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John Travolta

John Travolta

Department: Acting

Biography

John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He began acting on television before transitioning into a leading man in film. His accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and nominations for two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. Travolta came to prominence starring in the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979), followed by leading roles in Carrie (1976), Grease (1978), Urban Cowboy (1980), and Blow Out (1981). He earned nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his roles in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Pulp Fiction (1994). His other notable films include Get Shorty (1995), Broken Arrow (1996), Michael (1996), Face/Off (1997), A Civil Action (1998), Primary Colors (1998), The General's Daughter (1999), The Punisher (2004), Wild Hogs (2007), Hairspray (2007), Bolt (2008), and Savages (2012). Travolta returned to television, portraying lawyer Robert Shapiro in the series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. He received an Emmy Award as a producer and nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. He was also Emmy-nominated for his role in the action-comedy web series Die Hart (2021).  Travolta has released nine albums outside of acting, including four singles that charted on the Billboard Hot 100's Top 40. His albums typically accompanied films he starred in, such as Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture (1978), which topped the Billboard 200. Travolta is also a private pilot.

Known For

Lonely Hearts

Lonely Hearts

2006

Grease

Grease

1978

Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction

1994

Face/Off

Face/Off

1997

Die Hart

Die Hart

2023

The General's Daughter

The General's Daughter

1999

Michael

Michael

1996

Be Cool

Be Cool

2005

Hairspray

Hairspray

2007

Basic

Basic

2003

Lucky Numbers

Lucky Numbers

2000

Staying Alive

Staying Alive

1983

Ladder 49

Ladder 49

2004

Saturday Night Fever

Saturday Night Fever

1977

Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon

Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon

2005

Battlefield Earth

Battlefield Earth

2000

Wild Hogs

Wild Hogs

2007

Old Dogs

Old Dogs

2009

I'm Still Here

I'm Still Here

2010

Carrie

Carrie

1976

Domestic Disturbance

Domestic Disturbance

2001

Get Shorty

Get Shorty

1995

Blow Out

Blow Out

1981

White Man's Burden

White Man's Burden

1995

The Punisher

The Punisher

2004

Look Who's Talking Now!

Look Who's Talking Now!

1993

The Thin Red Line

The Thin Red Line

1998

A Civil Action

A Civil Action

1998

Primary Colors

Primary Colors

1998

Shout

Shout

1991

Look Who's Talking

Look Who's Talking

1989

Swordfish

Swordfish

2001

From Paris with Love

From Paris with Love

2010

Two of a Kind

Two of a Kind

1983

Phenomenon

Phenomenon

1996

Mad City

Mad City

1997

A Love Song for Bobby Long

A Love Song for Bobby Long

2004

Look Who's Talking Too

Look Who's Talking Too

1990

Bolt

Bolt

2008

The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

1976

She's So Lovely

She's So Lovely

1997

Chains of Gold

Chains of Gold

1991

The Devil’s Rain

The Devil’s Rain

1975

Urban Cowboy

Urban Cowboy

1980

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

2009

Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s

Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s

2002

The Shepherd

The Shepherd

2023

Cash Out

Cash Out

2024

Perfect

Perfect

1985

Casting By

Casting By

2012

Eyes of an Angel

Eyes of an Angel

1991

That's Amore!

That's Amore!

Savages

Savages

2012

John Travolta Remembers James Cagney

John Travolta Remembers James Cagney

2003

The Experts

The Experts

1989

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

2012

Killing Season

Killing Season

2013

High Rollers

High Rollers

2025

Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond

Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond

2016

Moment by Moment

Moment by Moment

1978

Tony Bennett: An American Classic

Tony Bennett: An American Classic

2006

John Travolta: The Inside Story

John Travolta: The Inside Story

2004

Basements

Basements

1987

Bio.

Bio.

