John Marshall High School: Athletic Facilities - Los Angeles CA

City:: Los Angeles, CA
Site Type:: Education and Health, Parks and Recreation, Schools, Stadiums
New Deal Agencies:: Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)
Completed:: 1939

Description

John Marshall High School is an iconic building in the Los Feliz district of Los Angeles. Walt Disney and his family lived across the street from the “Collegiate Gothic” structure, and from 1927-1940 operated his Disney Studios and Animation School just one block away (Marshall High is the brick building visible in the background at center in this picture of the original Disney Animation Studio, c. 1939).

At the same time Disney was producing his most well-known cartoons and films, WPA laborers were down the street installing Marshall High’s concrete bleachers and pavillion, which are still used by students today. These WPA-built bleachers and athletic field have also been used as a filming location for dozens of Hollywood films, including, and perhaps most recognizably, Grease (1978).