Mastering the Moves: John Travolta's Journey Through Dance
John Travolta, an American actor born on February 18, 1954, in Englewood, New Jersey, has captivated audiences for decades with his talent and charisma. From his early television roles to leading roles in blockbuster films, Travolta has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. While widely recognized for his acting prowess, a significant aspect of Travolta's career lies in his exceptional dance skills, which have played a pivotal role in his success.
Early Career and Rise to Fame
Travolta's journey began with television appearances before he transitioned into leading roles in film. He first gained recognition in the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979). He also had a supporting performance in Carrie (1976) and then leading roles in Grease (1978), Urban Cowboy (1980), and Blow Out (1981).
Before his breakthrough in film, Travolta honed his skills on stage. After dropping out of school, Travolta moved across the Hudson River to New York City and landed a role in the touring company of the musical Grease as Doody and on Broadway in Over Here!, singing the Sherman Brothers' song "Dream Drummin'". He then moved to Los Angeles for professional reasons. Travolta's first screen role in California was as a fall victim in Emergency!.
"Saturday Night Fever": A Cultural Phenomenon
One of Travolta's most iconic roles is Tony Manero in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. The film's success catapulted Travolta to international stardom and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, making him one of the youngest performers ever nominated for the award at the age of 24.
Saturday Night Fever was a cultural phenomenon that captured the spirit of the disco era. The film's opening scene features Tony Manero (John Travolta), looking sharp as he swings a can of paint, checks out women, and orders a double slice of pizza swaggers through a gritty Brooklyn neighborhood to "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees. Released in December 1977, the box office smash was the moment disco really went mainstream and ultimately sowed the seeds of its destruction, as well as unleashing peak Bee Gees; the multi-platinum selling soundtrack dominated the charts and made the Brothers Gibb the ubiquitous voice of disco on both sides of the Atlantic. The movie's shape-throwing success made him a superstar, followed by his winning turn as Danny Zuko in Grease the following year.
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The film's choreography and Travolta's electrifying performance in the dance sequences contributed significantly to its success. Travolta's portrayal of Tony Manero, a 19-year-old Italian-American kid from Brooklyn whose prospects are grim; he works a menial job at a local paint store and lives at home with his family. His relationship with his unemployed father (Val Bisoglio) and devoutly Catholic mother (Julie Bovasso) is a constant war at the dinner table as they both idolize his older brother Frank Jr. Without much going for him, Tony lives for the weekend when he hits the local disco with his rowdy group of buddies for nights of drinking, drugs, and hookups. One of his regular dance partners is Annette (Donna Pescow), a hanger-on he once dated but now treats like dog dirt. He reluctantly agrees to practice with her for an upcoming dance contest with a $500 prize but he already has his eye on snooty newcomer Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney), who works in Manhattan and looks down on him. As the contest approaches, one of Tony's best friends is savagely beaten by a Puerto Rican gang called the Barracudas (at least, that's what he tells them) and his other pals want revenge.
Dance Training and Preparation
To prepare for his role in Saturday Night Fever, Travolta underwent rigorous dance training. Producer Robert Stigwood had signed up rising talent John Travolta to a three-picture deal and needed something to put him in while they waited for the stage run of Grease to end (via Vanity Fair). Stigwood snapped up the rights and started looking for a director, He found John G. Avildsen, who had just made a little picture called "Rocky." In hindsight, Avildsen sounds like the perfect fit for another underdog story about a big dreamer from the wrong side of the tracks, trading out Rocky's baggy leather jacket and fedora for Tony Manero's Cuban heels and mile-long collars. He brought in Jimmy Gambina, an ex-boxer who worked with Sylvester Stallone on his previous movie, to whip the actor into shape. "[It] was really good… Avildsen was fired on the same morning he received his Oscar nomination for "Rocky," but his frustrating time on "Saturday Night Fever" at least worked wonders for Travolta's physique.
"Grease": Another Dance-Filled Triumph
Following the success of Saturday Night Fever, Travolta starred as Danny Zuko in the 1978 musical Grease. The film was another major hit and further solidified Travolta's status as a leading man.
Grease featured numerous dance sequences that showcased Travolta's versatility as a dancer. His energetic and charismatic performances in songs like "You're the One That I Want" and "Greased Lightnin'" became iconic moments in cinematic history.
Later Career and Recognition
While Travolta faced some career setbacks in the 1980s, he experienced a resurgence in the 1990s with his role in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction (1994). The film earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and revitalized his career.
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In 2000, Travolta starred in and co-produced the science fiction film Battlefield Earth, based on the novel of the same name by L. Ron Hubbard, in which he played the villainous leading role as a leader of a group of aliens that enslaves humanity on a bleak future Earth. Since 2010, Travolta has starred mostly in action films and thrillers, such as From Paris with Love (2010) and Savages (2012). In 2016, he returned to television in the first season of the anthology series American Crime Story, titled The People v. O. J.
Travolta has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for his performance in Get Shorty.
Beyond Acting: Aviation and Personal Life
Outside of acting, Travolta is a pilot and rated to fly Boeing 707 and 747 planes. He owns four aircraft. Travolta owned an ex-Qantas Boeing 707-138B (Ex-VH-EBM) which bears an old livery of Qantas, and Travolta acted as an official goodwill ambassador for the airline wherever he flew. Travolta named his 707 "Jett Clipper Ella", in honor of his children. The "Clipper" in the name refers to the use of that word by Pan Am as the company's call sign as well as in the names of their aircraft. In 2017, Travolta donated the Boeing 707 to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) near Wollongong, Australia.
Travolta has experienced both joy and tragedy in his personal life. He was in a relationship with actress Diana Hyland, whom he met while filming The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976). They remained together until Hyland's death from breast cancer on March 27, 1977. In 1980, Travolta dated French actress Catherine Deneuve. Travolta also had an on-again/off-again relationship with actress Marilu Henner, which ended permanently in 1985. In 1988 while filming The Experts, Travolta met actress Kelly Preston, whom he married in Paris in 1991.
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