John Joseph Travolta was born in Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.A. on February 18, 1954. He is the youngest of six children born to Salvatore and Helen Travolta. His father Salvatore was was a former semi-professional football player who owned a tire repair shop while his mother was an alumna of a radio vocal group (The Sunshine Sisters) and a high-school drama teacher. John Travolta dropped out of high school at the age of 16. He has black hair, blue eyes and is 6'2" tall. John is married to actress Kelly Preston and has a son, Jett, and a daughter, Ella Bleu.
At the age of 12, John had enrolled in an area actors' group and at 16 had dropped out of high school to pursue an acting career full-time. He moved to Manhattan and made his off-Broadway debut in 1972's Rain while making his first Broadway debut in the New York production of the fifties musical Grease. In 1973, Travolta appeared in the Broadway musical Over Here! and two years later was cast as Vinnie Barbarino in the high school sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1979. His music career began when he recorded pop albums "Can't Let Go", "John Travolta" and "Travolta Fever". John's song "Let Her In" rose to Billboard's No.10 in 1976. His film debut came when he was cast as a teenager in the Brian De Palma thriller, Carrie (1976).
His first taste of stardom came when he starred in 1977's Saturday Night Fever which earned him his first Academy Award nomination. In 1978, he starred in Grease which surpassed Saturday Night Fever in the box office. Travolta's first movie flop came in 1978 with the romance film Moment By Moment. He turned down the role for American Gigolo instead starring in 1980's Urban Cowboy. Travolta followed up with Brian De Palma's Blow Out which fell short of expectations. John starred in the sequel to Saturday Night Fever, Staying Alive directed by Sylvester Stallone. The film did not reach blockbuster status and the by 1989 John had starred in flops like Two of a Kind, Perfect and The Experts.
John Travolta's career received a boost from the 1989 romantic hit Look Who's Talking starring Kirstie Alley. The sequels to the series, Look Who's Talking Too (1990) and Look Who's Talking Now (1993) fared worse than the original. In 1994, Travolta made a comeback by starring in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. His role as the hitman Vincent Vega earned him his second Academy Award nomination. He followed up with Get Shorty (1995), Broken Arrow (1996), Phenomenon (1996) and Michael (1996). He co-starred with Nicolas Cage in the hit movie Face/Off and starred as a Clinton-like U.S. President. Travolta scored roles in A Civil Action and The General's Daughter before starring in L. Ron Hubbard's science fiction thriller Battlefield Earth. The flim was a disaster and received bad reviews. John has recently starred in Swordfish (2001), Domestic Disturbance (2001) and Basic (2003).
Trivia:
He is a member of the "Church of Scientology".
His first marriage to Kelly Preston in Paris, France by a Scientologist minister on September 5, 1991 was deemed illegal. He remarried in Daytona Beach, Florida on September 12, 1991.
Travolta took dancing lessons from Fred Kelly (Gene Kelly's brother) during his childhood.
He is a licensed pilot and his most notable aviation feat is landing at Washington National in a Gulfstream IIB with complete electrical failure in December, 1993.
Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6901 Hollywood Blvd.
Salary:
Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 (2000) $10,000,000 + Profit Points
General's Daughter, The (1999) $20,000,000
Civil Action, A (1998) $20,000,000
Primary Colors (1998) $18,000,000
Mad City (1997) $20,000,000
Face/Off (1997) $15,000,000
Michael (1996) $10,000,000
Phenomenon (1996) $8,000,000
Broken Arrow (1996) $7,000,000
Get Shorty (1995) $3,500,000
Pulp Fiction (1994) $140,000
Awards and Nominations:
1977 - National Board of Review: Best Actor, Saturday Night Fever
1978 - Golden Globe: Nominated for Best Motion Picture Actor in a Musical/Comedy, Saturday Night Fever
1978 - Academy Award: Nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor, Saturday Night Fever
1978 - Golden Apple Award: Male Star of the Year
1979 - Golden Globe: World Film Favorite - Male
1979 - Golden Globe: Nominated for Best Motion Picture Actor in a Musical/Comedy, Grease
1983 - NATO: Star of the Year
1984 - Razzie Award: Nominated for Worst Actor, Staying Alive and Two of a Kind
1986 - Razzie Award: Nominated for Worst Actor, Perfect
1990 - Razzie Award: Nominated for Worst Actor of the Decade: he Experts, Perfect, Staying Alive, Two of a Kind
1992 - Razzie Award: Nominated for Worst Supporting Actor, Shout
