is a beach community within Los Angeles, California , USA. It was Annexed in 1909 and is a major seaport of the area. The town has grown from being dominated by the fishing industry to become primarily a blue-collar working town. The name of the town is pronounced by its residents, even its Hispanic residents, as ˈpidroʊ (in IPA ) rather than its Spanish pronunciation ( IPA : [samˈpeðɾo]).
San Pedro is located at (33.73583, -118.29139).
The city is situated in a Mediterranean Climate zone (Köppen climate classification), experiencing mild, somewhat wet Winters and warm to hot Summers . Breezes from the Pacific Ocean tend to keep the beach community cooler in summer and warmer in winter than those in further inland Los Angeles; summer temperatures can sometimes be as much as 18 °F (10 °C) warmer in the inland communities compared to that of San Pedro and other Los Angeles coastal communities. The area also sees a phenomenon known as the "marine layer," a dense cloud cover caused by the proximity of the ocean that helps keep the temperatures cooler throughout the year. When the marine layer becomes more common and pervades farther inland during the months of May and June, it is called June Gloom .
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The site, at the southern end of the Palos Verdes Peninsula , on the west side of San Pedro Bay , was used by Spanish ships starting in the 1540s .
San Pedro was named after St. Peter of Alexandria, a 4th century bishop in Alexandria, Egypt. His feast day is November 24 , the day on which Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo discovered the bay in 1542 which would become "San Pedro." Santa Catalina Island , named after St. Katherine of Sinai, was also claimed for the Spanish Empire the next day, on her feast day, November 25th. In 1602-1603, Sebastián Vizcaíno ( 1548 - 1624 ) officially surveyed and mapped the California coastline, including San Pedro Bay, for New Spain .
Regular settlement began in 1769 as part of the effort to populate California, although trade restrictions encouraged more smuggling than regular business. The is the site of the first Spanish Land Grant in Alta California , New Spain . The land was granted in 1784 by King Carlos III to Juan Jose Dominguez, a retired Spanish soldier who came to California with the Gaspar De Portolà expedition.
When New Spain won its independence from the Spanish Empire and Alta California became part of Mexico , the trade restrictions were lifted, and the town flourished.
Under United States control after 1848 , when the United States defeated Mexico in the Mexican-American War , the harbor was greatly improved and expanded under the guidance of Phineas Banning . San Pedro became a major port of the West Coast and is now the busiest port in the country.
In 1888 , the War Department took control of a tract of land next to the bay and added to it in 1897 and 1910 . This became Fort MacArthur in 1914 and was a coastal defense site for many years. Many other facilities were established in the San Pedro area, and it was a popular Port Of Call for U.S. Navy ships, especially during World War II. The town became a well known watering hole for sailors and Marines during leave and established a reputation as a rough-and-tumble town that, to a certain extent, it still maintains today.
In 1906 , the City of Los Angeles annexed a long narrow strip of land connecting the city to the coast, and in 1909 , the city annexed San Pedro and the adjacent town of Wilmington . The odd shape is still seen in the map of the city.
See Also: Port of Los Angeles
San Pedro, Wilmington, and Terminal Island are the locations of the Port of Los Angeles.
One San Pedro landmark is the Vincent Thomas Bridge , a 1,500-foot- long Suspension Bridge linking San Pedro with Terminal Island and named after California Assembly man Vincent Thomas. It is the third longest suspension bridge in California. Nearby is the Los Angeles Maritime Museum , the largest Maritime Museum in California, as is the Museum Ship SS ''Lane Victory'' , a fully operational Victory Ship of World War II and National Historic Landmark .
The Frank Gehry -designed Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is also in San Pedro. The Point Fermin Light house, a Victorian-era structure built in the late 19th century, still exists as a museum and park on a bluff overlooking the ocean. The Korean Bell Of Friendship is a massive bronze memorial Bell donated by South Korea in 1976 to the people of Los Angeles.
