People from San Pedro, Los Angeles

These are notable people from San Pedro, Los Angeles, California.

Aviation

• Larry Walters (1949–1993) Piloted a lawn chair with 45 helium-filled weather balloons from his San Pedro residence.

Art

Acting

• Mike Lookinland: actor who played youngest brother "Bobby Brady" on The Brady Bunch television series from 1969 until 1974; lived in San Pedro during years as child actor, attended Chadwick School on Palos Verdes Peninsula, just outside Northwest San Pedro.^[1][2]
• Todd Lookinland: starred with Elizabeth Taylor in 1976 film The Blue Bird, produced in Russia.
• Dewey Martin: actor, known for roles in Howard Hawks' 1950s films; was, as of 2007, residing in San Pedro.^[3]
• Patrick Muldoon: actor, starred in recurring roles in soap operas, Days of Our Lives and Melrose Place; most well-known feature film is 1997's Starship Troopers; father was a lifeguard at Cabrillo beach in San Pedro.^[4][5]
• D. L. Hughley: comedian and actor who attended San Pedro High School.^[6][7]
• Kirk Harris: actor and filmmaker, starred in The Kid: Chamaco, with Martin Sheen and Michael Madsen, among other films.^[8] Harris resides in the South Shores area of San Pedro.
• Anthony Head: British actor, best known for roles in Joss Whedon's television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and on BBC^[9] television production of Merlin, owns a home in San Pedro.
• Sasha Knezev: a Serbian American filmmaker known for American Addict, American Addict 2, Fragments of Daniela and Welcome to San Pedro.^[10]

Music

• Ambrosia: Well-known "classic rock" band that achieved numerous top 40 hits, such as "Biggest Part of Me" and "How Much I Feel"—the band was formed in the South Bay/San Pedro area.^[11]
• People Under The Stairs: Hip hop group.
• John Bettis: Lyricist for many big artists, such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, The Carpenters, and Whitney Houston. Bettis, who graduated from San Pedro High School, has been nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, three Grammys and three Emmys.^[12][13]
• Chuck Dukowski - Bass player for 1970s punk rock band Black Flag ^[14]
• Minutemen: The members of this influential, eclectic punk rock trio grew up in San Pedro where the band was also formed. The surviving members, bassist/songwriter, Mike Watt, and drummer, George Hurley, still reside in San Pedro, where the former remains active in the city's music scene.^[15] Music journalist, John Calvert, has written in a brief history of the band:

Was there ever a more paradoxical band than the Minutemen? Comprising D. Boon, Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, natives of working class seaport San Pedro, card-carrying socialists, unpretentious to a fault, and forever jocular, the Minutemen were alt-rock's most blue-collar act; the union heavies of the 1980s underground.^[16]

• Krist Novoselic: Novoselic grew up in San Pedro after his Croatian father emigrated to the Croatian enclave in the southern Californian city. Later, the future Nirvana bassist would relocate to Aberdeen, Washington, US.^[17]
• Art Pepper: A jazz saxophonist who was born in nearby Gardena, California, but was raised in San Pedro.^[18]
• Brenton Wood: Wood, a 1960s pop-soul vocalist, achieved his biggest hit with "Gimme Little Sign", a song that reached #9 on the 1967 pop charts, and "The Oogum Boogum Song", released in the same year.^[19]
• Eric Erlandson: Born and raised in San Pedro, Erlandson was the co-founder and lead guitarist for 1990s "grunge rock" band, Hole (led by Courtney Love). Following the band's dissolution in 2002, Erlandson achieved a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, the city he resides in as of 2011.^[20]
• Blu: A Los Angeles-based rapper and record producer who relocated with his family to San Pedro at the commencement of his tenth year of school.^[21]
• Jim Korthe: Vocalist for rap-metal group, 3rd Strike, who grew up in San Pedro and attended the Bishop Montgomery school as a teenager—Korthe died in his San Pedro home in January 2010 at the age of 39 years.^[22][23]
• Miguel: With the birth name, Miguel Jontel Pimentel, Miguel is a singer who is a native of San Pedro and was born to a Mexican father and an African American mother.^[24]