1994 - Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award: Best Actor, Pulp Fiction
1994 - London Film Critics Circle: Best Actor, Pulp Fiction
1994 - Stockholm Film Festival: Best Actor, Pulp Fiction
1995 - MTV Movie Award: Nominated for Best Male Performance, Pulp Fiction
1995 - MTV Movie Award: Nominated for Best On-Screen Duo, Pulp Fiction (shared with Samuel L. Jackson)
1995 - MTV Movie Award: Best Dance Sequence, Pulp Fiction; shared with Uma Thurman
1995 - Golden Globe: Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in a Drama, Pulp Fiction
1995 - American Comedy: Funniest Male Performer in Film, Get Shorty
1995 - Academy Award: Nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor, Pulp Fiction
1995 - BAFTA Film Award: Nominated for Best Actor, Pulp Fiction
1995 - David di Donatello Award: Best Foreign Actor, Pulp Fiction
1995 - London Critics Circle Film Award: Actor of the Year, Pulp Fiction
1995 - Screen Actors Guild Award: Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, Pulp Fiction
1996 - NATO/ShoWest: Male Star of the Year
1996 - American Comedy Awards: Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture, Get Shorty
1996 - Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in a Comedy/Musical, Get Shorty
1996 - MTV Movie Award: Nominated for Best Fight, Broken Arrow
1996 - MTV Movie Award: Nominated for Best Villain, Broken Arrow
1996 - Southeastern Film Critics Association Award: Best Actor, Get Shorty
1997 - Blockbuster Entertainment Award: Favorite Actor in a Drama, Phenomenon
1997 - MTV Movie Award: Nominated for Best Kiss, Phenomenon
1997 - MTV Movie Award: Nominated for Best Male Performance, Phenomenon
1998 - MTV Movie Award: Nominated for Best Male Performance, Face/Off
1998 - MTV Movie Award: Nominated for Best Villain, Face/Off
1998 - MTV Movie Award: Best Onscreen Duo, Face/Off; shared with Nicolas Cage
1998 - BAFTA Film Award: Britannia Award; eighth recipient, Excellence in Film
1998 - Blockbuster Entertainment Award: Nominated for Favorite Actor in an Action/Adventure, Face/Off
1998 - Golden Apple Award: Male Star of the Year
1999 - Broadcast Film Critics Association: Alan J. Pakula Award
1999 - Blockbuster Entertainment Award: Nominated for Favorite Actor in a Drama, A Civil Action
1999 - Golden Globe: Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in a Comedy/Musical, Primary Colors
1999 - Palm Springs International Film Festival: Desert Palm Achievement Award
2000 - Blockbuster Entertainment Award: Nominated for Favorite Actor in a Suspense, The General's Daughter
2001 - Razzie Award: Worst Actor, Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 and Lucky Numbers
2001 - Razzie Award: Best Picture, Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000
2001 - Razzie Award: Worst Screen Couple, Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 (shared with other actors)
2002 - Razzie Award: Nominated for Worst Actor, Domestic Disturbance and Swordfish
Filmography:
As an Actor:
Be Cool (2004) (pre-production) .... Chili Palmer
Love Song for Bobby Long, A (2004) (post-production)
Punisher, The (2004) (post-production) .... Howard Saint
Ladder 49 (2004) (completed) .... Chief Kennedy
2004: A Light Knight's Odyssey (2004) (TV) (voice) .... Dave
Let Freedom Sing! The Story of 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' (2003) (V) .... Actor (interviewed)
Basic (2003) .... Hardy
Domestic Disturbance (2001) .... Frank Morrison
Swordfish (2001) .... Gabriel Shear
Lucky Numbers (2000) .... Russ Richards
Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 (2000) .... Terl
Our Friend, Martin (1999) (V) (voice) .... Kyle's Dad
General's Daughter, The (1999) .... Warr. Off. Paul Brenner/Sgt. Frank White
Civil Action, A (1998) .... Jan Schlichtmann
Thin Red Line, The (1998) .... Brig. Gen. Quintard
Primary Colors (1998) .... Governor Jack Stanton
Mad City (1997) .... Sam Baily
Face/Off (1997) .... Sean Archer/Castor Troy
She's So Lovely (1997) .... Joey
Michael (1996) .... Michael
Phenomenon (1996) .... George Malley
Broken Arrow (1996) .... Maj. Vic Deakins
Get Shorty (1995) .... Chili Palmer
White Man's Burden (1995) .... Louis Pinnock
Pulp Fiction (1994) .... Vincent Vega
Look Who's Talking Now (1993) .... James Ubriacco
Shout (1991) .... Jack Cabe
Eyes of an Angel (1991) .... Bobby
Chains of Gold (1991) (TV) .... Scott Barnes
Look Who's Talking Too (1990) .... James Ubriacco
Experts, The (1989) .... Travis
Look Who's Talking (1989) .... James Ubriacco
Basements (1987) (TV) .... Ben (segment "The Dumb Waiter")
Perfect (1985) .... Adam Lawrence
Two of a Kind (1983) .... Zack
Staying Alive (1983) .... Tony Manero
Blow Out (1981) .... Jack
