1975 · Burbank, California
by [California] [Los Angeles] Weathersby, Cassius
Burbank, California: American Broadcasting Company, 1975. An archive of 55 color photographs of Los Angeles locations scouted for the pilot episode of Cooley High, taken by location manager Cassius Weathersby. Most of the photographs are accompanied by captions noting the address or location. Also included are nine leaves with handwritten notes by Weathersby, cast and crew lists, shooting schedules, call sheets, location permits, and other material relating to the production.
One of Weathersby's notes reads, "no palm trees or stucco," a reminder that the locations were meant to stand in for the show's Chicago setting. As such, the photographs present images of Los Angeles not often seen in film, of brick warehouses, concrete apartment buildings, vacant lots, and old diners, shot in South Central and outlying areas of the city.
Cooley High was based on the 1975 film of the same name, about a group of African American high school students in 1960s Chicago. The pilot episode wasn't well received by ABC, and the show was completely retooled into the sitcom What's Happening!! (1976-79), which followed the lives of three working-class African American teens in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts. Weathersby would go on to work as the production manager for the show.
Most of the photographs measure 4 ¼" x 3 ¼" (11 x 8 cm). 30 are mounted on white paper, with location information to the side. The remaining photographs are loose, with location information handwritten on the verso. Housed in a generic manila file folder, with the "Cooley High" handwritten on the tab. (Inventory #: 76885)
One of Weathersby's notes reads, "no palm trees or stucco," a reminder that the locations were meant to stand in for the show's Chicago setting. As such, the photographs present images of Los Angeles not often seen in film, of brick warehouses, concrete apartment buildings, vacant lots, and old diners, shot in South Central and outlying areas of the city.
Cooley High was based on the 1975 film of the same name, about a group of African American high school students in 1960s Chicago. The pilot episode wasn't well received by ABC, and the show was completely retooled into the sitcom What's Happening!! (1976-79), which followed the lives of three working-class African American teens in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts. Weathersby would go on to work as the production manager for the show.
Most of the photographs measure 4 ¼" x 3 ¼" (11 x 8 cm). 30 are mounted on white paper, with location information to the side. The remaining photographs are loose, with location information handwritten on the verso. Housed in a generic manila file folder, with the "Cooley High" handwritten on the tab. (Inventory #: 76885)
(626) 967-1888