Politics

• John S. Gibson, Jr.: A Los Angeles City Council representative, lived in San Pedro until his death in 1981. Gibson first moved to San Pedro with his wife in 1928 and founded the first Boys' Club of California in 1937.^[25]
• James Hahn: Former Mayor of Los Angeles, is, as of 2011, a resident of the city and is described as living, worshipping, shopping, and playing in the area, alongside his sister, Janice.^[26]
• Janice Hahn: Former City Councilwoman (15th district) and active U.S. Congresswoman for the 36th District, resides in the area as of 2011, and her District office is located on West 6th Street.^[26]
• A.E. Henning: Rotarian Special Representative for Torrance and Los Angeles City Council member (1929–1931).^[27][28]
• Joe Hill, radical songwriter, labor activist, and member of Industrial Workers of the World (The Wobblies), lived and worked in San Pedro in early years of 20th Century, in the area began his labor organizing activism; secretary of San Pedro Wobblies chapter, imprisoned 30 days after role in organization of dockworkers' strike, whereby 200 Italian workers abandoned their posts on July 21, 1912.^[29]
• Yuri Kochiyama: human rights activist (in both Harlem, New York and Oakland, California) and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Kochiyama worked with Black Power organizations and was a leader of Asian American and redress movements in New York City. Kochiyama held Malcolm X's head at the Audubon Ballroom in 1965 after he had been shot by an assassin. Kochiyama stated after her Nobel nomination: "The worst recipients [of the Nobel Peace Prize] were Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Kissinger and the worst nominees were George Bush senior and Tony Blair.”^[30][31]
• Mike Lansing: Born and raised in San Pedro, served two terms on Los Angeles Unified School District and, as of 2011, is Executive Director of Boys & Girls Clubs of Los Angeles Harbor (BGCLAH).^[32]
• Vincent Thomas: originally a Croatian immigrant, Thomas moved with family to San Pedro at age 10; was elected as a California Assemblyman representing 68th District from 1940 through 1978; he served 19 consecutive terms; famous Vincent Thomas Bridge was named in his honor in 1961 after California Legislature passed Concurrent Resolution 131.^[33]

Science

• John Olguin: Director of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium—from 1949 until 1987—founding member of the American Cetacean Society, and referred to as the "father of recreational whale watching."^[34]

Sports

• J. C. Agajanian (1913-1984): Born in San Pedro, auto racing promoter and owner, member of Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
• Joe Amalfitano: Born in San Pedro, baseball player, coach and manager; played for New York Giants (1954–1960), San Francisco Giants (1960–1962 and 1963), Houston Colt .45s (1962), Chicago Cubs (1964–1967).^[35]
• Alan Ashby: Born in Long Beach, Ashby attended high school in San Pedro; catcher for Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, and Cleveland Indians between 1973 and 1989; sportscaster^[36]
• Denise Austin: fitness instructor and author, creator of more than 80 workout videos/DVDs; high sales totals led to 2003 induction in Video Hall of Fame.^[37]
• James Cotton Jr.: basketball player; 6-foot-5 forward was raised in San Pedro, attended high school in Lakewood; shooting guard for Chicago Bulls (1999) following terms with Seattle SuperSonics (1997–1999) and Denver Nuggets (1997).^[38][39]
• Joe Danelo: football placekicker; played for Washington Cougars and New York Giants; raised three sons in San Pedro where he worked as foreman on city's docks.^[40][41]
• Mario Danelo: record-setting placekicker for 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) national championUSC Trojans; fell to his death at cliffs near Point Fermin lighthouse in early 2007.^[42][43]
• Gary Gabelich (1940–1984): Born in San Pedro, achieved place in Guinness Book of World Records for land-speed world record of 622.287 miles per hour (1,001.474 km/h) at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, US on October 23, 1970—he was driving his rocket-powered "Blue Flame" vehicle. The record remained unbeaten until 1983.^[44]
• Bob Gross: basketball player, forward for Portland Trail Blazers 1977 NBA champions.^[45]
• Brian Harper: baseball player, catcher for 1991 World Series champions Minnesota Twins; born in Los Angeles, attended high school in San Pedro.^[46]
• Dennis Johnson: basketball player for Boston Celtics during 1970s and 1980s, inducted in Hall of Fame in 2010; born in Compton, was discovered playing in local leagues in San Pedro; died in 2007.^[47]
• Richard Johnson: football player, 1984 USFL Receiver of the Year for the Houston Gamblers; attended San Pedro High School.^[48]
• Ed Jurak: baseball player, utility infielder for Boston Red Sox during 1970s and 1980s; attended San Pedro High School.^[49]
• Garry Maddox: baseball player, eight-time Gold Glove winner and starting center fielder for 1980 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.^[50]
• Haven Moses: football player, wide receiver for Denver Broncos in 1970; made 116 catches in first four full seasons; remained with Broncos until his retirement in 1981, appeared in two Super Bowls, one of which was Super Bowl XII versus Dallas Cowboys.^[51] Moses attended the San Pedro school Fermin de Lasuen Catholic High.^[52]
• Willie Naulls: basketball player for UCLA, power forward/center for New York Knicks and Boston Celtics; four-time National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star, won three NBA Championships with Celtics in 1960s; first African-American captain in history of integrated professional sports; at age 9, Naulls' family relocated to a government housing project in San Pedro.^[53]
• Robb Nen: baseball player, relief pitcher for Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, and San Francisco Giants, 3-time All-Star and 1997 World Series champion. Nen's birthplace is San Pedro.^[54]
• Angela Nikodinov: figure skater, finished third at 2001 U.S. championships and fifth at world championships.^[55] San Pedro is her listed as Nikodinov's hometown.^[56]
• Norm Schachter: football official for National Football League (NFL) who refereed the first Super Bowl; died in a San Pedro convalescence home.^[57]
• Tim Wrightman: football player for UCLA, starting tight end (TE) for Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears; was known as San Pedro's "Golden Boy".^[58]
• Petros Papadakis: sports broadcaster, started show Petros & Money on AM 570/Fox Sports station in 2007; college football commentator on Fox Sports Net and hosted Spike TV’s Pros vs. Joes; was born in San Pedro.^[59]

