Old School (2003): Where Was the Movie Filmed?

‘Old School’ is a 2003 comedy movie that follows a group of unhappy men in their 30s who decide to spice up their lives by starting their own frat house. Mitch (Luke Wilson), Frank (Will Ferrell), and Bernard (Vince Vaughn) take up a house near their alma mater and embark on a quirky, booze-fuelled adventure as they try to relive their college glory days. Of course, things don’t go smoothly, leading to some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments.

Directed and co-written by Todd Phillips, the film mashes hard-partying college humor with midlife crisis pokes at the central characters. Moreover, the calm suburban backdrop of the film makes their raucous antics all the more entertaining. If you’re wondering where ‘Old School’ was shot, here’s a lowdown of all the comedy movie’s filming locations.

Old School Filming Locations

‘Old School’ was filmed in California and Massachusetts, specifically in Los Angeles County and Cambridge. Despite the narrative being set in the fictional Harrison University in Upstate New York, the production team used multiple locations as backdrops in the Golden State, including a few colleges and universities. Principal photography reportedly kicked off on January 7, 2002, and wrapped up by March 18, 2022. Now let’s take a look at the specific locations that the crew utilized to bring the movie to life.

La Crescenta-Montrose, California

Many of the film’s scenes were taped in the unincorporated area of La Crescenta-Montrose in Los Angeles County, California. This includes Will Ferrell’s famous streaking scene, which was recorded on Honolulu Avenue between Market Street and Ocean View Boulevard in Montrose. Incidentally, Ferrell apparently stripped down completely for the scene. Exterior shots for the scenes in which Mitch and his group discuss saving their fraternity were shot at Montrose Bakery & Cafe at 2325 Honolulu Avenue.

Los Angeles, California

Several pivotal scenes were lensed in Los Angeles, especially in and around the UCLA campus on 405 Hilgard Avenue. Filming locations include the university’s Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden at 10899 Wilshire Boulevard, Royce Hall, Royce Quad, and Janss Steps on the Westwood campus. The USC University Park Campus near downtown Los Angeles was also used for lensing a few scenes, as was the Palisades Charter High School at 15777 Bowdoin Street in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

A few other Los Angeles spots that hosted the production crew include the Quality Coffee Shop at 1238 West 7th Street and The Ebell of Los Angeles at 743 South Lucerne Boulevard. Additional scenes were lensed at the Ambassador Hotel at 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, the Los Angeles Convention Center at 1201 South Figueroa Street, and the nearby Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at 3911 South Figueroa Street.

Furthermore, studio filming occurred at the Barwick Studios at 4585 Electronics Place, now called Quixote Studios – Griffith Park. Scenes depicting Frank the Tank’s house were filmed at 2284 Mar Vista Avenue in the nearby unincorporated area of Altadena.

Pasadena, California

A few scenes were recorded in the city of Pasadena in Los Angeles County. In fact, the continuation of the scene where Mitch and the boys talk about saving the fraternity was lensed at Shakers at 601 Fair Oaks Avenue in South Pasadena. A few scenes were reportedly shot nearby at 1803 Bushnell Avenue and the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center on 360 North Arroyo Boulevard. Finally, eagle-eyed audiences will also spot the Rialto Theatre, situated at 1023 South Fair Oaks Avenue in South Pasadena, in the film.

Glendale, California

The crew briefly filmed in the city of Glendale, which lies in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County. The Cordon’s Ranch Market parking lot was depicted using the property at 2931 Honolulu Avenue in the Verdugo City neighborhood. The TV show ‘Bosch‘ and the movies ‘Ford v. Ferrari,’ ‘The Girl Next Door,’ and ‘Booksmart‘ were also lensed in Glendale.

Cambridge, Massachusetts

A few scenes in the film feature Harvard University as a stand-in for the fictional Harrison University. However, this is likely aerial footage that was originally captured for director Todd Phillips’ earlier film, ‘Road Trip.’ The parts of the iconic university shown in the film are situated at Eliot House, 101 Dunster Avenue, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.