Heyl: Pittsburgh's Taylor Allderdice High School Churns Out The Rich And Famous

PITTSBURGH, PA - This dragon doesn’t exhale fire in ferocious blasts. Instead, it emits steady bursts of celebrity that makes it much more interesting than its brethren mythical beasts and also helps to keep insurance costs down.

This dragon is the mascot of Taylor Allderdice High School in Squirrel Hill, which opened in 1927 and was named after an industrialist and member of the city’s first school board. Were he alive today, Allderdice undoubtedly would be impressed by the number of people who walked out of the school and later walked into lives where they became well-known and wealthy.

It might be something in the water fountains. Perhaps not. But as Taylor Allderdice turns 90 as the new school year begins in two weeks, it’s an appropriate time to consider some of the more famous folks who traipsed through the dragon’s lair. This list is far from inclusive, but still large enough that it might be beneficial to put them in categories:

• Hollywood

Jeff Goldblum was one of the biggest stars of the ‘80s and ‘90s, appearing in films such as “The Big Chill,” “The Fly,” “Jurassic Park” and “Independence Day.” According to IMBD, he attended Allderdice. Marshall didn’t do much after leaving Allderdice; his biggest claim to fame is directing “Chicago,” which won the best picture Oscar in 2002.
Marty Allen, 95, might not be known to millennials, but was a famous stand-up comedian, actor and “Hollywood Squares” regular back in the 1960s and ‘70s. Maxine Lapiduss has been a writer and producer of such hit TV shows as “Roseanne” and “Home Improvement.” Sally Lapiduss, Maxine’s sister, has been a writer and producer of such hit TV shows as “Charles in Charge,” “Family Matters,” and “Mad About You.”

• Writers

Iris Ranier Dart wrote the novel “Beaches,” which was turned into a 1988 movie starring Bette Midler. Nathaniel Philbrick won the National Book Award in 2000 for his maritime history, “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex.”

• Professional sports

Curtis Martin played one year of football for the Dragons, went on to star for Pitt and had a decent NFL career for the New York Jets and New England Patriots, as his bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame attests. Larry Lucchino didn’t play sports professionally, but did spend many years as president and CEO of the Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox.

• Politics

Two Pittsburgh mayors, Richard Caliguiri (1977-88) and Bob O’Connor (2006), were Allderdice graduates. Tragically, both died in office.

• Media

Howard Fineman proved just how worthless a Pittsburgh Public Schools high school degree is by becoming the global editorial director of the AOL Huffington Post Media Group after serving as Newsweek’s chief political correspondent. Sharon Epperson is CNBC’s senior personal finance correspondent. Myron Cope was a gifted sports writer and Steelers broadcaster whose legacy will outlast all Allderdice grads because he created the legendary Terrible Towel.

• Rap

Wiz Khalifa, one of this generation’s most successful hip hop artists of this generation, was known by his real name when he attended Allderdice, Cameron Thomaz. Mac Miller, whose 2011 debut hip hop album debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, was known as Malcolm McCormick.

Tacked to a large monument outside of Taylor Allderdice is a banner displaying the school motto: “Know Something. Do Something. Be Something.” Many former students took that advice to heart.

The dragon has to be proud.

Eric Heyl is Patch’s Pittsburgh field editor. Reach him at 412-334-4033 or Eric.Heyl@Patch.com.

Jeff Goldblum photo by Gage Skidmore via Creative Commons; Rob Marshall photo by Nehrams2020 via Creative Commons; Curtis Martin photo via Associated Press; Bob O'Connor photo via Associated Press; Myron Cope photo via Associated Press; Wiz Khalifa photo by The Come Up Show via Creative Commons;

Allderdice photo by Eric Heyl/Patch staff.