What Famous Movies/TV/Books Has Cornell Been Mentioned in?

<p>My Stats textbook is written by a guy who got his degree at Cornell. All the examples in there refer to Ithaca, Finger Lakes, or Cornell. It's so painful to read the book every other day while I wait for my decision!!!!</p>

<p>(And my copy of the Barron's AP Stats book is written by a guy who got his degree at Ithaca College so the examples always include Cornell VS. Ithaca.)</p>

<p><em>someone already mentioned Bill Nye</em></p>

<p>omg christopher reeves '75!!! we have superman! :D</p>

<p>TV reference:
The Simpsons

[quote]
[1F02] Cornell's clock tower (the most distinguishing feature on campus) can be seen in series of pictures of Springfield College. {ak}
[1F02] Just before the nerds are to save the dean according to Homer's plan, there is a distance shot of campus that bears a striking resemblance to Cornell's Arts. Notice the white domed building (Sibley Hall) and the building opposite it Olin Library. {ak}
[1F02] The pig mascot (Sir Oinksalot) is likely a reference to the Ag school (Agriculture and Life Sciences), making fun of Cornell's reputation as a farmer school. {ak}
[1F02] Sign outside Springfield College: "Ask about our latin motto contest". Cornell is the only Ivy League school that's motto is in english. {ba}
[FABF20] Sideshow Mel said he's an Cornell alumnus.

[/quote]
The</a> Simpsons Archive: Ivy League References On The Simpsons</p>

1 Like

<p>From a 2000 "Ask Uncle Ezra" column... I hope the moderators will let me post this lengthy entry.

[quote]
DUE,
Does the University require television shows and movies to obtain permission before using the Cornell name? I noticed in "Any Given Sunday" Cameron Diaz had a very official looking Cornell diploma hanging in her office. Is it possible to obtain a list of movies, TV shows that Cornell is mentioned it? It seems that Cornell gets referred to relatively infrequently compared to the other Ivy's. </p>

<pre><code> Unsigned
</code></pre>

<p>Dear Uncle Ezra,
I've seen two movies recently that made reference to Cornell: American Pie (which has been discussed here recently) and A Civil Action (in which the main character attended Cornell law school). I also remember that Cornell was referenced in Citizen Kane. Do you know of any other movies where Cornell in mentioned? It's very cool to see our school mentioned on "the big screen". Also, have any movies been filmed on the Cornell campus or in Ithaca? Many Thanks. </p>

<pre><code> -- your film buff nephew
</code></pre>

<p>Dear T.V. and Film Buffs,
You have sharp eyes. I checked with David Stewart in University Relations who works with television and movie companies that want to use the Cornell name. His office makes the arrangements, obtains the props, and secures clearances. David says the prop in the scene you mentioned from "Any Given Sunday" does indeed indicate that the Cameron Diaz character -- "Christina Luisa Pagniacci" -- was "graduated" from Cornell with an MBA in 1996.
According to David, rights were granted in January 1999 to Grid Iron Productions and Warner Bros. At the time, the movie was simply "Untitled Football Project" because the final title had not been selected. Of course, today it's known as "Any Given Sunday."
David says it's not possible to cite all the movies and television programs where Cornell names and props appear because of the last-minute whims of writers and directors. Often, props are submitted for a film, but, as David explains, some scenes never make it into the final film. Thus, Cornell's name could wind up on the cutting-room floor more often than it appears on the silver screen (or television screen).
And the name does appear more often than you might think. Prop departments, producers, and directors seek Cornell apparel, yearbooks, campus photos, diplomas, etc. to "add an air of authenticity." Permission is not always given, though. Here is a partial list that David shared.
* "Sex & the City" on HBO: A character in the program's second season -- psychologist Velma Rudin -- holds two degrees from Cornell, and diplomas were supplied.
* "Nash Bridges" (CBS) and "Caroline in the City" (NBC) featured characters wearing or displaying Cornell attire and other props.
* "28 Days" from Columbia Pictures: Cornell shirts and T-shirts were supplied to the wardrobe department for one of the characters in the movies starring Sandra Bullock.
* "Random Hearts" from Columbia Pictures: Cornell diplomas were provided for a character in this Sidney Pollock film.
* "Patch Adams" from Universal: A Cornell diploma with the name "Harrington Carver Walcott" was supplied for this movie starring Robin Williams.
* "A Civil Action" from Hollywood Center Studios: Campus photographs and a diploma were provided for Jan Schlichtmann, who actually graduated in 1977, and was portrayed by John Travolta.
* "City of Angels" from Warner Bros.: Cornell apparel and other props were supplied for the movie that starred Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage.
* "Deep Impact" from Dreamworks: Cornell photographs and other props were provided for this movie.
* "Contact" from Warner Bros.: Cornell memorabilia for the movie starring Jodie Foster.
* "Prince of Tides" by Barbra Streisand Productions: A Cornell diploma was provided for the character portrayed by Barbra Streisand
Then, there's "Mother" from Paramount Pictures, starring Debbie Reynolds and Albert Brooks. The Debbie Reynolds character was supposed to be a former Cornell student, and several items from the 1950s were supplied. At the last minute, however, the director decided to change the character's alma mater to another college...an example of a whim.
More recently, the College of Veterinary Medicine and other campus locations were scouted for "The Horse Whisperer." Ultimately, the production company headed by Robert Redford elected not shoot any scenes here, and the movie itself -- shot in part in and around Saratoga Springs, NY -- came out without any references to Cornell, even though the book specifically mentions Cornell.
And so it goes from the Hollywood of the East. More correctly, maybe Hollywood should be referred to as the Ithaca of the West. You might want to check out the Tompkins County Museum (401 E. State Street; 273-8284) for information about Ithaca in the early part of this century, when the Wharton Bros. produced dozens of silent films here...before Hollywood made it big. The likes of Irene Castle, Warner Oland, and Oliver Hardy, among many others, starred in feature films and serials shot throughout this area. The original Wharton Studios in Ithaca were at Renwick Park (now Stewart Park) at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake.

