Cooley High

Feature film Cooley High was released in 1975 and it’s produced and released by American International Pictures. Cooley High was written by Eric Monte who was also the co-creator of Good Times. The film stars Glynn Turman and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and also features a soundtrack made up primarily of 1960s Motown hits single “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday”. Cooley High is a film which is frequently compared favourably not only to the George Lucas film American Graffiti but also to the The Big Chill.

ABC had planned to a television adaptation of Cooley High and they made it from one-camera film to three-camera sitcom named “What’s Happening!” and it ran from 1976 to 1979. Film was set at the School and also in and around Cabrini-Green. Monte said about it:

” I grew up in the Cabrini-Green housing project and I had one of the best times of my life, the most fun you can have while inhaling and exhaling”.

On the Entertainment Weekly’s list of the 50 Best High School Movies “Cooley High” was ranked on #23. Cooley High’s story is based on the adventures and relationships of two two black high school students at Edwin J. Cooley High School.