San Pedro is a port neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was annexed in 1909 and is a major seaport of the area. The town has grown from being dominated by the fishing industry to become primarily a working class town within the City of Los Angeles. The name of the town is by its residents, even its Hispanic residents, rather than by its Spanish pronunciation .

Geography

San Pedro is located at (33.73583, -118.29139).

Climate

The city is situated in a Mediterranean climate zone (Köppen climate classification), experiencing mild, wet winters and warm to hot summers. Breezes from the Pacific Ocean tend to keep the beach community cooler in summer and warmer in winter than those in further inland Los Angeles; summer temperatures can sometimes be as much as 18 °F (10 °C) warmer in the inland communities compared to that of San Pedro and other Los Angeles coastal communities. The area also sees a phenomenon known as the "marine layer," a dense cloud cover caused by the proximity of the ocean that helps keep the temperatures cooler throughout the year. When the marine layer becomes more common and pervades farther inland during the months of May and June, it is called June Gloom.

History

The site, at the southern end of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, on the west side of San Pedro Bay, was used by Spanish ships starting in the 1540s.

Origin of name

San Pedro was named after St. Peter of Alexandria, a 4th century bishop in Alexandria, Egypt. His feast day is November 24 on the local ecclesiastical calendar of Spain, the day on which Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo discovered the bay in 1542 which would become "San Pedro." Santa Catalina Island, named after St. Katherine of Alexandria, was also claimed for the Spanish Empire the next day, on her feast day, November 25. In 1602–1603, Sebastián Vizcaíno (1548–1624) officially surveyed and mapped the California coastline, including San Pedro Bay, for New Spain.

Settlement

Regular settlement began in 1769 as part of the effort to populate California, although trade restrictions encouraged more smuggling than regular business. The Rancho San Pedro is the site of the first Spanish land grant in Alta California, New Spain. The land was granted in 1784 by King Carlos III to Juan Jose Dominguez, a retired Spanish soldier who came to California with the Gaspar de Portolà expedition.

When New Spain won its independence from the Spanish Empire and Alta California became part of Mexico, the trade restrictions were lifted, and the town flourished.Under United States control after 1848, when the United States defeated Mexico in the Mexican-American war, the harbor was greatly improved and expanded under the guidance of Phineas Banning and John Gately Downey, the seventh governor of California. San Pedro has now become the largest port on the West Coast of the United States and the busiest port in the country.

United States Navy Battle Fleet Home Port 1919–1940

In 1888, the War Department took control of a tract of land next to the bay and added to it in 1897 and 1910. This became Fort MacArthur in 1914 and was a coastal defense site for many years. Woodrow Wilson transferred 200 United States Navy ships from the Atlantic to the Pacific in 1919 when tension arose between the United States and Japan over the fate of China. San Diego was considered too shallow for the largest ships, so the battleships anchored in San Pedro Bay on 9 August 1919. Local availability of fuel oil minimized transportation costs, and consistently good weather allowed frequent gunnery exercises off the nearby Channel Islands of California. The heavy cruisers of the Scouting Force were transferred from the Atlantic to San Pedro in response to the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria. By 1934, 14 battleships, 2 aircraft carriers, 14 cruisers, and 16 support ships were based at San Pedro. On 1 April 1940, the Pacific Fleet battleships sailed to Hawaii for annual fleet exercises. The battleships remained in the Hawaiian Islands to deter Japanese aggression until the Attack on Pearl Harbor. San Pedro remained a popular port of call for Navy ships through World War II; but the battle fleet never returned.

Los Angeles annexation

In 1906, the City of Los Angeles annexed a long narrow strip of land connecting the city to the coast, and in 1909, the city annexed San Pedro and the adjacent town of Wilmington. The odd shape is still seen in the map of the city.

Port of Los Angeles

San Pedro, Wilmington, and Terminal Island are the locations of the Port of Los Angeles.

Locations of interest

One San Pedro landmark is the Vincent Thomas Bridge, a -long suspension bridge linking San Pedro with Terminal Island and named after California Assembly Vincent Thomas. It is the third longest suspension bridge in California. Nearby is the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, the largest maritime museum in California, as is the museum ship SS Lane Victory, a fully operational victory ship of World War II and National Historic Landmark. There is also the famous "Ports O' Call" tourist destination built in 1963 which provides many interesting shopping venues and a host of unique waterfront eateries.

The Frank Gehry-designed Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is also in San Pedro. The Point Fermin Lighthouse, a Victorian-era structure built in the late 19th century, still exists as a museum and park on a bluff overlooking the ocean. The Korean Bell of Friendship is a massive bronze memorial bell donated by South Korea in 1976 to the people of Los Angeles. The church of Mary Star of the Sea is a prominent landmark with a steeple-top statue overlooking the harbour.

