Donna Martin Graduates!

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Can’t tell you how excited I am about Tori Spelling’s new book, sTORI Telling ! I absolutely can’t wait to start reading it!!! I love me some 90210 gossip! In honor of Miz Spellings new tell-all, I thought I’d do a little post about the 90210 gang’s alma mater, the fictional West Beverly High School, which I stalked way back when I first moved to LA. In reality, the school isn’t located anywhere near Beverly Hills. It’s called Torrance High School and it can be found in the 90501 zip code, about 25 miles south of Rodeo Drive.

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I found this location thanks to my go-to stalking guide and I cannot tell you how excited I was to be there in the flesh. When 90210 was on the air, back when I was in high school, I wanted nothing more than to be Brenda Walsh. I loved her cowboy boots, her men’s ties, and (most of all) her boyfriend, Dylan. In high school, I actually changed my phone number to 34-LUKE-3 – I kid you not! (Needless to say, I didn’t have many friends in high school – lol) So, even though it was 7 years later when I finally got to see West Beverly High in person and 90210 was long past its prime, even though Brenda Walsh had long left the show and Donna Martin was no longer a virgin, I was still absolutely beside myself! I never dreamed I’d get to see West Beverly with my own two eyes.

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Unfortunately, Torrance High School looks much better on camera than it does in person. It’s lost a bit of its luster since the 90210 days and it is pretty run down in person, but I loved being there just the same! We visited the school on a weekend and pretty much had free reign to walk around. While many different parts of the school are recognizable from various episodes, most scenes were filmed in the center courtyard known in real life as the Senior Patio. You’ll immediately recognize the center fountain, large archways, and long staircase from various episodes of 90210. The Hello Day, time capsule and senior portrait scenes were all filmed in or around the Senior Patio. You will also recognize the main entrance to the school, which was also featured in numerous scenes.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

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Stalk It: Torrance High School is located at 2200 W. Carson Street in Torrance. The school was also featured in Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, She’s All That, Skin, Not Another Teen Movie, and Bring It On, as well as countless other productions. The Senior Patio can be found behind the main school building. I suggest visiting Torrance High on a weekend, when you will have more freedom to explore the property.

15 Replies to “Donna Martin Graduates!”

  1. Just came back from L.A. where, among other locations, my fiancé and I visited this location. It was definitely a surreal experience! This location definitely draws fans from all over the world, as we ran into a wonderfully nice fan who came all the way from Austrailia. The one downside to our visit was the fact that the entire school was surrounded by a fence which was laden with blue tarp. Apparently, the entire school is set to undergo a much-needed facelift. We did manage to sneak around to find the infamous quad, an iconic setting for many a memorable scene. It’s funny how some locations seem so much smaller in person, and this one was no different, a fact that didn’t make the experience any less grand. A fun experience happened on the way to our car. We passed by two guys holding up a banner and, on closer inspection, a third guy in a female Torrance High cheerleader outfit! The banner read “Will You Be My Cheerleader @ Prom?” Before I knew it, the music was queued up, a girl was escorted outside, and this guy in a cheerleader’s outfit broke out into this dance routine all for the cause of asking this girl to the prom! Only at Torrance High!

  2. I went to Torrance High was there when they filmed 90210 even watched them film on the week ends I went with my dad one morning we saw Luke Perry out side riding a bike no one was around he saw me and my dad and yelled hi. it was funny cause my dad asked who was that i told him it was one of the actors in the show after I left my sister started her freshman year they filmed Buffy the vampire slayer I wish I was there for that my cousin loved sarah michelle geller.

  3. I’m Julia from Canada BC and i absolutly love beverly hills 90210, it sucks that all the seasons arnt out in stores season 6 comes out November 25 i cant wait to one day actually see the school in person. I got bored and was surfing threw pictures on google of the school and came across this and I’m happy that i have.

    Thankyou for sharing this 🙂

  4. THS is actually my high school and I was lucky enough to watch them film 90210 my freshman year (it was their senior). Ahhhh, the memories of being a few feet away from Luke Perry!

  5. Hy!
    I’m Bea(16) from Budpaest, Hungary. I just want to tell you how happy I was when I saw your report and pictures about the “West Beverly High”. It is fantastic. My favourite series is Beverly Hills 90210 and I love it! Now I am a student in a high school and I also want to “be Brenda Walsh”:) like you. My dream is to see West Beverly with my own two eyes too:) Unfortunately I live far far away from Beverly Hills:( but someday I go there!!!!
    By:)

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