[/quote]
Dear</a> Uncle Ezra - Questions for Thursday, February 17, 2000 - Cornell University</p>

<p>"oh really? I heard he was sort of a jerk from one of my friends who met him too...is that true? Hahh..I mean, don't get me wrong, I still think he's amazing"</p>

<p>no, actually, bill nye was extremely nice and very down to earth.</p>

<p>Sideshow Mel from the Simpsons</p>

<p>i had the same textbook as chisquared last year</p>

<p>wow in Contact? That's so cool b/c that's such a deep movie.</p>

<p>n ann coulter sux because she's a hate monger. She wants everyone to hate eachother, be angry, and be fearful. That's not the way I want to live my life nor view anybody. But if it's hate she wants I have no problem hating her...lol</p>

<p>A main character in The Office graduated from Cornell and talks about it all the time</p>

<p>"I went to Cornell, you ever heard of it? I graduated in four years, I never studied once, I was drunk the whole time, and I sang in the a cappela group Here Comes Treble."
"I started the main frisbee golf club at Cornell. Where I went to college. I live to frolf."
"Maybe you should become an English professor at Cor-NOT University!"
"What is the capital of Maine?" "The capital of Maine is Montpelier, Vermont, which is close to Ithaca, New York, where I went to Cornell." "OK, moratorium on the Cornell talk. Forget your personal history and learn the history of this company." "Shouldn't be a problem. I minored in history at the Ivy League school which I attended."
"I got into Cornell off the waitlist. A lot of people were like, "You just got into Cornell because your dad donated a building." No, ok, I got into Cornell because I'm smart. I'm smart enough to have a dad who donates buildings to things."</p>

<p>^^^^lol....i love that show</p>

<p>I realize Ann Coulter's comments are controversial and extreme (if not insulting) to some, but I definitely respect her right to do so. She actually came to our campus (I'm a GT at USC) a few weeks ago, and gave a most "interesting" talk. A sold-out performance, nonetheless; politically, I'm guessing USC and Cornell are going to be very different.</p>

<p>But enough about Ann Coulter...</p>

<p>perfect score - main guy</p>

<p>On pages 56-57 of Kurt Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions" there is a line "A library tower could be seen through a window in the sorority house. It was daytime outside, and there was a clock in the tower. The clock looked like this" followed by a cartoon picture of the Cornell clock tower.</p>

<p>I love Cat's Cradle...I wrote my umich essay on that</p>

<p>This would be much easier if we were talking about Harvard. Wouldn't it?</p>

<p>yes, simply because it was the first college establish in the US and therefore more famous people, and therefore more money, more power, more famous people, more money, more power, and so on. hahahaha</p>

<p>i like cornell because it was never funded by slave owners.</p>

<p>Me, Myself & Irene</p>

<p>When Jim Carrey and Renee Zelweger are walking away from a car they just pushed into the lake, Renee starts to talk about her life. Carrey interrupts her with his assumptions of what her life has been so far (unsuccessfully modeled in NYC), so Renee talks about her graduating Cornell. (I think his assumptions ended up being correct and that Renee never graduated college in that movie??)</p>

<p>Oh, and the guy who wrote funny vocab explanations in "Rock the SAT" book, dr. Michael Shapiro, went to Cornell.</p>

<p>Also, Janet Reno appeared in Ally McBeal</p>

<p>In Love Story. the main character (of whom Al Gore claimed ownership) plays hockey against Cornell and gets injured - when his rich dad offers to get him to a doctor, her says the Cornell team doctor sewed him up. His father jokes that that is ok if the doctor was a vet doctor as it is a "beastly" cut...</p>

<p>Jonathan Kellerman's novel Dr. Death, set in California, has the saughter of two Stanford grads decide on Cornell ED as it is far from her troubled family and has a vet school.</p>

<p>"The Way We Were" takes place at a fictional college but is based on Cornell.</p>