On July 19, 2003, the San Pedro Waterfront Red Car Line was opened, along the waterfront between downtown San Pedro and the Cruise Ship Terminal. This line includes two newly constructed trolleys built to resemble the wood-bodied 500 class cars introduced in 1905 for the Pacific Electric Railway, which once operated more than of track running streetcars and interurbans in Southern California. The line operates along former Pacific Electric right-of-way. The line, rebuilt and maintained by the Port of Los Angeles, also has one original restored Pacific Electric interurban, which is used only for special charter excursions and special events. The original car is in fact Pacific Electric 963 (former Los Angeles Pacific 713 as built in 1907) rebuilt by Richard Fellows and renumbered 1058. Discussions have been held to extend the line to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. Port of LA Waterfront Red Car Line

Twenty-Eighth Street in San Pedro, between Gaffey Street and Peck Avenue, is the steepest section of public roadway in Los Angeles. For about , the street climbs at a 33.3% angle, although the rest of the street is less steep. [28615]

Special events

• "Warner On Wednesdays Film Festival (W.O.W.)" and live musical theatre and plays performed throughout the year by The Relevant Stage Theatre Company, the resident theatre company at the historic Warner Grand Theatre, which also produces a Summer Performing Arts Youth Camp known as TRS Youthorizons. [28616]
• "Be Entertained" year-round by the Golden State Pops Orchestra throughout San Pedro (resident orchestra at the historic Warner Grand theatre and featured ensemble at the Cabrillo Beach 4th of July Celebration....www.gspo.com)
• Annual Los Angeles Harbor Holiday Afloat Parade: December 5th, 2009 at 6:00pm. LA Harbor Main Channel
• Annual Holiday Spirit of San Pedro Parade: the 2006 parade was the 27th
• Annual Taste of San Pedro, held at Point Fermin Park. The event features local restaurants and musicians.
• Annual Shakespeare by the Sea, Los Angeles Festival, held at Point Fermin Park each summer. The company offers free presentations of Shakespeare's works in a family friendly environment. [28617]
• Annual Chocolate Lobster Dive-a-Thon, held at Cabrillo Beach where participants SCUBA dive for "chocolate lobsters" for prizes.
• First Thursday Artwalk & Dining, held in Downtown San Pedro on Sixth and Seventh Streets between Pacific Avenue and Mesa.
• Annual Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture, held at Point Fermin Park. Now in its 16th year, FPAC is the largest presenter of Philippine arts and culture in Southern California presenting over 1200 artists in 9 disciplines and attracting over 20,000 audience members from all over the country. The event will be September 8 & 9.
• Annual performance of The Nutcracker at the Warner Grand Theater. The event is put on by the San Pedro City Ballet and usually takes place in late November. General seating is typically sold out and tickets for balcony seats are donated to local schools. [28618]

• Annual Gangster drug meeting every 13th.

Demographic history

Ethnically diverse, San Pedro was a magnet for European immigrants from various countries for years, reflected in thenumber of restaurants representing diverse cuisines, especially Croatian, Portuguese, Mexican, Italian, and Greek. San Pedro is home to the largest Italian-American community in Southern California, centered on the "Via Italia" (South Cabrillo Avenue). Estimates state that the community numbers about 45,000 Italian-Americans. San Pedro is also considered the heart of the Croatian community in Los Angeles. This community, originally composed of seafarers and fishermen from the Dalmatia (especially the islands of Brač, Hvar, Vis and Korčula) region, has been present in San Pedro since the settlement began more than 200 years ago. The City of Los Angeles even named a stretch of 9th Street "Croatian Place" in honor of the city's old Croatian community. There are reportedly more than 35,000 Croats in San Pedro, making it the biggest Croatian community on the Pacific.[28619].

A large portion of San Pedro is also composed of Mexican-Americans,Hispanic immigrants and African-Americans with long-time roots in the community. Much of their populations are based in the older, east side of the community surrounding the downtown area and bordering the Port of Los Angeles.

Until February 1942, San Pedro was home to a vibrant Japanese immigrant community of about 3,000 people who lived in what had been described as a typical Japanese Fishing Village" on Terminal Island (East San Pedro).

These Japanese immigrants pioneered albacore fishing out of San Pedro Bay and harvesting abalone off of White Point,thus leading the way in establishing a viable fishing industry in San Pedro.

The 48-hour forced expulsion of these San Pedro residents and the razing of their homes and shops, as part of the Japanese-American internment during World War II, is described in Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston's memoir Farewell to Manzanar.

Demographics (today)

In 2009, the Los Angeles Times's "Mapping L.A." project supplied these San Pedro neighborhood statistics: population: 78,405; median household income: $57,198.

Furthermore, the ethnic composition is White (44.6%), Asian (4.5%),African American (6.0%), Latino (40.6%) and Other (4.4%).

Economy

At one point Eva Air had its United States headquarters in San Pedro. In 1997 the airline moved its U.S. headquarters to Norwalk, California.

Government and infrastructure

The United States Postal Service operates the San Pedro Post Office at 839 South Beacon Street and the Eastview Post Office at 28649 South Western Avenue. The USPS also operates the Seafarers Post Office at Suite A at 93 Berth in close proximity to the San Pedro Post Office.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

San Pedro is served by the Los Angeles Unified School District. The area is within Board District 7. As of 2008 Dr. Richard Vladovic represents the district.

