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John Travolta

Data updated on 2024-11-08 20:16:57 UTC
During the latter half of the 1970s, John Travolta was the biggest star in Hollywood; after a string of hits in films, on television, and on the radio, he had emerged as a true cultural phenomenon, defining tastes in music and fashion while dominating innumerable column inches in newspapers, magazines, and gossip columns. Like so many other celebrities, Travolta's initial fame proved short-lived, and by the '80s, he was viewed by the media and the public alike largely as a relic of his era; unlike so many other celebrities, however, he resurfaced, Phoenix-like, the following decade, reestablishing his claims to film superstardom and staking out new territory as one of the most acclaimed actors in contemporary film.

Born February 18, 1954 in Englewood, New Jersey, he was the youngest of six children in an entertainment family: his father, Salvatore, was a former semi-pro football player and his mother, Helen, was an alumna of a radio vocal group called the Sunshine Sisters as well as a high-school drama teacher -- all but one of his siblings pursued show biz careers, as well. By the age of 12, Travolta himself had already joined an area actors' group, and was soon appearing in local musicals and dinner theater performances; he also took tap-dancing lessons from Gene Kelly's brother Fred. By age 16, he had dropped out of high school to take up acting full-time, relocating to Manhattan to make his off-Broadway debut in 1972 in Rain. A minor role in the touring company of the hit musical Grease followed, and in 1973, Travolta appeared opposite the Andrews Sisters in the Broadway musical Over Here! In 1975, he also made his film debut with a bit role in the horror picture The Devil's Rain.

In 1975, Travolta was cast in a television sitcom titled Welcome Back, Kotter; as Vinnie Barbarino, a dim-witted high-school Lothario, he shot to overnight superstardom, and quickly his face adorned T-shirts, lunch boxes, and the like. Before the first episode of the series even aired, he had also won a small role in Brian DePalma's 1976 classic Carrie, giving him inroads to the movie industry, and at the early peak of his Kotter success he even recorded a series of pop music LPs -- Can't Let Go, John Travolta, and Travolta Fever -- scoring a major hit with the single "Let Her In." Approached with a role in Terrence Malick's Days of Heaven, he was forced to reject the project in the face of a busy Kotter schedule, but in 1976 he was able to shoot a TV feature, director Randal Kleiser's The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, which won considerable critical acclaim. Diana Hyland, the actress who played Travolta's mother in the picture, also became his off-screen lover until her death from cancer in 1977.

In the wake of Hyland's death, Travolta's first major feature film, 1977's Saturday Night Fever, was released. A latter-day Rebel Without a Cause set against the backdrop of the New York City disco nightlife, it positioned Travolta as the most talked-about young star in Hollywood; in addition to earning his first Academy Award nomination, he also became an icon of the era, his white-suited visage and cocky, rhythmic strut enduring as defining images of late-'70s American culture. In 1978, he starred in Kleiser's film adaptation of Grease, this time essaying the lead role of '50s greaser Danny Zuko; its box office success was even greater than Saturday Night Fever's, becoming a perennial fan favorite and, like its predecessor, spawning a massively popular soundtrack LP. In light of his back-to-back successes, as well as the continued popularity of Welcome Back, Kotter -- on which he still occasionally appeared -- it seemed Travolta could do no wrong.

And then the bottom dropped out. Travolta's first misstep was 1978's Moment by Moment, a laughable May-December romance with Lily Tomlin; savaged by critics, the picture was a box office disaster, the first major failure of his career. Travolta then turned down the lead in Paul Schrader's hit American Gigolo -- a role which, like the one offered in Days of Heaven, was then awarded to Richard Gere -- to star in 1980's Urban Cowboy, which restored much of his financial luster. Starring Travolta as a Texas oil worker, the film and its accompanying smash soundtrack did for country music and ten-gallon hats what Saturday Night Fever did for disco and leisure suits, and resulted in such an influx of new country fans that Nashville's entire early-'80s period was later dubbed the "Urban Cowboy" era by music historians. The following year he starred in DePalma's under-recognized Blow Out, resulting in some of the best critical notices of his career but falling well short of box office expectations.

Travolta then rejected the lead in An Officer and a Gentleman (yet another role then eagerly accepted by Gere) to reprise the role of Tony Manero in the Saturday Night Fever sequel Staying Alive. Directed by Sylvester Stallone, the film was released in 1983 to respectable returns, but fell far short of its anticipated blockbuster status; Two of a Kind, released a few months later, reunited Travolta with his Grease co-star Olivia Newton-John, but again lightning failed to strike twice, and the movie soon disappeared from theaters. By now Travolta's career was on shaky ground, and after a two-year absence from the screen he returned in 1985's Perfect; when it too failed to live up to expectations, he was roundly dismissed as a flash in the pan and a has-been, and several years of poor career choices, bad advice, and missed opportunities were to follow. By 1988, Travolta had been missing from theaters for three years, and when the oft-delayed comedy The Experts finally surfaced in theaters in 1989, its disastrous showing seemed the final nail in his coffin.