In 2003, the San Pedro Waterfront Red Car Line was opened, along the waterfront between downtown San Pedro and the Cruise Ship Terminal. This line includes two newly constructed streetcars built to resemble the wood-bodied cars used in the early days of the Pacific Electric railway, which once operated more than 1,000 miles of track running city and interurban streetcars in Southern California. The 1.5-mile line operates along former Pacific Electric trackage. The line, built and maintained by the Port Of Los Angeles , also has one original restored Pacific Electric streetcar, which is used only for special charter excursions and special events. This original car was used as a model for construction of the two new replica streetcars. Discussions have been held to extend the line to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium .
Twenty-Eighth Street in San Pedro, between Gaffey Street and Peck Avenue, is the steepest section of public roadway in Los Angeles. For about 50 feet, the street climbs at a 33.3% angle, although the rest of the street is less steep. {Link without Title}
- Annual Los Angeles Harbor Holiday Afloat Parade: the 2006 parade was the 43rd edition.
- Annual Holiday Spirit of San Pedro Parade: the 2006 parade was the 27th
- Annual Taste of San Pedro, held at Point Fermin Park. The event features local restaurants and musicians.
- Annual Chocolate Lobster Dive-a-Thon, held at Cabrillo Beach where participants SCUBA dive for "chocolate lobsters" for prizes.
- First Thursday Artwalk & Dining, held in Downtown San Pedro on Sixth and Seventh Streets between Pacific Avenue and Mesa.
- Annual Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture, held at Point Fermin Park. Now in its 16th year, FPAC is the largest presenter of Philippine arts and culture in Southern California presenting over 1200 artists in 9 disciplines and attracting over 20,000 audience members from all over the country. The event will be September 8 & 9.
Ethnically diverse, San Pedro was a magnet for European immigrants from various countries for years, reflected in the
number of restaurants representing diverse cuisines, especially Portuguese , Mexican , Croatian , Italian , and Greek . San Pedro is home to the largest Italian-American community in Southern California , centered on the "Via Italia" (South Cabrillo Avenue). Estimates state that the community numbers about 45,000 Italian-Americans. San Pedro is also considered a heart of the Croatian community in Los Angeles. This community, originally comprised of seafarers and fishermen from the Dalmatia (especially the islands of Brač , Hvar , Vis and Korčula ) region, has been present in San Pedro since the settlement began more than 200 years ago. The City of Los Angeles even named a stretch of 9th Street "Croatian Place" in honor of the city's old Croatian community. There are reportedly more than 35,000 Croats in San Pedro, making it the biggest Croatian community on the Pacific. {Link without Title} .
A large portion of San Pedro is also composed of Mexican-Americans with long-time roots in the community, Mexican and other Hispanic immigrants, and African-Americans . Much of their populations are based in the older, east side of the community surrounding the downtown area and bordering the Port of Los Angeles.
Until February 1942, San Pedro was home to a vibrant (East San Pedro).
These Japanese immigrants pioneered albacore fishing out of San Pedro Bay and harvesting abalone off of White Point, thus leading the way in establishing a viable fishing industry in San Pedro.
The 48-hour forced expulsion of these San Pedro residents and the razing of their homes and shops, as part of the Japanese-American Internment during World War II , is described in Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston 's memoir '' Farewell To Manzanar ''.
(Population 72,146)
The racial make up of San Pedro according to the 2000 U.S. Census data is 63.02% Caucasian (Croatian, Italian, Hispanic-Whites, Middle Eastern) 6.45% Black, 1.02% American Indian and Alaska Native alone, 4.78% Asian, 0.40% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, 18.02% some other race, and 6.30% two or more races. Separate from those statistics, 41.14% of "Caucasians" identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, and 43.41% as "Caucasian" alone, not Hispanic or Latino. {Link without Title}
San Pedro is served by the Los Angeles Unified School District. San Pedro High School and the Port of Los Angeles High School are primary senior high schools within the region. San Pedro High School is home to the protected landmarks in the form of The English Language Arts and Administration Buildings (c. 1939, 1936, resp.). The school recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2003. It is home to both the Marine Science and Police Academy Magnet programs. Port of Los Angeles High School is a public charter high school, fusing a college preparatory program with elective coursework in International Business and Maritime Studies. Such studies reinforce the significant impact of California’s ports on the global economy and international trade.
Test scores tend to be higher in the area's elementary schools than in its middle and high schools {Link without Title} .
;Primary Schools (Grades 1-5)
;Secondary Schools (Grades 6-12)
;Private Schools (Grades 9-12)
;Continuation Schools
Los Angeles Public Library operates the San Pedro Branch.
- San Pedro, California is a very popular location for filming. Films shot in San Pedro include:
- --- The Most Dangerous Game is a 1932 film adaptation of the 1924 Short Story Of The Same Name by Richard Connell . {Link without Title}
- --- Landmark black-and-white Horror-adventure film King Kong (1933 Film) . {Link without Title}
- --- Iconic 1936 comedy film by Charles Chaplin about the Great Depression , Modern Times . {Link without Title}
- --- Classic 1937 comedy film Nothing Sacred . {Link without Title}
- --- Acamedy Award nominated American film The Long Voyage Home released in 1940 and directed by John Ford . {Link without Title}
- --- Dick Tracy Vs. Crime, Inc. ( 1941 ) the Republic Movie Serial based on the class="copylinks">Dick [lms Ever Made. It Stars [[Robert De Niro , who won an Academy Award for the part, as Jake LaMotta . [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081398/locations
- --- Escape From The Planet Of The Apes is a 1971 science fiction film starring Roddy McDowall , Kim Hunter , and Bradford Dillman . It is the second sequel to the Planet Of The Apes movie of 1968, the first sequel being Beneath the Planet Of The Apes (1970). {Link without Title}
- --- Chinatown the 1974 film directed by Roman Polanski featuring many elements of the Film Noir genre, particularly a multi-layered story that is part Mystery and part Psychological Drama . The movie won several high-profile awards, including an Academy Award in 1975 for Best Writing and Original Screenplay for Robert Towne . {Link without Title}
- --- Private Benjamin the 1980 comedy film which tells the story of Judy, a wealthy Jewish woman, who joins the army when her new husband dies on their wedding night. Nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress In A Leading Role ( Goldie Hawn ), Best Actress In A Supporting Role ( Eileen Brennan ) and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly For The Screen . {Link without Title}
- --- Swing Shift is a 1984 feature film directed by Jonathan Demme and produced by and starring Goldie Hawn with Kurt Russell . It also starred Christine Lahti . {Link without Title}
- --- To Live And Die In L.A. is a Neo-noir American film released in 1985 and directed by William Friedkin . The movie is based on the novel written by former Secret Service Agent Gerald Petievich, who co-wrote the screenplay with Friedkin. The picture stars William L. Petersen , Willem Dafoe , John Turturro , John Pankow , and others. The film tells the story of how two U.S. Secret Service agents set out to arrest a counterfeiter, using any means necessary. The agents don't let the law stand in their way. {Link without Title}
- --- is a 1987 film directed by Gary Sherman and starring Rutger Hauer as Nick Randall, the descendant of the character played by Steve McQueen in the television series of the same name. {Link without Title}
- --- The 1987 Film Some Kind Of Wonderful stars Eric Stoltz , Lea Thompson , and Mary Stuart Masterson . It was one of the many successful teen dramas written by John Hughes in the 1980s , although this one was directed by Howard Deutch . The film's title comes from a song written by John Ellison that was a hit for Grand Funk Railroad . {Link without Title}
- --- is the fourth film in the A Nightmare On Elm Street series. It was released in 1988. The film was directed by Renny Harlin . {Link without Title}
- --- is a 1988 comedy film, the first in a series of movies starring Leslie Nielsen , Priscilla Presley , George Kennedy , and O.J. Simpson . {Link without Title}
- --- , Grand L. Bush , Don Cheadle , Damon Wayans , Leon Robinson , and Maria Conchita Alonso . {Link without Title}
- --- The Abyss is a 1989 Science Fiction film which was written and directed by James Cameron , starring Ed Harris , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , and Michael Biehn . The film won the 1990 Oscar for Best Visual Effects . It was also nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration , Best Cinematography and Best Sound . The studio lobbied hard to get Michael Biehn nominated for the Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor , but to no avail. The Abyss was nominated for many other awards, such as by Academy Of Science Fiction , Fantasy & Horror Films and the American Society Of Cinematographers . It ended up winning a total of three other awards from these organizations. {Link without Title}
- --- The Hunt For Red October the 1990 film based on the best-selling novel of the same name. {Link without Title}
- ---Boyz in the Hood, rapper Ice Cubes first production film in 1991.
