Chadwick is the School That Produces Stars and Scholars By Fred Fuld III, Author, Finance Expert, and Chadwick Alumnus
Chadwick is the School That Produces Stars and Scholars
By Fred Fuld III, Author, Finance Expert, and Chadwick Alumnus
Margaret Chadwick founded Chadwick, the private school that sits atop Academy Hill on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, back in 1935. It is doubtful that she knew at the time how many of her future students would go on to become famous actors, producers, directors, and screenwriters. Not to mention the fact that many of the sons and daughter of entertainers attended the school.
The school was actually started in San Pedro, but in 1938 the campus moved to its current location. It started out as both a day school and boarding school with 75 students.
One of the most famous of the Chadwick alumni was actress and singer Liza Minnelli, the daughter of Judy Garland. Not only was Minnelli the recipient of an Oscar Award for her starring role in Cabaret, but she also received an Emmy Award, three Tony Awards, and Grammy Legend Award. She graduated from Chadwick in 1964.
Christina Crawford, the adoptive daughter of noted film star Joan Crawford, first attended Chadwick in 1949 at the age to ten. After several years, her mother pulled her out of Chadwick and enrolled her at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, where she graduated from high school. Christina was an actress in her own right, appearing in several TV shows including Marcus Welby, M.D., Ironside, and The Sixth Sense. But she is probably most known for her book Mommie Dearest, which was made into a major motion picture, and described the abuse she went through, most notably the wire coat hanger incident. Some of the scenes in the movie were actually filmed at Chadwick School.
Bruce Lee, the famous martial artist actor, had both of his children attend Chadwick. Brandon Lee and Shannon Lee were also both involved in acting and martial arts.
Maureen Reagan, the daughter of former U.S. President and actor Ronald Reagan and actress Jane Wyman, graduated from Chadwick in 1958, and acted in such TV series including The Love Boat and The Partridge Family. She even appeared in the Elvis Presley movie Kissin’ Cousins in 1964.
A Chadwick student with an extensive acting background is Pippa Scott, who graduated in 1952. She starred in the comedy film Auntie Mame. She also appeared in over 70 different TV series, such as Maverick, The Twilight Zone, The Fugitive, Perry Mason, I Spy, Mission: Impossible, Colombo, Mannix, and Remington Steele.
Jann Wenner, the founder of Rolling Stone Magazine, had a role in the movie Jerry Maguire, and the TV series Crime Story.
Other actors who attended Chadwick in the 1970s include Rick Moses who starred in Young Danl’ Boone in 1977 and General Hospital in 1979 and 1980, and Mike Lookinland, graduate of 1978, who starred in The Brady Bunch as Bobby.
Alum Liza Minelli
Legendary Performer and Daughter of Judy Garland and Vincent Minnelli
Alum Mike Lookinland - The Brady Bunch
Alum Maureen Reagan
Alum Bruce Lee
There are many other entertainment personalities that attended Chadwick, too numerous to mention. The next time you watch an old television show or movie on TV, Amazon, or Netflix, see if you can spot a Chadwick star.
Fred Fuld III, Consultant - Author - Journalist - Speaker - Trainer
Fred Fuld III was born in San Pedro and grew up on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. He is the author of Let Me Entertain You With Antique Stock Certificates. He is also an executive producer of a couple documentaries.
He is the author of several other books, including:
Beach Detective: Exploding Surfboard
He was a former executive in the financial services industry who started out working as a stockbroker, and later as a market maker on the options floor of the Pacific Stock Exchange. He then became vice president of a San Francisco-based investment management firm. He also worked as an adjunct professor for the College of Business of California State University East Bay.
He is the publisher of WallStreetNewsNetwork.com and has written numerous articles for various publications. Television appearances include CNBC, Fox Business News, and Globo TV.
He has given speeches at the Museum of American Finance in New York City, The Money Show in both San Francisco and Las Vegas, California State University East Bay in Concord, the Peninsula Seniors Association, and numerous other venues.