Sixty Years of Seduction (1981) (TV) (archive footage) .... (archive footage)
Urban Cowboy (1980) .... Buford 'Bud' Uan Davis
Moment by Moment (1978) .... Strip Harrison
Grease (1978) .... Danny Zuko
Saturday Night Fever (1977) .... Tony Manero
Boy in the Plastic Bubble, The (1976) (TV) .... Tod Lubitch
Carrie (1976) .... Billy Nolan
Welcome Back, Kotter (1975) TV Series .... Vincent 'Vinnie' Barbarino (1975-1979)
Tenth Level, The (1975) (TV)
Devil's Rain, The (1975) .... Danny
Miscellaneous Crew:
AFI's 100 Years, 100 Passions (2002) (TV) (thanks)
Battlefield Earth: Evolution & Creation (2000) (V) (special thanks)
Intimate Portrait: Kelly Preston (1999) (TV) (special thanks)
Olivia Newton-John: Twist of Fate (1984) (V) (choreographer: clip "Take a Chance") (singer: "Take a Chance")
Two of a Kind (1983) (singer: "Take a Chance")
As a Producer:
Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 (2000) (producer)
She's So Lovely (1997) (executive producer)
As a Writer:
Chains of Gold (1991) (TV) (written by)
As Himself:
ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration (2003) (TV)
75th Annual Academy Awards, The (2003) (TV) - Presenter: Song 'I Move On'
A&E Biography: John Travolta (2003) (TV)
"I Love the '80s" (2002) (mini) TV Series
Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s (2002) (TV) (uncredited) (archive footage - 1998 interview)
Pulp Fiction: The Facts (2002) (V)
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
Shirtless: Hollywood's Sexiest Men (2002) (TV) (uncredited) (archive footage) .... Himself
74th Annual Academy Awards, The (2002) (TV)
Muhammad Ali's All-Star 60th Birthday Celebration! (2002) (TV)
Making of 'Swordfish', The (2001) (TV)
73rd Annual Academy Awards, The (2001) (TV)
Battlefield Earth: Evolution & Creation (2000) (V)
Conversations with Jon Turteltaub (2000) (V)
True Hollywood Stories: Welcome Back Kotter (2000) (TV)
Welcome to Hollywood (2000)
2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (2000) (TV) (uncredited) - (Presenter)
Forever Hollywood (1999) (TV)
Intimate Portrait: Kelly Preston (1999) (TV)
VH-1 Where Are They Now: Grease (1998) (TV)
Junket Whore (1998)
Behind the Laughs (1998) (TV) (archive footage)
Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life (1997) (TV)
Michael Jackson: History on Film - Volume II (1997) (V)
Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's (1997) (uncredited)
You're Still Not Fooling Anybody (1997) (archive footage)
America's Flying Aces: The Blue Angels 50th Anniversary (1996) - Narrator
Orientation: A Scientology Information Film (1996) (uncredited)
MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special (1995) (TV) (archive footage - interview footage)
67th Annual Academy Awards, The (1995) (TV) - (Co-Presenter)
Boris and Natasha (1992)
Grand Knockout Tournament, The (1987) (TV)
That's Dancing! (1985)
Olivia Newton-John: Twist of Fate (1984) (V)
55th Annual Academy Awards, The (1983) (TV) - (Presenter)
54th Annual Academy Awards, The (1982) (TV) - (Presenter)
American Bandstand's 30th Anniversary Special (1981) (TV)
Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, The (1980) (TV)
29th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, The (1977) (TV)
Notable TV Guest Appearances:
"Rove Live" (2000) playing "Himself" (episode # 4.22) 8 July 2003
"Inside the Actors Studio" (1994) playing "Himself" 13 April 2003
"Revealed with Jules Asner" (2001) playing "Himself" in episode: "John Travolta" 26 March 2003
"Oprah Winfrey Show, The" (1986) playing "Himself" 25 March 2003
"Fear Factor" (2001) playing "Himself" in episode: "Celebrity Fear Factor" 27 November 2001
"Rove Live" (2000) playing "Himself" (episode # 2.18) 19 June 2001
"Rove Live" (2000) playing "Himself" (episode # 2.14) 22 May 2001
"On the Arts" (1998) playing "Himself" 12 June 1999
"Saturday Night Live" (1975) playing "Himself" (episode # 20.3) 15 October 1994
"The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962) playing "Himself" 13 December 1990
"Medical Center" (1969) playing "Danny" in episode: "Saturday's Child" (episode # 6.14) 16 December 1974
"Rookies, The" (1972) in episode: "Frozen Smoke" (episode # 2.4) 1 October 1973
"Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law" (1971) in episode: "A Piece of God" (episode # 2.13) 14 December 1972
"Emergency!" (1972) playing "Chuck Benson" in episode: "Kids" (episode # 2.2) 23 September 1972
Sources:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000237/
http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=1800019533&cf=biog&intl=us
http://www.eonline.com/Facts/People/Bio/0,128,46,00.html
http://www.hollywood.com/celebs/bio/celeb/1675992
http://www.thespiannet.com/actors/T/travolta_john/index.shtml