- --- Successful 1992 film A Few Good Men , starring the star packed cast of Tom Cruise , Demi Moore , Jack Nicholson , Kevin Pollak , Kevin Bacon , J.T. Walsh and Kiefer Sutherland . {Link without Title}
- --- Clear And Present Danger the 1994 film directed by Phillip Noyce , based on the book of the same name by Tom Clancy ; starring Harrison Ford. {Link without Title}
- --- Heat the 1995 remake of L.A. Takedown , a 1989 Made-for-television Film written and directed by Michael Mann . Critical and commercial success, grossing $187,436,818 worldwide. {Link without Title}
- --- Outbreak (1995) is a suspense film starring Dustin Hoffman , Rene Russo , Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey . The film was directed by Wolfgang Petersen . In addition, Outbreak features Cuba Gooding Jr. , Donald Sutherland , and Patrick Dempsey . {Link without Title}
- --- A Walk In The Clouds the 1995 Romance Film directed by Alfonso Arau and produced by the Zucker Brothers ; it is a remake of a 1942 Italian film of the same title. It stars Keanu Reeves , Giancarlo Giannini , Anthony Quinn and Aitana Sánchez-Gijón . {Link without Title}
- --- The Usual Suspects is a 1995 American film written by Christopher McQuarrie (who earned an Oscar For The Screenplay ) and directed by Bryan Singer . It stars Kevin Spacey (who won an Academy Award For Best Supporting Actor for his performance), Gabriel Byrne , Chazz Palminteri , Stephen Baldwin , Pete Postlethwaite , Benicio Del Toro and Kevin Pollak . {Link without Title}
- --- The Crossing Guard is a 1995 Independent Film directed and written by American actor Sean Penn. It stars Jack Nicholson , David Morse , Anjelica Huston and Robin Wright Penn . {Link without Title}
- --- Freeway the 1996 thriller film starring Reese Witherspoon , Kiefer Sutherland and Brooke Shields . The movie is a Black Comedy loosely modeled after the story of Little Red Riding Hood . {Link without Title}
- --- 1996 Academy Award nominated action film The Rock . {Link without Title}
- --- Face/Off the 1997 critical and financial successful Action Thriller film, starring John Travolta and Nicola Cage . {Link without Title}
- --- Beverly Hills Ninja the 1997 film starring Chris Farley as a bumbling Beverly Hills Ninja . Written by Mark Feldberg and Mitchell Klebanoff and directed by Dennis Dugan , the film was released the same year of Chris Farley's death. Also stars Nicollette Sheridan , Robin Shou , Nathaniel Parker , Soon-Tek Oh , Keith Cook e, and Chris Rock . {Link without Title}
- --- Batman & Robin the fourth and final installment in the Comic Book -inspired film series initiated by Tim Burton , and the second directed by Joel Schumacher . Released in 1997, it starred George Clooney as Batman and Chris O'Donnell returning as Robin , and introduced Batgirl ( Alicia Silverstone ), a niece of Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred ( Michael Gough ). The villains in this movie are Poison Ivy , played by Uma Thurman , Mr. Freeze , played by Arnold Schwarzenegger (who received Top Billing for this film), and Bane , played by Jeep Swenson . {Link without Title}
- --- Amistad is a 1997 Steven Spielberg film based on a slave mutiny that took place aboard a ship of the same name in 1839 , and the Illegal activity that followed. Starred Matthew McConaughey , Morgan Freeman , Anthony Hopkins , Stellan Skarsgård , amd Djimon Hounsou . Nominated for the Academy award in: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Anthony Hopkins, Best Cinematography, Janusz Kaminski, Best Costume Design, Ruth Carter, Best Music, Original Dramatic Score, John Williams. {Link without Title}