San Pedro High School, Mary Star of the Sea High School, and the Port of Los Angeles High School are primary senior high schools within the region. San Pedro High School is home to the protected landmarks in the form of The English Language Arts and Administration Buildings (c. 1939, 1936, resp.). The school recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2003. It is home to both the Marine Science and Police Academy Magnet programs. Port of Los Angeles High School is a public charter high school, fusing a college preparatory program with elective coursework in International Business and Maritime Studies. Such studies reinforce the significant impact of California’s ports on the global economy and international trade. Most students end up failing however.

As of 2002 test scores tend to be higher in the area's elementary schools than in its middle and high schools.

Primary schools (Grades 1-5)

• 15th Street Elementary [28620] [28621]
• Bandini Elementary [28622]
• Barton Hill Elementary [28623] [28624]
• Cabrillo Early Education Center [28625]
• Cabrillo Elementary [28626]
• Leland Elementary [28627]
• Park Western Harbor Magnet [28628]
• Point Fermin Elementary [28629]
• San Pedro/Wilmington Early Education Center [28630]
• South Shores Magnet for the Visual and Performing Arts Elementary School
• Taper Elementary [28631] [28632]
• Taper Avenue Elementary Technology Magnet Center [28633]
• White Point Elementary [28634]
• Crestwood Elementary

Secondary schools (Grades 6-12)

• Dana Middle School [28635] [28636]
• Dodson Middle School (though actually located in Rancho Palos Verdes it is part of LAUSD)
• San Pedro High School [28637] [28638]
  • San Pedro High School Marine Science Magnet [28639]
  • San Pedro High School Police Academy [28640]
• Port of Los Angeles High School

Private schools (Grades 9-12)

• Mary Star of the Sea High School [28641]

Continuation schools

• Angel's Gate Continuation High [28642]
• Cooper Community Day School [28643]
• Harbor Community Adult School [28644]
• Harbor Occupational Center [28645]

Libraries

Los Angeles Public Library operates the San Pedro Regional Branch Library at 931 South Gaffey Street.7th Street Elementary School

Notable residents

Art

• Elmer Batters, nylon/foot fetish photographer
• Scott Stantis, Editorial cartoonist for the Chicago Tribune and USA Today and creator of the comic strips "The Buckets" and "Prickly City". Lived in San Pedro 1977-1986 and married a Pedro girl.

Acting

• Mike Lookinland, who played the youngest brother, Bobby Brady, on The Brady Bunch television series from 1969 until 1974, lived in San Pedro while a child actor.
• Patrick Muldoon, had regular recurring roles in the well-known soap operas Days of Our Lives and Melrose Place. Starred in 1997 film Starship Troopers.
• Sharon Tate, actress and wife of Roman Polanski, brutally murdered by the "Manson Family".
• D. L. Hughley, comedian and actor. Attended San Pedro High School.
• Kirk Harris, actor and filmmaker. Starred in Chamaco with Martin Sheen and Michael Madsen, among other films. Lives in South Shores, San Pedro.
• Johnny Depp, although he has never lived in San Pedro, he is know for hanging around "The Corner Store", which is in south shores.

Music

• Megadeth filmed the music video for "Hangar 18" in 1990.
• Ambrosia: Well-known classic rock band with top 40 hits including "You're the Biggest Part of Me" and "(That's) How Much I Feel".
• John Bettis: Lyricist for many big artists including: Michael Jackson, Madonna, The Carpenters, Whitney Houston and others. He has won an Emmy award and has been nominated for an Oscar for his work on the Godfather III theme song.
• Minutemen: the band members for the influential and eclectic punk rock band grew up in San Pedro and the band was formed there. Bassist/songwriter Mike Watt still lives in San Pedro and is an active participant in its music scene. Drummer George Hurley still lives in San Pedro, as well.
• Krist Novoselic, the bassist of Nirvana, grew up in San Pedro before moving to Aberdeen, Washington.
• Jack Anthony, singer/songwriter and lead singer of the Jack Anthony band, was born and raised in San Pedro and has released several punk/rock/pop albums and one EP which contains a song entitled "Averill Park", named after a local San Pedro park. In 2006 MTV filmed a reality show called "Garage Band Makeover" with the band.
• Art Pepper, Jazz saxophonist, was born and raised there.
• Brenton Wood, singer and songwriter, his biggest hit "Gimme Little Sign" reached #9 on the pop charts in 1967.
• Eric Erlandson, co-founder of and lead guitarist for 90's rock/grunge band Hole. 1981 graduate of San Pedro High School. He also attended Holy Trinity Catholic School, Dana Junior High School (now Middle School) and Los Angeles Harbor College.
• Blu, Rapper was born in San Pedro, California
• The Couches, nautical post-apocalyptic death rock band consisting of three nautical post-apocalyptic death rock dudes.