Later that same year, however, the unheralded low-budget comedy Look Who's Talking was released; co-starring Travolta and Kirstie Alley, it was produced for some eight million dollars but went on to gross close to $150 million over the course of the following 12 months, later spawning a pair of sequels, 1990's Look Who's Talking Too and 1993's Look Who's Talking Now. However, both of Travolta's 1991 pictures, Eyes of an Angel and Shout, fared poorly, and as the Look Who's Talking series sputtered to a halt, he was again written off by the press. Then, in 1994, he made one of the most stunning comebacks in entertainment history by starring in Pulp Fiction, a lavishly acclaimed crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, a longtime Travolta fan who wrote the role of Vincent Vega specifically with the actor in mind. A critical as well as commercial smash, Pulp Fiction introduced Travolta to a new generation of moviegoers, and suddenly he was again a major star, with a second Academy Award nomination to prove it.

In the wake of Pulp Fiction, the resurrected Travolta became one of the hardest-working actors in Hollywood, and on Tarantino's advice he accepted the starring role in director Barry Sonnenfeld's 1995 Elmore Leonard adaptation Get Shorty; acclaimed by many critics as his finest performance to date, it was another major hit, and he followed it by appearing in the 1996 John Woo action tale Broken Arrow. Phenomenon was another smash that same summer, and by Christmas, Travolta was back in theaters as a disreputable angel in Michael. The following year he reunited with Woo in the highly successful thriller Face/Off, which he trailed with a supporting turn in Nick Cassavetes' She's So Lovely. After 1997's Mad City, Travolta began work on Primary Colors, Mike Nichols' political satire, portraying a charismatic, Bill Clinton-like U.S. president; an adaptation of the acclaimed book A Civil Action was to follow.

Travolta remained a box office draw until the second half of the 2000s, when he transitioned from leading man to smaller parts, such as acclaimed supporting roles in the 2007 musical Hairspray and Oliver Stone's 2012 thriller Savages. Also in 2012, he reunited with Olivia Newton-John for a cheerful holiday album called This Christmas. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Genres

: hollywood

Total plays

1.4 billion
Updated on 2024-11-08

Country

United States

Monthly listeners

5,962,552

Followers

150,006

Top Cities

  1. Mexico
    93,784 listeners
  2. Australia
    74,455 listeners
  3. Chile
    99,683 listeners
  4. United Kingdom
    74,201 listeners
  5. Brazil
    76,131 listeners

