brenda Lee, singer[40][9][32]
- Roberta Linn, singer[58]
- Peggy Lipton, actress[18][59]
- Michael Lloyd, musician, producer, screen composer[60]
- Julie London, actress, singer[18][9]
- Mike Lookinland, actor (The Brady Bunch)[61]
- Skip E. Lowe, actor[62]
- Susan Luckey, actress[63]
- Sue Lyon, actress[9]
- David Marks guitarist, singer (member of The Beach Boys[64]
- Billy and Bobby Mauch, actors[65]
- Eddy Medora, guitarist (member of The Sunrays)[66]
- Maureen McCormick, actress (The Brady Bunch)[20]
- Ann Miller, actress, dancer, singer[67]
- Shirley Mills, actress[68]
- Yvette Mimieux, actress[9][51]
- Marrian Murray, Canadian figure skating champion[33]
- Donald O'Connor, actor, dancer[41][18]
- Susan Olsen, actress (The Brady Bunch)[69]
- Cubby O'Brien, actor, drummer[9]
- Griffin O'Neal, actor[25]
- Ryan O'Neal, actor[18][9]
- Tatum O'Neal, actress[25]
- Annette O'Toole, actress[70]
- Debra Paget, actress[9][18][71]
- Butch Patrick, actor[72]
- Melody Patterson, actress[18][73]
- Mackenzie Phillips, actress[33]
- Tommy Rall, dancer[18]
- Angel Romero, guitarist[74]
- Mickey Rooney, actor[40][9]
- Peggy Ryan, actress, dancer[75]
- Lugene Sanders, actress[76]
- Jill St. John, actress[18][77]
- Karen Sharpe, actress[18][78]
- Mark Spiegler, talent agent[79]
- The Steiner Brothers (tap-dancing trio)[51]
- Connie Stevens, actress[9][80]
- Matthew Ward, singer[20]
- Tone Loc, rapper[81]
- Tuesday Weld, actress[18][82][9]
- Virginia Weidler, actress[18][83]
- Andy Williams, singer[84]
- Carl Wilson, singer, guitarist (member of The Beach Boys)[18][85]
- Lana Wood, actress[18][9]
- Natalie Wood, actress[9][41][40][51]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "WIND INSTRUMENTS HIS SPECIALTY". Los Angeles Times: B28. August 17, 1924.
- ↑ "Russian Piano Concertos Are Well Received". Los Angeles Times: A11. October 28, 1924.
- 1 2 3 "Hollywood Conservatory". Los Angeles Times: C39. December 21, 1924.
- ↑ "Recital Opens New Hollywood Music School". Los Angeles Times: A11. November 17, 1925.
- ↑ "DEATHS in the PROFESSION: Alma Stetzler". Billboard. Vol. 41, no. 39. September 28, 1929. p. 92.
- ↑ "Liebling Pupils". Los Angeles Times: 22. September 25, 1932.
- ↑ "Hollywood Professional School". The California Monthly: 6.
- ↑ American Film Institute, Arthur M. Sackler Foundation (1977). ""Hollywood Professional School"". American Film. BPI Communications: 59.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Hollywood Pro School to Be Auctioned". Los Angeles Times. August 11, 1985.
- 1 2 Rockwell Dennis Hunt (1930). "Mrs. Viola Foss Lawler". California and Californians. Lewis Publishing Company. 4: 162.
- ↑ "Mar Ken High School - Yearbook (Hollywood, CA), Class of 1942, Pages 1 - 17". e-yearbook.com. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ↑ "Mar-Ken History". www.mar-ken.org. Archived from the original on 2004-08-25. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
- ↑ "MAR-KEN SCHOOL in California". bizapedia.com. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ↑ "historic resources survey hollywood redevelopment project area" (PDF). planning.lacity.org/eir. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ↑ "Brian Sisters at School". The Brian Sisters. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ↑ Paul G. Roberts (2 October 2014). Style Icons Vol 1 Golden Boys. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 81. ISBN 9781627760324.
- ↑ "Addrisi, Don". McGill University Archives.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Sylvia Stoddard (2019). "Hollywood Professional School history". Square One.
- ↑ Thomas R. Whissen (1998). Guide to American cinema, 1930-1965. Greenwood Press. p. 128.
- 1 2 3 4 Matthew Ward (2010). My Second Chapter The Matthew Ward Story. Crown Publishing Group. p. 63-67. ISBN 9780307550569.
- ↑ Sheree Homer (2010). Catch That Rockabilly Fever. McFarland & Company. p. 132. ISBN 9780786458110.
- ↑ Valerie Bertinelli (2008). Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time. Atria Books. p. 67.