Politics

• John S. Gibson, Jr., a Los Angeles City Councilman, lived there until his death in 1981.
• James Hahn, former Mayor of Los Angeles, is a current resident.
• Janice Hahn, current City Councilwoman for the 15th district.
• Xavier Hermosillo, former Chief of Staff for the State of California Republican Party. Former award-winning newsprint reporter, television commentator and radio talk show host.
• Joe Hill, a radical songwriter, labor activist, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World, lived and worked in San Pedro in the early years of the 20th Century and here began his labor organizing years.
• Yuri Kochiyama, civil rights activist & Nobel Peace prize nominee. Held a dying Malcolm X in her arms after an assassin had shot him.
• Mike Lansing, school board member for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Also the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Harbor Boys and Girls Club.

Sports

• Joe Amalfitano, long-time third base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Part of the 1981 and 1988 World Series championship teams.
• Alan Ashby, gold-glove winning catcher for the Houston Astros in the 1970s-1980s.
• Denise Austin, Fitness personality
• Ronnie Barber Sr., played tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs in the old AFL.
• James Cotton, ex-CSULB basketball standout. Sharpshooting guard was selected in the second round by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1997 NBA Draft. Played two seasons for Seattle.
• Joe Danelo, ex-kicker for the New York Giants
• Mario Danelo, record-setting ex-placekicker for the 2006 NCAA national champion USC Trojans fell to his death in the cliffs overlooking Santa Catalina Island in San Pedro in 2007.
• Gary Gabelich, set the Guinness Book of World Records driving his rocket-powered "Blue Flame" vehicle for a world land speed record of 622.287 M.P.H. at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah on October 23, 1970. Record stood for 13 years.
• Bob Gross, starting small forward for the Portland Trail Blazers 1977 NBA championship team.
• Brian Harper, former starting catcher for the 1991 World Champion Minnesota Twins. Manager of Los Angeles Angels triple-A affiliate Salt Lake City Bees.
• Dennis Johnson, Boston Celtic and Seattle SuperSonics basketball great in the 1970s and 1980s. Won three NBA championship rings.
• Richard Johnson, former USFL and Detroit Lion wide receiver.
• Ed Jurak, utility infielder for the Boston Red Sox in the 1970s and 1980s.
• Andy Lopez, former head baseball coach of at the University of Florida. Coached Pepperdine University in 1992 to the College World Series title. Currently the head baseball coach at the University of Arizona.
• Garry Maddox, 8-time golden glove winning and starting center fielder for the 1980 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies.
• Haven Moses, former starting wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 1970s. Started in Super Bowl XII versus the Dallas Cowboys.
• Willie Naulls, ex-UCLA basketball great. Played power forward/center for New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics. 4-time NBA All-Star with the Knicks in the 1950s. Won 3 NBA Championships with the Celtics in the 1960s.
• Angela Nikodinov has finished in the top five in the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships 7 times (1996–2004) and placed 4th in the World in 2002.
• Raul Rojas, boxing lightweight championship contender in the 1960s.
• Norm Schachter, three time Super Bowl referee in the National Football League.
• Tim Wrightman, ex-UCLA star and starting tight end for the dominant 1985 Super Bowl XX Champion Chicago Bears.
• Jason Salas, NBA star Allen Iverson's promoter as well as other professional athletes personal assistant. (also known as Jazoo)
• Petros Papadakis, Former Captain of USC Trojans Football Team

Writers and poets

• Louis Adamic, 1899–1951 Slovenian-American novelist and journalist who wrote about American minorities and immigrants.
• Richard Armour, poet and author who wrote over sixty books, was born in San Pedro on July 25, 1906.
• Charles Bukowski, author and poet, lived there in his later years.

"San Pedro is real quiet. It used to be a seaport full of whorehouses and bars. [The latter are still in abundance.] I like the quietness. They ask you how you're doing, they really want to know."

• Richard Henry Dana, Jr. author of the famous memoir Two Years Before the Mast. Dana was not a resident but rather a famous visitor to San Pedro, who wrote about the experience in his memoir. San Pedro's first middle school is named after him.

"Two days brought us to San Pedro, and two days more (to our no small joy) gave us our last view of that place, which was universally called the hell of California and seemed designed in every way for the wear and tear of sailors. Not even the last view could bring out one feeling of regret. No thanks, thought I, as we left the hated shores in the distance, for the hours I have walked over your stones barefooted, with hides on my head, -- for the burdens I have carried up your steep, muddy hill, --for the duckings in your surf; and for the long days and longer nights passed on your desolate hill, watching piles of hides, hearing the sharp bark of your eternal coyotes, and the dismal hooting of your owls." Excerpt from Two Years Before the Mast [At the time, San Pedro had no dock. Everything had to be loaded onto smaller boats and rowed ashore.]

• Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, author of the popular memoir Farewell to Manzanar on the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. She briefly lived in East San Pedro (Terminal Island).