2005

Mob Land

Mob Land

2023

Rona Barrett Looks at 1978

Rona Barrett Looks at 1978

1979

The Forger

The Forger

2014

Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's

Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's

1998

American Badass: A Michael Madsen Retrospective

American Badass: A Michael Madsen Retrospective

2022

In a Valley of Violence

In a Valley of Violence

2016

Pattern Recognition

Pattern Recognition

2017

Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles

Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles

2023

Criminal Activities

Criminal Activities

2015

Orientation: A Scientology Information Film

Orientation: A Scientology Information Film

1996

Seriously... Phil Collins

Seriously... Phil Collins

1990

James Bond: The First 21 Years

James Bond: The First 21 Years

1983

Close Up

Close Up

2012

David Blaine: Beyond Magic

David Blaine: Beyond Magic

2016

Nos Bastidores de Hollywood

Nos Bastidores de Hollywood

2005

I Am Wrath

I Am Wrath

2016

The Grand Knockout Tournament

The Grand Knockout Tournament

1987

Life on the Line

Life on the Line

2016

2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift

2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift

2010

Our Friend, Martin

Our Friend, Martin

1999

Junket Whore

Junket Whore

1998

Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life

Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life

1997

Brando

Brando

2007

Austin Powers in Goldmember

Austin Powers in Goldmember

2002

Gotti

Gotti

2018

Stayin' Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees

Stayin' Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees

2017

Quentin Tarantino: 20 Years of Filmmaking

Quentin Tarantino: 20 Years of Filmmaking

2013

Welcome to Hollywood

Welcome to Hollywood

2000

Speed Kills

Speed Kills

2018

Trading Paint

Trading Paint

2019

The Grease Story

The Grease Story

2017

Saturday Night Fever: The Ultimate Disco Movie

Saturday Night Fever: The Ultimate Disco Movie

2017

The Fanatic

The Fanatic

2019

The Poison Rose

The Poison Rose

2019

Grease Day USA

Grease Day USA

1978

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History

2008

Forever Hollywood

Forever Hollywood

1999

Urban Cowboy: The Rise and Fall of Gilley's

Urban Cowboy: The Rise and Fall of Gilley's

2015

Everyday Heroes: Real Stories from Real Firefighters

Everyday Heroes: Real Stories from Real Firefighters

2005

Nightmare

Nightmare

1974

The Tenth Level

The Tenth Level

1976

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

2017

Studio 54

Studio 54

2018

Paradise City

Paradise City

2022

Boris and Natasha

Boris and Natasha

1992

Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend

Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend

2021

Broken Arrow

Broken Arrow

1996

AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies

AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies

2004

November 1963

November 1963

2026

Cash Out 3

Cash Out 3

Pulp Fiction: The Facts

Pulp Fiction: The Facts

2002

Be Cool, Very Cool

Be Cool, Very Cool

2005

Black Tides

Black Tides

2026

Syndicate

Syndicate

Trailer Camp

Trailer Camp

1995

Scientology: The Road to Total Freedom?

Scientology: The Road to Total Freedom?

1987

The Kick That United A Nation

The Kick That United A Nation

2025

That's Dancing!

That's Dancing!

1985

ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration

ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration

2003

America's Flying Aces: The Blue Angels 50th Anniversary

America's Flying Aces: The Blue Angels 50th Anniversary

1996

ED

ED

Pulp Fiction: Behind The Scenes Montages

Pulp Fiction: Behind The Scenes Montages

2002

Bee Gees: One Night Only

Bee Gees: One Night Only

1998

Propeller One-Way Night Coach

Propeller One-Way Night Coach

2026

Welcome Back, Kotter

Welcome Back, Kotter

1975

Inside the Actors Studio

Inside the Actors Studio

1994

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

2003

Fear Factor

Fear Factor

2001

The Rookies

The Rookies

1972

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

The View

The View

1997

Fat Actress

Fat Actress

2005

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

1992

The Early Show

The Early Show

1999

Oprah's Big Give

Oprah's Big Give

2008

The Jay Leno Show

The Jay Leno Show

2009

Celebrities Uncensored

Celebrities Uncensored

2003

Mr. T and Tina

Mr. T and Tina

1976

Harty

Harty

1983

Where Are They Now?

Where Are They Now?

1999

The Oscars

The Oscars

1953

Good Day Live

Good Day Live

2001

The Captain and Tennille

The Captain and Tennille

1976

The Scrat Show

The Scrat Show

2012

Hart to Heart

Hart to Heart

2021

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

1975

Top of the Pops

Top of the Pops

1964

Wetten, dass..?

Wetten, dass..?

1981

American Crime Story

American Crime Story

2016

The True Story of...

The True Story of...

2017

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show

1961

Rove

Rove

1999

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

The Reichen Show

The Reichen Show

2005

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

Goldene Kamera

Goldene Kamera

1984

Emergency!

Emergency!

1972

Panorama

Panorama

1953

Sanremo Music Festival

Sanremo Music Festival

1951

Entertainment Tonight

Entertainment Tonight

1981

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche

Les Rendez-vous du dimanche

1975

Jay Leno's Garage

Jay Leno's Garage

2015

Il était une fois Champs-Élysées

Il était une fois Champs-Élysées

2022

Die Hart

Die Hart

2020

Champs-Elysées

Champs-Elysées

1982

Kirstie

Kirstie

2013

The Playboy Murders

The Playboy Murders

2023

Behind Closed Doors with Natalie Morales

Behind Closed Doors with Natalie Morales

2015

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944

Fifth Gear

Fifth Gear

2002

Great Performances

Great Performances

1971

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

2014

Sacrée Soirée

Sacrée Soirée

1987

Medical Center

Medical Center

1969

MTV Video Music Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

1984

El hormiguero

El hormiguero

2006

Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law

Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law

1971

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

2015

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

2003

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956