John Rober Powers - JRP Beware of John Roberts Powers and do your homework Corona California

LOS ANGELES -- If you heard your favorite film actor or TV star went to a school to get their start in show business, would it make you want to sign up -- even though it could cost you thousands of dollars?

NBC4 found a chain of schools based right here in Los Angeles that claims it has over 2 million graduates ... including some of Hollywood's biggest stars ... but, did they really go there?

NBC4s Paul Moyer spoke with Bill Mitchell who runs the Better Business Bureau of the Southland.

Mitchell said the BBB gives out tens of thousands of reports on a certain company alone.

The company is John Robert Powers, a school that teaches etiquette, acting and modeling.

Founded over 80 years ago, the school now operates franchises with offices all across the country and around the world. Pictures of celebrities, past and present, adorn the school's walls.

Lucille Ball's picture hangs on the wall.

Marilyn Monroes picture hangs in the lobby.

And John Waynes picture is in the lobby, on the Web site and in the classroom.

Critics said these pictures of famous celebrities may be a magnet for people to enroll in Powers for people who want to follow some famous stars.

Channel 4 News obtained an internal company memo from a Powers School in Ontario, Calif., -- a sales and marketing pitch that is read to prospective students.

Teacher: "All the pictures on the walls are of graduates of JRP. We've had Lucille Ball, Marilyn Monroe, Heather Locklear."

Two of Marlene Rodriguez's children attended Powers. "It's a big scam...I mean that's how they draw you in," said Rodriguez.

Mitchell added, "They're putting these classes on credit cards and paying thousands and thousands of dollars."

Paul Moyer: "Marlene, how much are you out?"

Marlene Rodriguez: "Five thousand nine hundred dollars."

Moyer: "Five thousand nine hundred dollars."

Mitchell said letters came back from a variety of famous people who said they never went to Powers and didn't give permission to the school to use their names.

But, we didn't take his word for it. We checked, too.

Ethan Wayne, general partner of Wayne Enterprises told Moyer, "John Wayne stands for something. He is a symbol of integrity, and truth. And, you know it's just false. He had nothing to do with John Robert Powers."

Moyer asked Powers spokesperson Lisa Elia: "You don't think JRP is guilty of false advertising?"

Elia: "I don't think that was ever their intention."

Elia said, "We have told all of the franchise owners, certain names they cannot use anymore. We have so many valid success stories that we can ... if it's a problem for people, we can remove it ... it's not really a big issue."

Moyer: "But, it's a big issue if people rely on that and see a picture of Lucille Ball or hear that Barbara Walters went there."

Elia: "Barbara Walters was removed when we found out that was not true the minute we found out it wasn't true. Shes not on the site anymore."

Moyer said that's not exactly true.

NBC4 staff found her name and face still posted on a company Web site...

And then, there's Heather Locklear.

Elia: "Heather Locklear ... we took her off our Web site."

Moyer: "Locklear's name is there, too."

Moyer: "There was a picture of Lucille Ball in one of the schools. They were being used to entice people to come in and be students now is that right?"

Elia: "Well, we had thought that we had proof that Lucille Ball went to JRP and worked with JRP."

Moyer said the company sent NBC4 a page from a book and some old news clippings.

But, Lucille Ball's estate representative told us she neither went there nor gives permission for them to use her name.

And the Fonda family couldn't verify Henry went there either.

Moyer talked to Mark Roesler who represents the estate of James Dean.

Moyer: "You represent James Dean-the estate of James Dean?"

Roesler: "Correct."

Moyer: "Did he ever graduate from JRP?"

Roesler: "He did not."

Moyer: "Did Marilyn Monroe ever graduate from JRP?"

Roesler: "No."

Elia: "Marilyn Monroe? I don't think her picture has been here since I've been working with the company since Januay." Moyer said not exactly.

Elia: "Who else did you say? James Dean ... not even on the Web site."

Moyer said both Dean's and Monroe's images are still posted on a school Web site.

Moyer: "How about schools that have pictures of these people on the walls? And that implication is loud and clear they went there, and people see that."

Elia: "Those might still be from the old regime and we can again, change that."

Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo told Moyer some of the things that we do is we bring actions for people who falsely advertise.

Delgadillo added the way to stop Powers from using those names is by suing them in civil court.

Any agency like that, that is crushing the dreams of our children especially, should be put out of business, or should be, be in a place where they have to confront someone like me, said Delgadillo.

Moyer said sources told Channel 4 News that a change may be on the way.

Local law enforcement is reportedly planning to toughen up existing laws on companies within this industry.

In the meantime, the company looking into the evidence we presented in this piece.

Powers claimed it had closed schools in the past that have not met certain standards.

Truth
Fontana, California
U.S.A.