Before Neil Diamond sang “Sweet Caroline”…
Before Moe Howard made us laugh in “The Three Stooges”…
Before Babs stole our hearts in “The Way We Were”…
They were all students at Erasmus Hall High School in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn!
The original Erasmus Hall Academy was the oldest high school in the state of New York, so Erasmus Hall High is sometimes called the “mother of high schools”. And the rooms of Erasmus Hall High have seen some of the most famous actors, musicians and celebrities in the world come through as students.
Here’s what Neil and Barbra have to say about their high school years.
“In school, I was a character. I was the wise guy. I always got good marks, so I was never in what you’d call real trouble, but everybody looked on me as the odd one. I used to dye my hair platinum blonde and wear strange color lipstick and eyeshadow.” – Barbra Streisand
“We were two poor kids in Brooklyn. We hung out in the front of Erasmus High and smoked cigarettes.” – Neil Diamond about Barbra Streisand
Some say Erasmus Hall High is haunted.
Michael Rappaport swears the school is haunted. He even talked about it on an episode of Celebrity Ghost Stories!
Not everyone finished high school either.
Moe Howard dropped out to pursue his acting career…
while Bobby Fischer left to play chess.
Other cool stuff.
Animator Joseph Barbera married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Earl. The couple was known as “Romeo & Juliet”.
Actress and singer Lainie Kazan was a senior when Barbra Streisand was a sophomore. Years later, Kazan was Streisand’s understudy in the broadway production of “Funny Girl”.
Who else went there?
- Operatic Soprano Beverly Sills
- Actor Eli Wallach
- Music Executive Clive Davis
- Actress Mae West
- Actress Barbara Stanwyck
- Raiders Owner Al Davis
- Singer Stephanie Mills
So now that the kids are back in school it seems like a good time to sneak away for some “me” time. How about coming on our Pizza Tour or Chocolate Tour? It’s the perfect way to give yourself a mid-week vacation!