Writers and poets

• Louis Adamic (1899–1951): Slovenian-American novelist who frequently wrote about the city of Los Angeles. Adamic settled in San Pedro after serving in World War I and worked as a watchman in the office of the harbor pilot during the 1920s.^[60]
• Richard Armour: Poet and author who wrote over sixty books. Armour was born in San Pedro and died of Parkinson's disease.^[61]
• Charles Bukowski: Author and poet who lived in San Pedro during his later years.^[62] Bukowski is interviewed in his San Pedro home for the 2004 documentary Bukowski: Born Into This^[63] and stated in a 1987 interview with film critic Roger Ebert: "San Pedro is real quiet. It used to be a seaport full of whorehouses and bars. I like the quietness. They ask you how you're doing, they really want to know."^[64]
• 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 chronicle; 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, a dock did not exist in San Pedro and stock was loaded onto smaller boats and rowed ashore).^[65][66]
• Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston: Author of the popular memoir Farewell to Manzanar on the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Wakatsuki Houston 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 L'Amour chronicled some of his San Pedro beach experiences in the 1980 book Yondering: "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."^[67]
• Scott O'Dell (1898–1989): Deceased author of young adult literature, O'Dell 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."^[68]
• John Shannon: Author of the "Jack Liffey" series of noir thrillers who grew up in San Pedro: "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."^[69]

Film and television

• Tony Scott: Producer, director, actor, cinematographer, writer, and editor. On August 19, 2012, Scott committed suicide at age 68 by jumping off the Vincent Thomas Bridge in the San Pedro port district.^[70]
• Robert Towne: Four-time Academy Award-winning writer, director, producer, and actor who was raised in San Pedro, where he worked as a tuna fisherman. Towne's body of work includes screenplays Chinatown (1974), Mission: Impossible (1996), Mission: Impossible 2 (2000), The Last Detail (1973), Shampoo (1975), The Firm (1993), and Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984).^[71] The Writers Guild of America, West recently ranked Chinatown just behind Casablanca and The Godfather as the third greatest English language screenplay of all time.^[72]

Organized crime

• Joe "Pegleg" Morgan: The former head of a Mexican Mafia prison gang, Morgan was born in San Pedro to Croatian immigrants, before he moved to East Los Angeles as a teenager. During the 1960s, he was the link between the Mexican Mafia and the West Coast Italian crime syndicates.^[73] The character "JD", in the 1992 Edward James Olmos movie American Me, was based on Morgan.^[74]

References