"In those days it [East San Pedro] was a company town, a ghetto owned and controlled by the canneries. The men went after fish, and whenever the boats came back-day or night-the woman would be called to process the catch while it was fresh. One in the afternoon or four in the morning, it made no difference...I can still hear the whistle--two toots for French's, three for Van Camp's--and she [Mom] and Chizu would be out of bed in the middle of the night, heading for the cannery." Excerpt from Farewell to Manzanar

• Louis L'Amour, Western Fiction Writer. 1

"The worst times were when he was "on the beach" - on shore, in San Pedro, California, between ships and broke. "I slept in boxcars and under piles of lumber, and took jobs no one else wanted. I was 18 and looked 24. There were several times I went three and four days without eating. I didn't beg or steal, just went without. I'd like to recover for my readers what it's really like to be hungry. I have a penchant for stories about survival, lessons in survival. I've been a survivor most of my life." L'Amour chronicled some of his experiences on the beach in San Pedro in is 1980 book Yondering.."

• Sandrot Meallet, author of the novel Edgewater Angels.

"Meallet calls the people he grew up with in the Rancho San Pedro Housing Project ' the most wonderful people I ever knew. These kids had to grow up in a constant state of cultural crisis, always reacting to the police, their messed up parents, and neighborhood gang leaders. It takes superhuman strength to get through it and be aware.' "

• Scott O'Dell, author of young-adult literature, lived in East San Pedro (Terminal Island) during his childhood.

"Island of the Blue Dolphins, though it is based upon the true story of a girl who lived alone on a California island for eighteen years, came from the memory of my years at San Pedro and Dead Man's Island, when, with other boys my age, I voyaged out on summer mornings in search of adventure."

• John Shannon, Mystery Novelist

"It was interesting. San Pedro may have been the last great place to grow up in the L.A. area -- a harbor, a real sense of community, a real Left, even a literary history: Charles Bukowski, Louis Adamic, even Richard Henry Dana stayed [here] for a time. I could ride the ferry across to Terminal Island, hang out at the docks, walk down the harbor among the commercial fishing boats with old Sicilians and Croatians mending their nets, catch crawdads in Averill Park."

Film and television

• Anthony "Twan" Huljev, American filmmaker (of Croatian ancestry, born and raised in San Pedro), producer of the infamous underground film "Night Train" [28646] which won awards for Best Cinematography and Best New Director at the 2000 FantaSporto International Film Festival [28647] in Oporto, Portugal. Son of Vladimir Huljev (co-founder of the American-Croatian Club in 1958, annexing the Croatian Hall in San Pedro in the early 1970s). More recently, Anthony had served as the Los Angeles regional director for Burning Man from 1999–2006 [28648], was producer of the Burning Man Opera [28649] from 1998–2002. He runs extensive email lists and blogs featuring the art and artists, music, film and events in and around the L.A. area [28650]. Currently active in casino gaming entertainment: poker, blackjack, horse racing, casino games, and sports betting [28651]. Anthony maintains close ties to the San Pedro community, as a large portion of his immediate family reside there as do many friends, including Minutemen founder Mike Watt and former KXLU radio personality Brother Matt[28652]. Anthony lived next door to musician Krist Novoselic, a fellow Croatian-American, when Krist lived with his family in San Pedro, prior to their moving to Aberdeen, Washington where, some years later, Krist was to become bassist with the rock band Nirvana.
• Lincoln Ruchti - Director of the documentary Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade[28653]
• Robert Towne, writer, director, producer, actor. Raised in San Pedro. His father owned a popular dress shop that was on 6th Street. One of the best script doctors in Hollywood, he contributed crucial scenes to such films as Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and The Godfather (1972). Also wrote Chinatown (1974), Mission: Impossible (1996), Mission: Impossible II (2000), The Last Detail (1973), Shampoo (1975). The Writers Guild of America, west recently ranked Chinatown, behind only Casablanca and The Godfather, as the third greatest English language screenplay of all time [28654].
• Peter V. Manghera, hosted a local cable television talk show. The series was produced with his brother Jeff Manghera, who handled the production chores. His show, Pete's Place, was broadcast on Cox Communications Inc., Palos Verdes (previously Dimension Cable) from February, 1994 to December, 2008 and had included many notable personages, including Rep. Jane Harmon (D-CA), Mayor James Hahn, and District Attorneys Steve Cooley and Gil Garcetti. The series ended production in December 2008 when the Public Access channel and production studios were eliminated by Cox Communications, Inc..
• Enzo Giobbe - Director of photography on many Hollywood and European movies. Director and cinematographer on some of the most popular music videos during the 1980s. Raised in San Pedro. His father was a well known commercial fisherman who owned several fishing boats. His mother owned a popular children's clothing store on 6th Street.

The Infamous

• Joe "Pegleg" Morgan, ex-godfather of the Mexican Mafia prison gang. Joe, who was of Croatian-American heritage spent his early years in San Pedro. Moved to East L.A. in his teens. He was the link between the Mexican Mafia and the West Coast Italian crime syndicates criminal activities of the 1970s. Joe Morgan was the character " JD " in Edward James Olmos 1992 movie American Me.