- --- Highest grossing film of all time, 1997 Romantic Drama film Titanic , by James Cameron . {Link without Title}
- --- the 1997 Science Fiction Film and the second Jurassic Park film as part of the Jurassic Park Franchise . {Link without Title}
- --- Wild Things is a 1998 Erotic Crime Film starring Matt Dillon , Kevin Bacon , Denise Richards , Neve Campbell and Bill Murray . It was directed by John McNaughton . {Link without Title}
- --- The Thin Red Line is a 1998 War Film which tells the story of United States Forces during the Battle Of Guadalcanal in World War II . It marked Terrence Malick's return to filmmaking after a twenty year absence. {Link without Title}
- --- Fight Club the 1999 Feature Film adaptation of the 1996 Novel Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk ; adapted by Jim Uhls , directed by David Fincher , and starring Edward Norton , Brad Pitt , Helena Bonham Carter , and Meat Loaf . {Link without Title}
- --- Gone In Sixty Seconds the 2000 action film, starring Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie , Giovanni Ribisi , and Robert Duvall ; directed by Dominic Sena , and written by Scott Rosenberg . It was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer , and is a remake of the 1974 H.B. Halicki film Gone In 60 Seconds . {Link without Title}
- --- Charlie's Angels ( 2000 ) is an action/comedy film based on (and something of a sequel to) the 1970s Television Series Charlie's Angels . The angels were played by Cameron Diaz (Natalie Cook), Drew Barrymore (Dylan Sanders), and Lucy Liu (Alex Munday). {Link without Title}
- --- U-571 is a 2000 movie directed by Jonathan Mostow , and starring Matthew McConaughey , Bill Paxton , Harvey Keitel , Jon Bon Jovi , Jack Noseworthy , Will Estes , and Tom Guiry . In the movie, a German Submarine is boarded in 1942 by disguised American submariners seeking to capture its Enigma Cipher Machine . {Link without Title}
- --- One Night At McCool's the 2001 Dark Comedy , directed by Harald Zwart and starring Matt Dillon , Michael Douglas , Paul Reiser , John Goodman , Liv Tyler , Reba McEntire and Andrew Dice Clay . {Link without Title}
- --- was also filmed in San Pedro. {Link without Title}
- --- Catch Me If You Can the 2002 motion picture set in the 1960s . It was directed by Steven Spielberg and adapted by Jeff Nathanson loosely from the book by Frank Abagnale Jr. and Stan Redding . The lead actors were Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks , with a supporting role by Christopher Walken . Williams and Walken were nominated for Academy Awards. {Link without Title}
- --- Red Dragon , a 2002 Thriller film, based on the novel of the same name written by Thomas Harris featuring the brilliant Psychiatrist and serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter . {Link without Title}
- --- A Man Apart the 2003 action film starring Vin Diesel and directed by F. Gary Gray. {Link without Title}
- --- The Shape Of Things is a Play by American author and film director Neil LaBute apapted to a 2003 American movie. Starring Paul Rudd , Rachel Weisz , Gretchen Mol , and Fred Weller . {Link without Title}
- --- 50 First Dates the 2004 Romantic Comedy starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore and directed by Peter Segal . Other cast members included Rob Schneider and Sean Astin . {Link without Title}
- --- The Black Dahlia the Academy Award-nominated 2006 Film directed by Brian De Palma . It is based on the novel of the same name by James Ellroy , which was based on the murder of Elizabeth Short . {Link without Title}
- Projects in production to be filmed in San Pedro.
