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Trivia
Birth name: John Joseph Travolta
Date of birth: 18 February 1954
Place of birth: Englewood, New Jersey, USA
Nickname: Bone
Height: 6' 2" (1.88 m)
Spouse: Kelly Preston (12 September 1991 - present) 1 son, 1 daughter.
Ranked #21 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of
All Time" list. [October 1997]
He appeared on the cover of "Rolling Stone" magazine 4 times,
the most for any actor (through 1994).
He was named Man of the Year by Harvard's Hasty Pudding Club in 1981.
Richard
Gere practically owes his film career to Travolta. Travolta turned
down the leads for Days of Heaven (1978), American Gigolo (1980) and An
Officer and a Gentleman (1982), all of which went to Gere.
Travolta married Kelly Preston twice. Their first wedding on 5 September
1991, by a French Scientologist minister, was declared illegal. The
couple met during the filming of The Experts (1989).
Travolta and Kelly Preston have a son, Jett (born 13 April 1992).
Jett was conceived during a weekend at the home of Demi
Moore and Bruce
Willis. (source: Premiere August 1996, p.60)
Brother of Joey Travolta, Ellen Travolta, Ann Travolta, Margaret
Travolta and Sam Travolta.
Was the youngest of six siblings. Parents: Salvatore and Helen Travolta
of Englewood, NJ.
During the filming of The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976) (TV) he fell
in love with Diana Hyland, 18 years his senior. She died of cancer in
his arms in 1977.
Pilots a multitude of jet aircraft. Most notable aviation feat is
successful landing at Washington National of a Gulfstream IIB with
complete electrical failure. Conditions at the time were night, IMC,
icing. December of 1993.
Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1976" in John
Willis' Screen World, Vol. 28.
In July 1978 he became the very first male to make the cover of
"McCall's" magazine.
He pilots three Gulfstream jets and a Learjet. Also owns a Boeing 707.
His second child with Kelly Preston, daughter Ella Bleu was born,
weighing in at 4.08 kilos (nine pounds). [3 April 2000]
Read for the Tom
Hanks role in Splash (1984) but was discouraged by his agent from
doing the film.
Was signed on to play rock star Jim Morrison in an early 80s biopic
about The Doors. Due to legal problems, the project was dropped.
Did yoga and boxing to cut his love handles for the film Swordfish
(2001).
His favorite film is Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942).
Was told to gain thirty pounds for his role in the movie Primary Colors
(1998).
Owns homes in Santa Barbara, California, Florida, Maine and in his
wife's home state of Hawaii. Main residence is in Ocala, Florida where
he owns a large home, complete with airstrip for his planes.
Hit #106 on the Billboard Singles Charts in 1977 with "Slow Dancing
(Feels So Good)" (Midland Int. 10977)
According to the documentary "We Get To Win This Time" (2002),
the producers of Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) considered teaming up
Sylvester
Stallone with Travolta as Rambo's young partner in rescuing the
American POWs. Stallone nixed this idea when he decided it would be
better to make the film a solo project.
Spent nine months learning how to dance to disco music while filming
Saturday Night Fever (1977).
Owns, and is qualified to fly, a Boeing 707-138, appropriately
registered N707JT, first built in 1964 for QANTAS of Australia. Recently
he had the aircraft painted in its original QANTAS paintjob and took it
on a worldwide promotional tour for QANTAS, and in return was trained as
a 747-400 first officer with Qantas.
He has also worked as a musician, and released several albums. He claims
that he got all his inspiration from one song only; the instrumental
song "Dreamstreet", a song by Patrick Rondat.
While filming the movie Blow Out (1981), he started to suffer from
insomnia, which he had since he was a child waiting up for his mother to
come home from late acting jobs. He learned to play the violin to calm
his nerves.
In October 2004 he starred in a series of commercials for Sky TV (meant
for Italian TV). Directed by Harald Zwart the commercials play as a
sit-com, where Travolta - as himself - moves in with a working-class
family because they have Sky.
He was voted the 64th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment
Weekly.
Ranked #3 in TV Guide's list of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols"
(23 January 2005 issue).
Has published
two books: John Travolta Staying Fit! (published by Simon and
Schuster in 1984) Propeller One-Way Night Coach (A Fable for All
Ages)(published by Warner Books in 1997)
His first released record came out in 1976 when he had a hit single,
"Let Her In". When record producers saw him in "Welcome
Back, Kotter" (1975) singing Barbara Anne (by the Beach Boys), they
signed him.
After the Grease album was released he came out with a delux 2-record
set called: Travolta Fever, which was released in 1978.
His favorite movie is Un homme et une femme (1966). His favorite movie
as a child was Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942).
During the 70s he frequently watched foreign films, one of his favorites
was Strada, La (1954).
Is Oprah Winfrey's favorite movie star.
His best female friend is Kirstie Alley.
He frequently eats at Denny's in the middle of the night. Which is where
he ate through the movie Lucky Numbers (2000).
Was friends with James Cagney, Cary Grant, Barbara Stanwyck.
His favorite actor growing up was James Cagney.
Turned down the roles: Splash (1984), Apollo 13 (1995), Forrest Gump
(1994).
Owned a three-bedroom beach front oceanfront estate, on Oahu in Hawaii
from 1986-2005. He and his wife Kelly Preston sold it to Kathy Ireland
for $3 million U.S. and she plans to rent the private residence out as
one of several Kathy Ireland Worldwide company vacation villas.
Turned down several offers from the producers of Chicago (2002) to play
the role of Billy Flynn. Richard
Gere accepted the role and won a Golden Globe for his performance.
Got the role of Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction (1994) primarily because
Michael Madsen, the actor whom the part was written for, was unavailable
due to a prior film commitment. Vincent was the brother of Madsen's
character Vic Vega, AKA: Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs (1992) and the
role jump-started his career after a long slump.
Is of Italian descent on his father's side and Irish descent on his
mother's side.
Was considered for the role of Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991). The
part went to Val
Kilmer instead.
His performance as Tony Manero in "Saturday Night Fever"
(1977) is ranked #73 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of
All Time (2006).
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