Quick Scoop

The 1986 comedy classic Back to School , starring Rodney Dangerfield, was filmed primarily at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Wisconsin, which served as the fictional Grand Lakes University, along with several locations in California including the Industry Hills Aquatic Club and various spots around Los Angeles.

Primary Campus Location

The heart of Back to School was captured at the University of Wisconsin- Madison, where the majority of college scenes were shot. This stunning campus, with its beautiful architecture and picturesque setting along Lake Mendota, provided the perfect backdrop for Thornton Melon's (Rodney Dangerfield) outrageous college adventures. Notable campus landmarks featured in the film include the Memorial Union Terrace, which offers majestic views of the lake and surrounding city.

California Filming Locations

While the fictional university was set in Wisconsin, several key scenes were filmed across California locations:

  • Industry Hills Aquatic Club (City of Industry, California) - The diving competition scenes were filmed at this aquatic complex, which was part of the Industry Hills Sheraton/Country Club located about 25 miles southeast of Hollywood. The facility has since been demolished, but it provided the dramatic setting for the championship dive meet where Thornton and his son Jason mend their relationship.
  • Thornton's House - Located at 9933 Shangri La Drive in Beverly Hills, this luxurious residence served as the home of Rodney Dangerfield's wealthy character.
  • The Sorority House Scene - The Row House at USC (630 W 28th St, Los Angeles) was used when Thornton accidentally walks into a sorority house while looking for his son's dorm. This is actually the Tri-Delta house at the University of Southern California, complete with Greek letters and a dolphin mascot painted on the street.
  • Lecture Hall Scenes - California State University, Los Angeles (5151 State University Drive) was used for lecture hall and stairway scenes.
  • Additional Los Angeles Locations - UCLA in Westwood, 1530 Orange Grove Avenue in Hollywood, and Culver Studios (9336 W. Washington Blvd.) were also utilized during production.

Behind-the-Scenes Details

An interesting fact about the production is that the iconic swimming pool scene was filmed in a public pool after producers struggled to find a suitable location. They eventually secured permission from the city of Los Angeles to use the facility. The choice of University of Wisconsin-Madison as the main filming location is particularly ironic since, as one former student noted, the campus isn't known as a swimming powerhouse due to the long, cold winters that limit the outdoor swimming season to just about three months.

TLDR: Back to School (1986) was filmed mainly at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (standing in for Grand Lakes University), with significant scenes shot at the now-demolished Industry Hills Aquatic Club in California, Thornton's Beverly Hills mansion on Shangri La Drive, USC's Row House for the sorority scene, and California State University Los Angeles for lecture scenes. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.