ST. LEO SCHOOL
St. Leo School in Florida was the closest Lee Marvin had to an alma mater. However, despite his best efforts, Lee Marvin never graduated from high school. He was kicked out of several public and private schools during his formative years and even went to night school after the war to get his GED, but the experience of the war proved too difficult to overcome. Of his time in school, he took pride in his later years of being kicked out of the progressive Manumit School, the militaristic Farragut Naval Academy, and several others.
The closest he came to graduating was at the St. Leo Academy for Boys Prep School in St. Leo, Florida. Now a regular college university, in Marvin’s day the catalogue that convinced his father Monte to give Lee one more chance at the private Catholic school stated the following….
History and schedule of St. Leo at the time Lee attended the private school.
Noting the 6:20 wake up call and enforced schedule, is it any wonder Lee rebelled? To his credit, he did make every effort to succeed and barely scraped by, as these report cards can attest…
Sample of some of Lee Marvin’s St. Leo report cards
What he may have lacked in studiousness (due largely to his undiagnosed ADHD and Dyslexia), he made up for with his natural athleticism. As the 1942 St. Leo School yearbook shows, Lee had lettered in track& field so quickly, he stood at the top of the heap, in his Florida clothes before he even had his letterman sweater…
1942 yearbook shows Lee Marvin (top of photo in summer suit) earned his track letter.
It being Florida, the young athelete competed successfully in more than the Javelin and High Hurdles. Catholic School Swim Meets earned him the following accolades….
Awards won by Lee Marvin during a St. Leo swim meet.
He proved to be such a popular student on campus (nicknamed Dogface), that the editor of the school’s paper was advised to follow him constantly to get quotes & stories…..
Copy of St. Leo’s school paper showing Marvin’s popularity highlighted in blue.
All in all, his time at St. Leo School as not an entirely happy one, as recounted in Lee Marvin Point Blank. Still, decades later, after he had gained some success in show business, he took up Fr. Bowman’s invitation to stop by and say hello, as recounted in this rare photo from the school’s archives….
Rare photo of Lee Marvin visiting Fr. Bowman.