- ↑ Tom Lisanti, Louis Paul (2002). Film Fatales: Women in Espionage Films and Television, 1962-1973. McFarland & Company. p. 80. ISBN 9780786411948.
- ↑ "Boyd Becomes Showbiz Gift Via Col Disk". Billboard. December 20, 1952. p. 19.
- 1 2 3 4 John Hope Bryant (2010). Love Leadership: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World. Wiley. p. 26-27.
- ↑ Paul Willistein. "PROUD LADY' COULD REFOCUS SPOTLIGHT ON THE LETTERMEN". The Morning Call.
- ↑ "Obituary: Charles Lincoln Campbell". Los Angeles Times. August 11, 2013.
- ↑ Nikki Nichols (2008). Frozen in Time: The Enduring Legacy of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Team. AdventureKEEN. p. 231. ISBN 9781578603343.
- ↑ "Cowboy Rex Allen, Jo Ann Castle At SA Stock Show". Shiner Gazette: 2. November 16, 1967.
- ↑ John Willis, ed. (1969). Screen World. Vol. 20. Crown Publishers. p. 221. ISBN 9780819603104.
- ↑ Erika Burch (April 5, 2021). "Traveling Through Time With Disney's Mouseketeers". Herald Weekly.
- 1 2 3 Brenda Lee, Robert K. Oermann, Julie Clay (2002). Little Miss Dynamite: The Life and Times of Brenda Lee. Hachette Books. p. 117.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - 1 2 3 4 Jo Ann Schneider Farris (2016). My Skating Life: Fifty Plus Years of Skating. Lulu. ISBN 9781312754782.
- ↑ RetroFan #8. TwoMorrows Publishing. April 2020. p. 13.
- ↑ Martha Crawford Cantarini, Chrystopher J. Spicer (2010). Fall Girl: My Life as a Western Stunt Double. McFarland & Company. p. 31.
- ↑ Leonard Maltin (2018). Hooked on Hollywood: Discoveries from a Lifetime of Film Fandom. Paladin Communications. ISBN 9781732273504.
- ↑ Michael Duncan, Kristine McKenna, Wallace Berman (2005). Semina Culture: Wallace Berman & His Circle. Distributed Art Publishers. p. 324.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ Dick Moore (1984). Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: But Don't Have Sex Or Take the Car. Harper & Row. p. 136.
- ↑ Sidney Blumenthal (1990). Our Long National Daydream: A Political Pageant of the Reagan Era. HarperCollins. p. 204.
- 1 2 3 4 James Gavin (2015). Is That All There Is?: The Strange Life of Peggy Lee. Atria Books. p. 187. ISBN 9781451641790.
- 1 2 3 4 Jon Provost, Laurie Jacobson (2007). Timmy's in the Well: The Jon Provost Story. Cumberland House. p. 62. ISBN 9781581826197.
- ↑ Leif Garrett, Chris Epting (2019). Idol Truth: A Memoir. Post Hill Press. ISBN 9781642932379.
- ↑ Laurie E. Jasinski, ed. (2012). Handbook of Texas Music. Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 9780876112977.
- ↑ "Obituary: Lisa Gaye, dancer and actress in TV Westerns". The Scotsman. August 5, 2016.
- 1 2 Wally George (1999). Wally George: The Father of Combat TV. Clarendon House. p. 31.
- ↑ Careers in Photography. Pennsylvania State University Press. 1992. p. 149.
- ↑ John Willis, ed. (June 1983). Screen World. Biblo & Tannen. p. 220. ISBN 9780819603098.
- ↑ American School Band Directors Association, Phi Beta Mu (Newark, Ohio) (1970). The School Musician Director and Teacher. Ammark Publishing Company. p. 56.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ James Monaco, James Pallot (1992). "Griffith, Melanie". The Encyclopedia of Film. Virgin Books. p. 237. ISBN 9781852273842.
- ↑ American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (1968). "Arthur Hamilton". ASCAP Today. University of Virginia Press. 2–5: 3.
- 1 2 3 4 John Einarson (December 4, 2016). "Winnipeg's Steiner Brothers didn't seek celebrity but made it big". Winnipeg Free Press.
- ↑ "Larry Kert; 'West Side Story' Star". Los Angeles Times. June 7, 1991.
- ↑ "Val Kilmer Biography: Film Actor (1959–)". Biography.com (FYI / A&E Networks). Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
- ↑ Torchy Smith (2018). Shooting the Breeze with Baby Boomer Stars!: Surprising Celebrity Conversations for the Retro Generation. Archway Publishing.
