Game to help Westlake H.S.

Game to help Westlake H.S.

The Hollywood Knights celebrity basketball team will play Westlake High School’s Warrior faculty at 7 p.m. Sat., Jan. 18 in the high school’s gymnasium, 100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road, Westlake Village.

Tickets are $8 at the door ($3 for children under age 10) and may be purchased at the door or at the Student Store. All proceeds will benefit the junior class. For more information, please call the high school at (805) 497-6711.

According to their Website, the Hollywood Knights "is a team comprised of television, motion picture and musical recording stars who are popular with teenagers. Knights’ games vs. school faculties have helped raise more than $1.5 million for high schools over the past 24 years.

Halftime consists of live performances by up-and-coming artists, an autograph signing session, celebrity meet and greet, photography, raffles and giveaways. The school raises money by keeping all of the gate receipts and sales from concession stands. International sports producer David Mirisch came up with the idea of pitting sports stars against teachers to raise funds for high schools in 1978, eventually replacing sports stars with some of his "teen-idol" movie and TV stars.

The celebrities were so popular with students, the Knights became a team made up entirely of actors and entertainers.

Mirisch’s son Michael acquired the team from his father in 1987 and moved from assistant coach to full-time manager and organizer."