Grease (1978)

Post date: Jan 16, 2012 8:49:17 PM

The film adaption of the popular 70s musical stars John Travolta as 1950s greaser Danny Zuko and Olivia Newton-John as squeaky-clean Sandy Olsen. After a summer romance, they are reunited at Rydell High. The film was shot in Los Angeles.

The opening scene takes place on the northernmost rocks of Leo Carrillo State Beach off Highway 1 in Malibu.

GPS Coordinates:

34.043639, -118.937764

Exterior shots at Rydell High were filmed at Venice High School at 13000 Venice Boulevard in Venice, CA.

Danny and friends sing "Summer Lovin'" in the bleachers behind the school. The football field is of course seen during the football game and later Sandy watches Danny run on the track from the same bleachers.

GPS Coordinates:

33.996773,-118.443455

Sandy sings her part in the cafeteria between the rear of the school and the bleachers. They have since built a building around this.

GPS Coordinates:

33.996933,-118.444228

Frenchy's house where the slumber party takes place is at 4524 Kingswell Avenue in east Hollywood.

Danny tries out baseball at Venice High, located NE of the football field.

GPS Coordinates:

33.997214,-118.442106

The basketball courts are located on the south end of the football field.

GPS Coordinates:

33.995935,-118.442969

The drive-in movie scene was filmed at the now-extinct Pickwick Drive In at 1100 West Alameda Avenue in Burbank.

The "Frosty Palace" was created on the backlot of Paramount Studios at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood.

Interior school scenes and the big dance in the gym were filmed at Huntington Park High School at 6020 Miles Avenue in Huntington Park, CA.

Betty (Stockard Channing) sings "There Are Worse Things I Can Do" on the NE side of the main school building at Venice High.

GPS Coordinates:

33.997625,-118.443595

The lineup for the big drag race is on the south side of the 6th Street bridge over the Los Angeles River. They are aimed north toward the 4th Street Bridge.

GPS Coordinates:

34.038308,-118.228029

Sandy watches the race just to the east of here.

GPS Coordinates:

34.038136,-118.227554

The rest of the gang watches from the other (west) side, right under the bridge.

GPS Coordinates:

34.038499,-118.228438

The cars continue on their path northward (away from the 6th Street bridge).

Having passed under the 4th Street bridge, they continue northward toward the 1st Street bridge in the distance.

The reverse angle (from the north) shows them approaching the 1st Street bridge. Once past it, they turn around and head back toward the start line.

They are now on the western embankment between the 1st Street & 4th Street bridges (the continuity in this part is a little off, as it flip-flops the scenery a bit).

GPS Coordinates:

34.046063,-118.230067

Approaching the finish, Danny is about to get airborne.

GPS Coordinates:

34.039232,-118.228313

The carnival scene at the end of the film took place behind John Marshall High School at 3939 Tracy Street in Los Feliz. The football field is now Astro Turf instead of grass.

Google Map

See attachment below