Most popular tracks

Track Plays Duration Release date
You're The One That I Want - From “Grease”
You're The One That I Want - From “Grease”
646,557,850 2:50 1978-04-04
You're The One That I Want - Remastered 2022
You're The One That I Want - Remastered 2022
646,349,443 2:50 2023-05-22
Summer Nights - From “Grease”
Summer Nights - From “Grease”
259,163,651 3:37 1978-04-04
Greased Lightnin' - From “Grease”
Greased Lightnin' - From “Grease”
104,964,403 3:14 1978-04-04
You Can't Stop The Beat
You Can't Stop The Beat
88,056,073 5:25 2007-07-10
We Go Together - From “Grease”
We Go Together - From “Grease”
64,011,563 2:60 1978-04-04
The Grease Mega-Mix - From "Grease"
The Grease Mega-Mix - From "Grease"
36,537,404 4:47 2006-01-01
The Grease Megamix
The Grease Megamix
36,537,404 4:49 2009-01-01
Sandy - From “Grease”
Sandy - From “Grease”
33,350,017 2:36 1978-04-04
Welcome To The 60's
Welcome To The 60's
24,019,063 5:13 2007-07-10
Greased Lightnin'
Greased Lightnin'
18,715,644 3:14 2008-02-08
John Travolta - Greased Lightnin'
John Travolta - Greased Lightnin'
18,715,644 3:17 2012-08-13
Baby It's Cold Outside
Baby It's Cold Outside
14,569,651 3:20 2012-11-13
I Thought I Lost You - Radio Edit Remix
I Thought I Lost You - Radio Edit Remix
9,251,245 3:36 2008-01-01
(You're) Timeless To Me
(You're) Timeless To Me
7,093,773 4:47 2007-07-10
Big, Blonde and Beautiful (Reprise)
Big, Blonde and Beautiful (Reprise)
6,502,879 1:06 2007-07-10
Royale With Cheese
Royale With Cheese
3,219,807 1:43 1994-09-27
Personality Goes A Long Way
Personality Goes A Long Way
2,254,900 1:02 1994-09-27
The Christmas Waltz
The Christmas Waltz
1,127,419 3:00 2012-11-13
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
881,512 2:13 2012-11-13
Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland
783,308 2:31 2012-11-13
Let Her In
Let Her In
675,771 3:00 2008-02-20
It Had to Be You
It Had to Be You
559,299 2:22 1978-01-01
It Had To Be You
It Had To Be You
559,299 2:25 2008-02-20
I'll Be Home For Christmas
I'll Be Home For Christmas
539,433 3:33 2012-11-13
This Christmas
This Christmas
531,023 4:26 2012-11-13
What Would They Say
What Would They Say
490,448 2:53 1978-01-01
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
473,399 4:36 2012-11-13
Auld Lang Syne/Christmas Time Is Here (Medley)
Auld Lang Syne/Christmas Time Is Here (Medley)
466,336 4:08 2012-11-13
Never Gonna Fall in Love Again
Never Gonna Fall in Love Again
402,174 3:24 1978-01-01
Never Gonna Fall In Love Again
Never Gonna Fall In Love Again
402,174 3:26 2008-02-20
Whenever I'm Away From You
Whenever I'm Away From You
380,832 3:13 2008-02-08
Deck The Halls
Deck The Halls
380,646 2:41 2012-11-13
Can't Let You Go
Can't Let You Go
375,822 3:22 1978-01-01
I Think You Might Like It
I Think You Might Like It
297,709 3:12 2012-11-13
Razzamatazz
Razzamatazz
286,082 3:05 2008-02-20
Take A Chance - Remastered 2021
Take A Chance - Remastered 2021
281,751 4:09 1983-11-21
The Christmas Song
The Christmas Song
265,385 3:41 2012-11-13
Silent Night
Silent Night
257,843 4:49 2012-11-13
Moonlight Lady
Moonlight Lady
226,454 2:48 1978-01-01
All Strung out on You
All Strung out on You
183,423 3:28 1978-01-01
All Strung Out On You
All Strung Out On You
183,423 3:34 2008-02-08
Right Time Of The Night
Right Time Of The Night
175,648 3:11 2008-02-08
Slow Dancing
Slow Dancing
175,625 3:27 1978-01-01
White Christmas
White Christmas
150,081 3:17 2012-11-13
Big Trouble
Big Trouble
141,405 2:40 2008-02-20
Rainbows
Rainbows
126,455 2:23 1978-01-01
I Don't Know What I Like About You Baby
I Don't Know What I Like About You Baby
118,503 2:15 1978-01-01
I Don't Know What I Like About You
I Don't Know What I Like About You
118,503 2:19 2008-02-20
You Set My Dreams to Music
You Set My Dreams to Music
116,856 2:57 1978-01-01
You Set My Dreams To Music
You Set My Dreams To Music
116,856 2:58 2008-02-20
Goodnight Mr. Moon
Goodnight Mr. Moon
108,185 3:13 1978-01-01
Goodnight, Mr. Moon
Goodnight, Mr. Moon
108,185 3:16 2008-02-20
Back Doors Crying
Back Doors Crying
103,368 4:03 1978-01-01
A Girl Like You
A Girl Like You
89,869 5:03 2008-02-20
Every Little Step
Every Little Step
85,303 3:45 2009-01-01
Easy Evil
Easy Evil
74,413 3:08 1978-01-01
Let Her In
Let Her In
70,344 2:58 1978-01-01
Settle Down
Settle Down
58,939 4:19 1978-01-01
A Girl Like You
A Girl Like You
56,180 4:50 1978-01-01
Razzamatazz
Razzamatazz
49,277 3:03 1978-01-01
Over Here!: Dream Drummin' / Soft Music
Over Here!: Dream Drummin' / Soft Music
47,820 4:05 1974-01-01
Dream Drummin'/Soft Music (From "Over Here!")
Dream Drummin'/Soft Music (From "Over Here!")
47,820 4:06 1954-01-01
Baby I Could Be So Good At Loving You
Baby I Could Be So Good At Loving You
26,195 3:06 2008-02-20
Whenever I'm Away From You
Whenever I'm Away From You
15,403 3:07 1978-01-01
Let Her In
Let Her In
13,562 3:04 2019-04-18
Big Trouble
Big Trouble
12,145 2:37 1978-01-01
Baby I Could Be so Good at Lovin' You
Baby I Could Be so Good at Lovin' You
11,964 3:04 1978-01-01
We Go Together - Karaoke Version In the Style of Olivia Newton John
We Go Together - Karaoke Version In the Style of Olivia Newton John
< 1000 2:47 2010-12-08

New releases

This Christmas
This Christmas
2012-11-13
[Primary Wave Music]
The Original Hit Recording - Sandy
The Original Hit Recording - Sandy
2012-08-22
[Reno Estate]
The Original Hit Recording - Greased Lightning
The Original Hit Recording - Greased Lightning
2012-08-13
[Reno Estate]
Razzamatazz
Razzamatazz
2008-02-20
[Reno Estate]
Greased Lightnin'
Greased Lightnin'
2008-02-08
[Reno Estate]
Travolta Fever
Travolta Fever
1978-01-01
[HHO]