- --- Wanted set to release in 2009. Starring Jennifer Aniston. {Link without Title}
- Many city residents subscribe to or purchase the local newspaper, the Daily Breeze . In 2003, it created a weekly, More San Pedro, in the San Pedro Harbor Area.
- --- Other papers available for subscription or purchase include the Los Angeles Times and the Long Beach Press-Telegram .
;Art
- Elmer Batters , nylon/foot fetish photographer
- Mark Machado, better known as " Mister Cartoon ", prolific tattoo artist, studio set and CD cover illustrator, co-creator of the Joker line of clothing, jewelry, and leather wear.
;Acting
- Mike Lookinland , who played the youngest brother, Bobby Brady, on "The Brady Bunch" television series from 1969 until 1974, lived in San Pedro while a child actor.
- Patrick Muldoon , had regular reoccurring roles in the well-known soap operas " Days of Our Lives " and " Melrose Place ". Starred in 1997 film " Starship Troopers ".
- Sharon Tate , actress and wife of Roman Polanski , brutally murdered by the "Manson Family".
- D.L. Hughley , comedian and actor. Attended San Pedro High School. Currently starring in the NBC series "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip."
;Music
- hits including "You're the Biggest Part of Me" and "(Thats) How Much I Feel".
- Juan Covarrubias ,Created Purple Haze Productions has over 20 Bone Thugs,2pac,andEazy-E,(unnoficial) Videos
- John Bettis : Lyricist for many big artists including: Micheal Jackson, Madonna, The Carpenters, Whitney Houston and others. He has won an Emmy award and has been nominated for an Oscar for his work on the Godfather III theme song.
- band grew up in San Pedro and the band was formed there. Bassist/songwriter Mike Watt still lives in San Pedro and is an active participant in its music scene. Drummer George Hurley still lives in San Pedro, as well.
- Krist Novoselic , the bassist of Nirvana , grew up in San Pedro before moving to Aberdeen, Washington .
- Jack Anthony , singer/songwriter and lead singer of the Jack Anthony band, was born and raised in San Pedro and has released several punk/rock/pop albums and one EP which contains a song entitled "Averill Park", named after a local San Pedro park. In 2006 MTV filmed a reality show called "Garage Band Makeover" with the band.
- Art Pepper , Jazz Saxophonist , was born and raised there.
- Brenton Wood , singer and songwriter, his biggest hit "Gimme Little Sign" reached #9 on the pop charts in 1967.
- Eric Erlandson , co-founder of and lead guitarist for 90's rock/grunge band Hole . 1981 graduate of San Pedro High School. He also attended Holy Trinity Catholic School, Dana Junior High School (now Middle School) and Los Angeles Harbor College.
;Politics
- John S. Gibson, Jr. , a Los Angeles City Council man, lived there until his death in 1981 .
- James Hahn , former Mayor Of Los Angeles , is a current resident.
- Janice Hahn , current City Councilwoman for the 15th district.
- Xavier Hermosillo , former Chief of Staff for the State of California Republican Party. Former award-winning newsprint reporter, television commentator and radio talk show host.
- Joe Hill , a radical songwriter, labor activist, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World, lived and worked in San Pedro in the early years of the 20th Century and here began his labor organizing years.
- Yuri Kochiyama , civil rights activist & Nobel Peace prize nominee . Held a dying Malcolm X in her arms after an assassin had shot him.
- Mike Lansing , school board member for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Also the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Harbor Boys and Girls Club.
;Sports
- Joe Amalfitano , long-time 3rd base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Part of the 1981 and 1988 World Series championship teams.
- Alan Ashby, gold-glove winning catcher for the Houston Astros in the 1970'-1980's.