In the media trivia

• The short-lived `70's TV series The San Pedro Beach Bums was set in San Pedro. The show spawned the once-legendary line "Football? You bet!".
• MTV dating television show Next has shot at least one episode in San Pedro. The show has also included residents as contestants as well. [28655]
• Some of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie trilogy was filmed in San Pedro, in fact in the commentary on the DVD for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Jerry Bruckheimer called it "Pirates of San Pedro" because the films were heavily shot in that area.
• Madonna's infamous burning of the crosses in her Like a Prayer music video was taped in the San Pedro Hills.
• The Jonas Brothers filmed the music video for Burnin' Up and Lovebug in San Pedro. [28656][28657]

Television

• The O.C.(2003)
  • TV-Series 2003–2007
• The popular television show The O.C. filmed on location in San Pedro; footage taken include 5 scenes in 4 different episodes.
  • Season 1, Episode 21: "The Goodbye Girl" [28658]
  • Season 1, Episode 24: "The Proposal" [28659]
  • Season 1, Episode 24: "The Proposal" [28660]
  • Season 3, Episode 5: "The Perfect Storm" [28661]
  • Season 3, Episode 1:"The Aftermath" [28662]
• Covert Action (2002)
  • TV-Series 2002–2003 [28663]
• Robbery Homicide Division (2002)
  • TV-Series 2002–2003 [28664]
• 24 (2001)
  • TV-Series 2001-???? [28665]
• Alias (2001)
  • TV-Series 2001–2006 [28666]
• Fear Factor (2001)
  • TV-Series 2001–2006 [28667]
• Power Rangers in Space (1998)
  • TV-Series 1998–1999 [28668]
• Riptide (1984)
  • TV-Series 1984–1986 [28669]
• Cousin Skeeter (1998) [28670]
• 240-Robert (1979)
  • TV-Series 1979–1981 [28671]
• Waterfront (1954)
  • TV-Series 1954–1956 [28672]
• My So-Called Life (1994) was filmed at San Pedro High School.
• Mr Show with Bob and David (1998)Season 4 Episode 5

