Robert Lansing (actor) reportedly took his acting surname from the state capital of Michigan. As a young actor in New York City, he was hired to join a stock company in Michigan but was told he would first have to join the Actors' Equity Association. Equity would not allow him to join as "Robert Brown" because another actor was using that name. Because the stock company was based in Lansing, this became the actor's new surname. Lansing served two years in the United States Army and was stationed in Osaka, Japan, where he worked at Armed Forces Radio. During his long career, which
East Lansing High School dedicated in September 2005. On June 21, 2017, Andrew Wells (ELHS class of 1976) was named principal, replacing Colby Fletcher. The school's official mascot is the Trojan and its colors are navy blue and white. The athletic teams compete as members of the Capital Area Activities Conference. The school district that is now East Lansing Public Schools was established in 1900, seven years before the city of East Lansing itself. All grade levels were taught in the original Central School, which was built in 1901. When that building burned down in 1916, classes were held in the old Peoples Church