- Denise Austin , Fitness guru
- Ronnie Barber Sr., played tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs in the old AFL.
- James Cotton , ex-CSULB basketball standout. Sharpshooting guard was selected in the 2nd round by the Seattle Supersonics in the 1997 NBA Draft. Played 2 seasons for Seattle.
- Joe Danelo , ex-kicker for the New York Giants.
- Mario Danelo , record setting ex-placekicker for the 2006 NCAA national champion USC Trojans tragically fell to his death in the cliffs overlooking Santa Catalina Island in San Pedro in 2007.
- Gary Gabelich , set the Guinness Book of World Records driving his rocket-powered "Blue Flame" vehicle for a world land speed record of 622.287 M.P.H. at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah on October 23, 1970. Record stood for 13 years.
- Bob Gross , starting small forward for the Portland Trailblazers 1977 NBA championship team.
- Brian Harper , former starting catcher for the 1991 World Champion Minnesota Twins. Manager of Los Angeles Angels triple-A affiliate Salt Lake City Bees.
- Dennis Johnson , Boston Celtic and Seattle Supersonic basketball great in the 1970s and 1980s. Won 3 NBA championship rings.
- Richard Johnson , former USFL and Detroit Lion wide receiver.
- Ed Jurak , utility infielder for the Boston Red Sox in the 1970s and 1980s.
- Andy Lopez, former head baseball coach of at the University of Florida. Coached Pepperdine University in 1992 to the College World Series title. Currently the head baseball coach at the University of Arizona.
- Garry Maddox , 8-time golden glove winning and starting center fielder for the 1980 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies.
- Haven Moses , former starting wide receiver for the Denver Broncos in the 1970s. Started in Super Bowl XII versus the Dallas Cowboys.
- Willie Naulls , ex-UCLA basketball great. Played power forward/center for New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics. 4-time NBA All-Star with the Knicks in the 1950s. Won 3 NBA Championships with the Celtics in the 1960s.
- Angela Nikodinov has finished in the top five in the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships 7 times (1996-2004) and placed 4th in the World in 2002.
- Raul Rojas, boxing lightweight championship contender in the 1960s.
- Norm Schachter , three time Super Bowl referee in the National Football League .
- Rob Van Dam , an American professional wrestler
- Tim Wrightman , ex-UCLA star and starting tight end for the dominant 1985 Super Bowl XX Champion Chicago Bears.
;Writers and poets
- Louis Adamic , 1899-1951 Slovenian-American novelist and journalist who wrote about American minorities & immigrants.
- Richard Armour , poet and author who wrote over sixty books, was born in San Pedro on July 25, 1906.
- Charles Bukowski , author and poet, lived there in his later years.Ciotti, Paul. (March 22, 1987) Los Angeles Times ''Bukowski: He's written more than 40 books, and in Europe he's treated like a rock star. He has dined with Norman Mailer and goes to the race track with Sean Penn. Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway are starring in a movie based on his life. At 66, poet Charles Bukowski is suddenly in vogue.'' Section: Los Angeles Times Magazine; Page 12.
"San Pedro is real quiet. It used to be a seaport full of whorehouses and bars. latter are still in abundance. I like the quietness. They ask you how you're doing, they really want to know."
- Richard Henry Dana author of the famous memoir " Two Years Before The Mast ." Dana was not a resident but rather a famous visitor to San Pedro, who wrote about the experience in his memoir. San Pedro's first middle school is named after him.
"Two days brought us to San Pedro, and two days more (to our no small joy)gave us our last view of that place, which was universally called the hell of California and seemed designed in every way for the wear and tear of sailors. Not even the last view could bring out one feeling of regret. No thanks, thought I, as we left the hated shores in the distance, for the hours I have walked over your stones barefooted, with hides on my head, -- for the burdens I have carried up your steep, muddy hill, --for the duckings in your surf; and for the long days and longer nights passed on your desolate hill, watching piles of hides, hearing the sharp bark of your eternal coyotes, and the dismal hooting of your owls."
- Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston , author of the popular memoir '' Farewell To Manzanar '' on the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II . She briefly lived in East San Pedro ( Terminal Island ).
"In those days it San Pedro was a company town, a ghetto owned and controlled by the canneries. The men went after fish, and whenever the boats came back-day or night-the woman would be called to process the catch while it was fresh. One in the afternoon or four in the morning, it made no difference...I can still hear the whistle--two toots for French's, three for Van Camp's--and she [Mom] and Chizu would be out of bed in the middle of the night, heading for the cannery."
- Louis L'Amour , Western Fiction Writer. 1
"The worst times were when he was "on the beach" - on shore, in San Pedro, California, between ships and broke. "I slept in boxcars and under piles of lumber, and took jobs no one else wanted. I was 18 and looked 24. There were several times I went three and four days without eating. I didn't beg or steal, just went without. I'd like to recover for my readers what it's really like to be hungry. I have a penchant for stories about survival, lessons in survival. I've been a survivor most of my life." L'Amour chronicled some of his experiences on the beach in San Pedro in is 1980 book Yondering .."
- Sandrot Meallet , author of the novel "Edgewater Angels".
"Meallet calls the people he grew up with in the Rancho San Pedro Housing Project ' the most wonderful people I ever knew. These kids had to grow up in a constant state of cultural crisis, always reacting to the police, their messed up parents, and neighborhood gang leaders. It takes superhuman strength to get through it and be aware.' "
- Scott O'Dell , author of young-adult literature, lived in East San Pedro (Terminal Island) during his childhood.
- John Shannon , Mystery Novelist
"It was interesting. San Pedro may have been the last great place to grow up in the L.A. area -- a harbor, a real sense of community, a real Left, even a literary history: Charles Bukowski , Louis Adamic , even Richard Henry Dana stayed {Link without Title} for a time. I could ride the ferry across to Terminal Island, hang out at the docks, walk down the harbor among the commercial fishing boats with old Sicilians and Croatians mending their nets, catch crawdads in Averill Park."
- Arthur A. Almeida , local historian and labor writer, was also president of the ILWU local 13. He has written extensively on labor history and has been the president of the San Pedro Bay Historical Society.
;Film & Television
- Lincoln Ruchti - Director of the documentary '''' {Link without Title}
- Juan Covarrubias ,Created Purple Haze Productions has over 20 Bone Thugs,2pac,andEazy-E,(unnoficial) Videos
- Robert Towne , writer, director, producer, actor. Raised in San Pedro. His father owned a popular dress shop that was on 6th Street. One of the best script doctors in Hollywood, he contributed crucial scenes to such films as Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and The Godfather (1972). Also wrote Chinatown (1974), Mission Impossible (1996), Mission Impossible II (2000), The Last Detail (1973), Shampoo (1975). The Writers Guild Of America recently ranked " Chinatown ", behind only " Casablanca " and " The Godfather ", as the 3rd greatest English language screenplay of all time {Link without Title} .
- Peter V. Manghera, hosts a local cable television talk show. His show, " Pete's Place " has been on the air since February, 1994 and has included many notable personages, including Rep. Jane Harmon (D-CA), Mayor James Hahn, and District Attorneys Steve Cooley and Gil Garcetti.
;The Infamous
- Joe "Pegleg" Morgan , ex-godfather of the Mexican Mafia prison gang. Joe, who was of Croatian-American heritage spent his early years in San Pedro. Moved to East L.A. in his teens. He was the link between the Mexican Mafia and the West Coast Italian crime syndicates criminal activities of the 1970s. Joe Morgan was the character " JD " in Edward James Olmos 1992 movie " American Me ".
- The short-lived `70's TV series The San Pedro Beach Bums was set in San Pedro. The show spawned the once-legendary line "Football? You bet!".
- MTV dating television show Next has shot at least one episode in San Pedro. The show has also included residents as contestants as well. {Link without Title}
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