Film

• The city of San Pedro, California is a very popular location for filming. Titles with locations including
  San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA Films shot in San Pedro include:
  • The Most Dangerous Game is a 1932 film adaptation of the 1924 short story of the same name by Richard Connell. [28673]
  • Landmark black-and-white 1933 horror/adventure film King Kong. [28674]
  • Iconic 1936 comedy film by Charles Chaplin about the Great Depression, Modern Times. [28675]
  • Classic 1937 comedy film Nothing Sacred. [28676]
  • Academy Award nominated American film The Long Voyage Home released in 1940 and directed by John Ford. [28677]
  • Dick Tracy vs. Crime, Inc. (1941) the Republic Movie serial.
  • Raging Bull, which stars Robert De Niro, who won an Academy Award for the part, as Jake LaMotta. [28678]
  • Escape from the Planet of the Apes, the 1971 science fiction film starring Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, and Bradford Dillman. It is the second sequel to the Planet of the Apes movie of 1968, the first sequel being Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970). [28679]
  • Chinatown, the 1974 film directed by Roman Polanski featuring many elements of the film noir genre, particularly a multi-layered story that is part mystery and part psychological drama. The movie won several high-profile awards, including an Academy Award in 1975 for Best Writing and Original Screenplay for Robert Towne. [28680]
  • Private Benjamin, the 1980 comedy film which tells the story of Judy, a wealthy Jewish woman, who joins the Army when her new husband dies on their wedding night. Nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Goldie Hawn), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Eileen Brennan) and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. [28681]
  • Swing Shift, the 1984 feature film directed by Jonathan Demme and produced by and starring Goldie Hawn with Kurt Russell. It also starred Christine Lahti. [28682]
  • To Live and Die in L.A., the neo-noir American film released in 1985 and directed by William Friedkin. The movie is based on the novel written by former Secret Service Agent Gerald Petievich, who co-wrote the screenplay with Friedkin. The picture stars William L. Petersen, Willem Dafoe, John Turturro, John Pankow, and others. The film tells the story of how two U.S. Secret Service agents set out to arrest a counterfeiter, using any means necessary. The agents don't let the law stand in their way. [28683]
  • Wanted: Dead or Alive is a 1987 film directed by Gary Sherman and starring Rutger Hauer as Nick Randall, the descendant of the character played by Steve McQueen in the television series of the same name. [28684]
  • The 1987 film Some Kind of Wonderful stars Eric Stoltz, Lea Thompson, and Mary Stuart Masterson. It was one of the many successful teen dramas written by John Hughes in the 1980s, although this one was directed by Howard Deutch. The film's title comes from a song written by John Ellison that was a hit for Grand Funk Railroad. [28685]
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master is the fourth film in the A Nightmare on Elm Street series. It was released in 1988. The film was directed by Renny Harlin. [28686]
  • The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, the 1988 comedy film, the first in a series of movies starring Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, George Kennedy, and O.J. Simpson. [28687]
  • Colors the 1988 film starring Sean Penn and Robert Duvall and directed by Dennis Hopper. The rest of the cast includes stars such as: Glenn Plummer, Grand L. Bush, Don Cheadle, Damon Wayans, Leon Robinson, and Maria Conchita Alonso. [28688]
  • The Abyss is a 1989 science fiction film which was written and directed by James Cameron, starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. The film won the 1990 Oscar for Best Visual Effects. It was also nominated for Best Art Direction - Set Decoration, Best Cinematography and Best Sound. The studio lobbied hard to get Michael Biehn nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but to no avail. The Abyss was nominated for many other awards, such as by Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films and the American Society of Cinematographers. It ended up winning a total of three other awards from these organizations. [28689]
  • The Hunt for Red October the 1990 film based on the best-selling novel of the same name. [28690]
  • Boyz in the Hood, rapper Ice Cube's first production film in 1991.
  • Successful 1992 film A Few Good Men, starring the star packed cast of Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Bacon, J.T. Walsh and Kiefer Sutherland. [28691]
  • Clear and Present Danger the 1994 film directed by Phillip Noyce, based on the book of the same name by Tom Clancy; starring Harrison Ford. [28692]
  • Heat the 1995 remake of L.A. Takedown, a 1989 television movie written and directed by Michael Mann. Critical and commercial success, grossing $187,436,818 worldwide. [28693]
  • Outbreak (1995) is a suspense film starring Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey. The film was directed by Wolfgang Petersen. In addition, Outbreak features Cuba Gooding Jr., Donald Sutherland, and Patrick Dempsey. [28694]
  • A Walk in the Clouds the 1995 romance film directed by Alfonso Arau and produced by the Zucker brothers; it is a remake of a 1942 Italian film of the same title. It stars Keanu Reeves, Giancarlo Giannini, Anthony Quinn and Aitana Sánchez-Gijón. [28695]
  • The Usual Suspects is a 1995 American film written by Christopher McQuarrie (who earned an Oscar for the screenplay) and directed by Bryan Singer. It stars Kevin Spacey (who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance), Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Stephen Baldwin, Pete Postlethwaite, Benicio del Toro and Kevin Pollak.[28696]
  • The Crossing Guard is a 1995 independent film directed and written by American actor Sean Penn. It stars Jack Nicholson, David Morse, Anjelica Huston and Robin Wright Penn. [28697]
  • Freeway the 1996 thriller film starring Reese Witherspoon, Kiefer Sutherland and Brooke Shields. The movie is a black comedy loosely modeled after the story of Little Red Riding Hood. [28698]
  • 1996 Academy Award-nominated action film The Rock. [28699]
  • Face/Off the 1997 critical and financial successful action thriller film, starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. [28700]
  • Beverly Hills Ninja the 1997 film starring Chris Farley as a bumbling Beverly Hills ninja. Written by Mark Feldberg and Mitchell Klebanoff and directed by Dennis Dugan, the film was released the same year of Chris Farley's death. Also stars Nicollette Sheridan, Robin Shou, Nathaniel Parker, Soon-Tek Oh, Keith Cooke, and Chris Rock. [28701]
  • Batman & Robin the fourth installment in the comic book-inspired film series initiated by Tim Burton, and the second directed by Joel Schumacher. Released in 1997, it starred George Clooney as Batman and Chris O'Donnell returning as Robin, and introduced Batgirl (Alicia Silverstone), a niece of Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred (Michael Gough). The villains in this movie are Poison Ivy, played by Uma Thurman, Mr. Freeze, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger (who received top billing for this film), and Bane, played by Jeep Swenson. [28702]
  • Amistad is a 1997 Steven Spielberg film based on a slave mutiny that took place aboard a ship of the same name in 1839, and the illegal activity that followed. Starred Matthew McConaughey, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, and Djimon Hounsou. Nominated for the Academy award in: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Anthony Hopkins, Best Cinematography, Janusz Kaminski, Best Costume Design, Ruth Carter, Best Music, Original Dramatic Score, John Williams. [28703]
  • Highest grossing film of all time, 1997 romantic drama film Titanic, by James Cameron. [28704]
  • The Lost World: Jurassic Park the 1997 science fiction film and the second Jurassic Park film as part of the Jurassic Park franchise. [28705]
  • Wild Things is a 1998 erotic crime film starring Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Denise Richards, Neve Campbell and Bill Murray. It was directed by John McNaughton. [28706]
  • The Thin Red Line is a 1998 war film which tells the story of United States forces during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. It marked Terrence Malick's return to filmmaking after a twenty-year absence. [28707]
  • Fight Club the 1999 feature film adaptation of the 1996 novel Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk; adapted by Jim Uhls, directed by David Fincher, and starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter, and Meat Loaf. [28708]
  • Gone in Sixty Seconds the 2000 action film, starring Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, and Robert Duvall; directed by Dominic Sena, and written by Scott Rosenberg. It was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and is a remake of the 1974 H.B. Halicki film Gone in 60 Seconds. [28709]
  • Charlie's Angels (2000) is an action/comedy film based on (and something of a sequel to) the 1970s television series Charlie's Angels. The angels were played by Cameron Diaz (Natalie Cook), Drew Barrymore (Dylan Sanders), and Lucy Liu (Alex Munday). [28710]
  • U-571 is a 2000 movie directed by Jonathan Mostow, and starring Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi, Jack Noseworthy, Will Estes, and Tom Guiry. In the movie, a German submarine is boarded in 1942 by disguised American submariners seeking to capture its Enigma cipher machine. [28711]
  • One Night at McCool's the 2001 dark comedy, directed by Harald Zwart and starring Matt Dillon, Michael Douglas, Paul Reiser, John Goodman, Liv Tyler,Reba McEntire and Andrew Dice Clay. [28712]
  • The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear the 1991 sequel to the 1988 film The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! was also filmed in San Pedro. [28713]
  • Catch Me If You Can the 2002 motion picture set in the 1960s. It was directed by Steven Spielberg and adapted by Jeff Nathanson loosely from the book by Frank Abagnale Jr. and Stan Redding. The lead actors were Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, with a supporting role by Christopher Walken. Williams and Walken were nominated for Academy Awards. [28714]
  • Red Dragon, a 2002 thriller film, based on the novel of the same name written by Thomas Harris featuring the brilliant psychiatrist and serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. [28715]
  • A Man Apart the 2003 action film starring Vin Diesel and directed by F. Gary Gray. [28716]
  • The Shape of Things is a play by American author and film director Neil LaBute apapted to a 2003 American movie. Starring Paul Rudd, Rachel Weisz, Gretchen Mol, and Fred Weller. [28717]
  • 50 First Dates the 2004 romantic comedy starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore and directed by Peter Segal. Other cast members included Rob Schneider and Sean Astin. [28718]
  • The Black Dahlia, the Academy Award-nominated 2006 film directed by Brian De Palma. It is based on the novel of the same name by James Ellroy, which was based on the murder of Elizabeth Short. [28719]
  • Shelter , a 2007 film starring Trevor Wright, Brad Rowe and Tina Holmes. A big part of the story takes place in San Pedro and Zach, the hero, lives there with his family.
  • The Midnight Meat Train, a 2008 horror film based on Clive Barker's 1984 short story of the same name. [28720]
  • Cloverfield, a 2008 monster/horror film directed by Matt Reeves, produced by J. J. Abrams and written by Drew Goddard. [28721]
  • Pearl Harbor, where a scene was filmed at the Warner Grand Theatre. [28722]
  • Primary Colors, a 1998 film starring John Travolta. [28723]
  • Hancock, the 2008 comedy superhero film directed by Peter Berg and starring Will Smith, Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron. The train wreck scene was filmed in San Pedro, CA, in conjunction with Pacific Harbor Line RR. PHL SD18 diesel locomotive #40 was changed by the movie crews to the fictitious Southland & Western RR. [28724]
  • G-Force the Disney movie about special agent pets had a few action sequences towards the end of the film taking place on 9th street and Ports O' Call. When the rodents showcase their hamster ball motorcycle you can clearly see the port of LA in the distance. When the government agents reach a fictional theme park, they are actually in the Ports O' Call parking lot when they set off all of the fireworks . [28725]

