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Torrance High School, Torrance, CA

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Availability:	Closed to the Public
Filed Under:	Movie Locations Movie Locations > Cursed (2005) Personalities > Movies Television Locations Television Locations > Buffy the Vampire Slayer Television Locations > Medium
Added By:	Tom G
Added On:	May 30, 2007 - 01:19 AM UTC
Modifications By:	TheCabinet
Last Modified:	February 08, 2009 - 12:46 AM UTC
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Address
2200 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90501, USA (Torrance, California)

Information
Torrance High School This high school in Torrance, California is one of the oldest active schools in the state of California and has been the setting for countless television shows and movies over the years. After the onset of World War I, the industrial businesses in Torrance (at the time, a small town) saw a surge of production to aid in the war effort. In order to accommodate the various workers who were commuting to their jobs from nearby Los Angeles, the town constructed a school to encourage these employees to relocate and live in the mixed industrial/residential area. Torrance High School first opened its doors on September 11, 1917 and offered classes in all levels of school - from kindergarten to high school. The first class to graduate consisted of two students who received their high school diplomas on June 18, 1918. It continued in this capacity until 1923 when a new elementary school opened nearby to accommodate the rapid growth in population. The student body continued to grow over the next several decades that precipitated the construction of additional facilities on campus. On March 10, 1933, the Long Beach Earthquake shook the area with a magnitude of 6.4, taking 115 lives and causing widespread damage throughout the area. Various school buildings were among the hardest hit and Torrance High School was no exception. Fortunately, the quake struck when the school was out of session and no lives were lost at the facility. However, the top portion of the main building and the school auditorium were completely destroyed. It also caused something of a crater on the grounds of the campus where the earth dropped several feet during the quake. The land was nicknamed the "Sunken Gardens" until it was filled in and the current administration building was erected in its place. In 1983, the school had the distinct honor of having several of its buildings being listed on the National Register of Historic Places - the first such property in Torrance to be listed. Over its years in service, Torrance High School has seen several of its students go on to receive acclaim in a variety of different careers and has, itself, been the setting for several popular television shows and movies. Famous Alumni Torrance High School paved the way for several successful alumni; including journalists, musicians, actors/actresses, directors, and professional sports figures. The notable alumni vary from professional golfer, Angela Parks, to model/pornstar, Lucy Lee. Others include newscasters Paul Moyer and George Kiriyama, Major League baseball players, Fred Kendall, Jason Kendall and Justin Miller, as well as professional wrestler Lisa Moretti (known as Ivory). Torrance High students Bobby Blotzer and Juan Croucier made their names as members of the 80s rock band, Ratt. Another alumnus of Torrance High School is film director/producer/distributor, Gregory Hatanaka. He is owner of the distribution/production film company, Cinema Epoch, which specializes in Asian cult cinema and some horror movies. In addition, he wrote and directed the 2006 horror film, Mad Cowgirl, and also produced three entries in the Amateur Porn Star Killer horror series. Further students of Torrance High included future World War II veterans, Louis Zamperini and Ted T. Tanouye. After high school, Zamperini went on to run in the Olympics and later serve the United States Army Air Forces during the war, but was shot down and later captured by Japanese forces after 47 days adrift in the ocean. He was then held in as a prisoner of war until his release when he returned home a hero. He later toured the world as an inspirational speaker, even returning to Japan to confront and forgive the various guards who had abused him as a prisoner. Tanouye had a much different fate awaiting him. Despite being interred briefly in a Japanese Relocation Camp in the United States with his family, Tanouye enlisted and served in Company K of the all-Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team. On June 7, 1944, Tanouye's unit came under heavy fire from German forces near Molino a Ventoabbto, Italy. To allow his platoon to achieve their objective, he advanced forward to engage the Germans on his own. Though his efforts were successful, the injuries he sustained in the battle would prove fatal and he would die two months later. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions, which would later be upgraded to the Medal of Honor years later. President Bill Clinton awarded it to his surviving family in a ceremony in 2000. Zamperini still reportedly returns to his old school to this day and speaks to the student body. In honor of his service, Torrance High's football stadium is named after him. On July 7, 2004, a similar honor was bestowed on Tanouye when a Memorial in front of the school was dedicated in his honor. In Films and Television Given its close proximity to Hollywood and its unique look, Torrance High School has been used in various films and television series over the years. Perhaps most notably, it doubled as the fictional West Beverly High School in the hit Fox series, Beverly Hills 90210, and its more recent spin-off, 90210, on the CW. Among the other names the school has adopted for films are William Henry Harrison High (She's All That), John Hughes High (Not Another Teen Movie), and Gilmore High (Whatever it Takes). Other productions to use the school include The Wild Life, Bruce Almighty, The Hot Chick, and the short-lived television series Skin. It has also appeared in some notable genre productions as well. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) Torrance High School would once again change names to the fictional Sunnydale High School in the WB/UPN series Buffy the Vampire Slayer in its first several seasons. In the series, the high school was built over a Hellmouth and served as the setting for a variety of different battles between Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and the Scooby Gang against the forces of evil. During its run in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sunnydale High was not kind to its principals. After losing the first principal (Ken Lerner) to a pack of hyena/humans, his successor (Armin Shimerman) was eaten by Mayor Wilkins (Harry Groener), after the latter had transformed into a giant demon/snake. Of course, the school did not fare much better. On graduation day at the end of season three, the gang was forced to blow up Sunnydale High School in order to stop the Mayor from completing his ascension. The school would later be re-built (no longer Torrance High School) and serve as the center of the final battle between the gang and the First Evil, which would lead to the collapse of Sunnydale High and the entire city of Sunnydale into the Hellmouth. Torrance High would be used exclusively for the exterior shots of the school in the first three seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, while the interior shots were filmed primarily on constructed sets in the film's soundstage location. However, the series's days at Torrance High ended with its fictional destruction. The exterior shots for the New Sunnydale High School were relocated to California State University, Northridge for the series final season. The high school would not be the only location in Torrance to appear in the series. The very house that doubled as the residence of Buffy and her family is located only a few blocks away (see Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV): The Summers House). Interestingly enough, the school that doubled as Hemery High School in the 1992 film, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is only 20 miles to the north (see John Marshall High School, Los Angeles, CA). Cursed (2005) Torrance High School would again reemerge in the 2005 horror film, Cursed, by director Wes Craven. The story involves a brother, Jimmy (Jesse Eisenberg), and sister, Ellie (Christina Ricci), who are both scratched by a werewolf and later begin to exhibit various wolfish tendencies. The two are forced to track down the werewolf that attacked them and kill it before the curse takes over their bodies. The school doubles as Jimmy's high school where he is forced by a bully to join the wrestling team and subsequently takes down several wrestlers. The production on Cursed lived up to its namesake. The film's release was delayed for over a year following production and script issues. Several cast members backed away from the production reportedly unhappy with the re-writes or due to scheduling issues conflicting with the constant delays, while others were simply cut. As a result, over half of the movie had to be re-shot and the original plot line varied dramatically from the final theatrical release. Medium (2005-Present) In recent years, Torrance High School would again return to the small screen as a set piece in the NBC series, Medium. The series is based on the real-life exploits of author, Allison DuBois, who refers to herself as a spiritual medium and claims that she has used her gifts to aid law enforcement to solve crimes throughout the United States. In the series, actress Patricia Arquette portrays Dubois, alongside husband Joe (Jake Weber) and their three children. The school appeared in later seasons of Medium as the high school where the Dubois's eldest daughter, Ariel (Sofia Vassilieva) attends. It has made regular appearances since with scenes ranging from Ariel suffering from the embarrassment of her mother's powers being made public to playing a role in Ariel's own visions that lead her to unhappily aiding her mother in solving a crime. The School Today Torrance High School continues to serve over 2,000 students to this day and still makes regular appearances in both television series, as well as movies. However, as it remains an active school, it is closed to anyone that is not a student or staff member. It is recommended that any visits to the school's campus be limited to off-school hours and viewing the building from the outside.