- ↑ Tom Lisanti (2003). Drive-in Dream Girls: A Galaxy of B-movie Starlets of the Sixties. McFarland & Company. p. 271. ISBN 9780786493425.
- ↑ Dennis, Ken (4 December 2008). "Mickey Kuhn: Boy Actor of the Golden Age". Muscatine Journal. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ↑ "Script Changes". Chicago Tribune. October 18, 1992.
- ↑ Eric Meeks, Roberta Linn (2005). Not Now, Lord, I've Got Too Much to Do. iUniverse. p. 10. ISBN 9780595354344.
- ↑ Peggy Lipton, David Dalton, Coco Dalton (2007). Breathing Out: A Memoir. St. Martin's Press. pp. 43–44. ISBN 9781429906616.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "The Smoke". The Mojo Collection: 4th Edition. Canongate Books: 148. 2007. ISBN 9781847676436.
- ↑ "Mike Lookinland". Detroit Free Press: 40. February 17, 1974.
- ↑ TV News Desk (September 23, 2014). "TV Host and Comic Skip E. Lowe Dies at 85". BroadwayWorld.
- ↑ "Hollywood Professional Honors Trio". Independent Star-News: 62. August 10, 1958.
- ↑ Steven Gaines (1995). Heroes And Villains: The True Story Of The Beach Boys. Hachette Books. p. 98. ISBN 9780306806476.
- ↑ Hevesi, Dennis (25 October 2007). "Bobby Mauch, Actor Who Played Opposite Twin, Dies at 86". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ↑ "Eddy Medora, Guitarist with the Sunrays". The Independent. November 16, 2006.
- ↑ Peter Shelley (2020). Ann Miller: Her Life and Career. McFarland & Company. pp. 10–11. ISBN 9781476679259.
- ↑ Tom Goldrup, Jim Goldrup (2015). Growing Up on the Set: Interviews with 39 Former Child Actors of Classic Film and Television. McFarland & Company. p. 206.
- ↑ "Susan Olsen: Brady Bunch star opens up about drugs, feuds and pashing Bobby". News.com.au. June 12, 2015.
- ↑ American Film Institute, Arthur M. Sackler Foundation (1977). American Film. BPI Communications. p. 59.
- ↑ Boyd Magers, Michael G. Fitzgerald (2004). Westerns Women Interviews with 50 Leading Ladies of Movie and Television Westerns from the 1930s to the 1960s. McFarland & Company. p. 176. ISBN 9780786420285.
- ↑ "From Ballplayer To Actor, Ten-year-old Butch Patrick". Zanesville Times Recorder: 21. December 28, 1964.
- ↑ Tom Lisanti (2003). Drive-in Dream Girls: A Galaxy of B-movie Starlets of the Sixties. McFarland & Company. p. 140-141. ISBN 9780786415755.
- ↑ Mikel Kelly (January 14, 2011). "You don't look like an angel!". Pamplin Media Group.
- ↑ Frank Cullen, Florence Hackman, Donald McNeilly (2007). Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America. Psychology Press. p. 983. ISBN 9780415938532.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ Ann Higginbotham, ed. (December 1954). "Riley's Daughter" (PDF). TV Radio Mirror. 43 (1): 8.
- ↑ "Jill St. John". Show: The Magazine of the Arts. Hartford Publications. 3. October 1963.
- ↑ Everett Aaker (2017). "Sharpe, Karen". Television Western Players, 1960-1975 A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland & Company. p. 379. ISBN 9781476628561.
- ↑ Richardson, Andrew; Padgett, Esra Soraya. "Mark Spiegler Patron of the Tarts". Richardson Magazine (A11 The Agency Issue): 73.
I grew up in Hollywood and went to a school called Hollywood Professional School
- ↑ John Willis, ed. (June 1983). Screen World. Biblo & Tannen. p. 226. ISBN 9780819603098.
- ↑ "Contemporary Musicians". Tone Loc. Gale Research Inc. 1989. p. 234. ISBN 9780810322134.
- ↑ John Willis, ed. (June 1983). Screen World. Biblo & Tannen. p. 227. ISBN 9780819603098.
- ↑ Thomas S. Hischak (2008). "Weidler, Virginia". The Oxford Companion to the American Musical. Oxford University Press. p. 785. ISBN 9780195335330.
- ↑ David Wallace (2003). Hollywoodland. Thorndike Press. p. 264.
- ↑ Linda G. Mcveigh (November 30, 1965). "Surf's Out for the Beach Boys". The Harvard Crimson.
External links
- HPS Alumni Association
- Reed v. Hollywood Professional School (1959) Anti-discrimination lawsuit against the school by a black child denied admission.