Press

• Many city residents subscribe to or purchase the local newspaper, the Daily Breeze. In 2003, it created a weekly, More San Pedro, in the San Pedro Harbor Area. More San Pedro was cancelled in 2008 after the Breeze was purchased by MediaNews Group. In 2002, the Long Beach Press-Telegram launched the monthly publication San Pedro Magazine serving the San Pedro and Rancho Palos Verdes areas. San Pedro Magazine was cancelled in December 2008 after the Press-Telegram eliminated their magazine department. In January 2009, a new independently-owned monthly magazine called San Pedro Today [28726] debuted.
  • Other papers available for subscription or purchase include the Los Angeles Times and the Long Beach Press-Telegram. San Pedro is also the publishing home of the free left-leaning alternative newspaper, the Random Lengths News [28727]

See also

• List of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in the Harbor area

References

External links

• San Pedro Points of Interest
• San Pedro homepage
• San Pedro Chamber of Commerce
• San Pedro Today magazine
• From Bridge to Breakwater Waterfront and Promenade Master Development Plan
• The Relevant Stage Theatre Company at Warner Grand Theatre
• San Pedro History
• History of the South Bay of Los Angeles
• Port of Los Angeles
• Japanese Immigrants at Terminal Island
• Japanese Immigrants at White Point
• Port of Los Angeles Waterfront Red Car Line
• Furasato: The lost Village of Terminal Island
• Citizens For A Harbor Line
• Croatian community.
• Random Lengths News
• Southern California Croats
• San Pedro/Los Angeles Croatians
• Cabrillo Beach Lifeguards, San Pedro CA
• Cabrillo Marine Aquarium