William Cullen Bryant High School, or William C. Bryant High School, and Bryant High School for short, is a secondary school in Queens, New York City, United States serving grades 9 through 12.
It is named in honor of William Cullen Bryant, an American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post. He is most known for his work as one of the creators of Central Park in Manhattan, New York.
The school has 2,652 students enrolled; the ethnic make-up of the school is 48.3% Hispanic, 27.7% Asian, 2.5% White, and 19.7% African American. The school has a four-year graduation rate of 69% and an attendance rate of 91%. In 2010, New York City Department of Education gave it a letter grade of C.
The school was founded in 1889. A new building was erected in 1902-4 in the Dutch Kills section of Long Island City on 41st Ave. This building became Long Island City High School when Bryant moved to its current site on 31st Ave in 1930.
William Cullen Bryant was the school in the popular film A Bronx Tale. Robert De Niro visited the school.Two episodes of the hit TV show Ugly Betty were shot in the school. One was shot in the lunch room. The episode featured Lindsay Lohan who visited the school. The episode was called "Granny Pants".In episode 13 of season one of Archie Bunker's Place titled "Man of the Year" Archie Bunker says he graduated from the school in 1940.Ollie Mack, retired NBA playerMike Maloy, basketball playerWinifred Lenihan (1898–1964), stage actress and director who played Joan of Arc in George Bernard Shaw's play Saint Joan on its debut in 1923Ethel Merman (1908–1984), star of musical comedies on Broadway and in Hollywood, was born in Astoria and graduated from Bryant. The school's auditorium was named the Ethel Merman Theater in 1989 during its centennial celebration.Moe Spahn (1912–1991), basketball playerVeronica Gedeon (1917–1937), Long Island City native, commercial model, 1937 New York City murder victimSam Mele, (1922– ), Major League baseball player and manager.Billy Loes, (1929–2010), former Major League baseball pitcher who played in the World Series, winning for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955, was born in the area and attended Bryant High School. He also played for the Baltimore Orioles and the San Francisco Giants.David Horowitz, biographer and conservative intellectual.Susan Anspach, (1942– ), noted American stage (Hair) and film actress (Five Easy Pieces, Play it Again Sam, Montenegro)Suze Rotolo (1943–2011), an American artist, book artist, author, but best known as Bob Dylan's girlfriend between 1961 and 1964. She is the woman walking with him on the cover of his album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.Richard Kline (1944– ), played Larry Dallas on classic ABC-TV sitcom Three's Company. He also performed on Broadway in City of Angels and is a member of the Lincoln Center Repertory Company.Joel Klein (1946– ), New York City Department of Education chancellor from 2002 to 2011Panayiota Bertzikis (class of 1999), executive director and founder of the Military Rape Crisis CenterJohn Jack Leavy, (1948– ), former Green Beret, one of the highest decorated soldiers of the Viet Nam War receiving the Distinguished Service Cross for valor, Silver Star, Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts