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Related Sites
Wikipedia: Torrance High School Wikipedia's entry on Torrance High School in Torrance, California - a school used in countless productions including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cursed, and Medium.
Buffyverse Wiki: Filming Locations An entry on the Buffyverse Wiki for filming locations associated with the television series as well as the 1992 motion picture.

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See Also on TheCabinet.com
Blog: Buffy and the Stake that Killed the WB and UPN (10/02/08)
Blog: Earthquakes, Vampires, and Slayers in Torrance (03/10/09)

Available from Amazon.com
The Girl's Got Bite: The Original Unauthorized Guide to Buffy's World, Completely Revised and Updated
The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations (NEW updated edition)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Complete First Season
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Complete Second Season (Slim Set)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Complete Third Season (Slim Set)
Buffy Chronicles : The Unofficial Companion to Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Cursed (Unrated Version)
Medium - The Fourth Season

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Images

Photo of Torrance High School in Torrance, CA which has appeared in countless works - January 2009.
From: TheCabinet

Photo of the steps that were seen in the pilot episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer - January 2009.
From: TheCabinet

Photo of the Torrance High School sign in Torrance, California - January 2009.
From: TheCabinet

Torrance High School in Torrance, California

Photo with a wider look at the famous Torrance High School seen in films and TV in January 2009.
From: TheCabinet

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The above content is for informational purposes only. Before making any travel arrangements, it is highly recommended that you contact those in charge of the property to check for updated availability and hours of operation. While we do our best to keep this information updated, we cannot guarantee that it is completely valid and up to date. Any destination marked "Closed to the Public" is marked that for a reason and we discourage any visits or attempts to gain access to that facility. Similarly, take note of any "Travel Advisory" that may be associated with a destination. Finally, treat any location and its local residents with respect. Any vandalism and/or unruly behavior is completely despicable and only ruins the experience for future visitors.

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