How Old Was Olivia Newton-John In Grease - [] 2023: All Five Oceans

Mensen zoeken ook naar John Travolta Chloe Rose Lattanzi Stockard Channing Matt Lattanzi John Easterling Jeff Conaway Didi Conn

Contents

0.1 How old was Olivia Newton-John when she started Grease?

1 How old was John T in Grease?
- 1.1 How old was Danny in Grease?
  - 1.1.1 Did John and Olivia from Grease ever date?
  - 1.1.2 Did John Travolta love Olivia Newton-John?
2 Did John Travolta sing in Grease?
3 Who was the youngest in Grease?
- - 3.0.1 Who was the oldest actress in Grease?
- 3.1 Why was the Grease cast so old?
  - 3.1.1 What is the oldest Grease movie?
4 Does Danny smoke in Grease?
- 4.1 Who turned down Danny Grease?
  - 4.1.1 Did John Travolta fancy Olivia?
5 Did Sandy and Danny date in real life?
6 How old was Olivia from Grease when she died?
- - 6.0.1 Did John Travolta attend Olivia Newton-John’s funeral?
7 Where was Grease filmed?
8 How old was Cha Cha when she made Grease?
- 8.1 Did John Travolta lose a child?
  - 8.1.1 Did Sandy actually sing in Grease?
  - 8.1.2 Was Elvis supposed to be in Grease?
- 8.2 How much older was Olivia Newton-John than John Travolta in Grease?
  - 8.2.1 Why was the cast of Grease so old?
9 Why did Olivia Newton-John not do Grease 2?
10 Are Pat and Olivia still friends?

How old was Olivia Newton-John when she started Grease?

‘Grease’ Casting Director Reacts to Criticism the Actors Were Too Old: ‘It’s a Fantasy’

The casting director behind says the movie was “better for” its use of adult actors playing high schoolers.
In a new oral history of the classic 1978 movie musical published by on Wednesday, casting director Joel Thurm pointed out that Grease “is not a documentary” as he referenced the common criticism that none of the film’s cast members were actual teenagers at the time of filming.
“People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy,” Thurm said in the oral history, which covers how the original Chicago-based stage musical was adapted for the big screen.

“It is a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens,” Thurm added. “The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did.”, who starred as Danny Zuko in Grease, famously stood out as younger than much of the rest of Grease ‘s principal cast during filming in summer 1977 at age 23.

The late, who costarred as Sandy, was 29 at the time Grease was filmed;, who played Rizzo, was the principal cast’s oldest member at 33 during filming, according to a 2016 article about the production.
In The Guardian ‘s oral history, casting director Thurm added that “there wasn’t a question in my mind” that Grease would prove popular after its release in 1978.
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“The critics didn’t matter, since they forgot that audiences go to movies to have fun,” he told the outlet. “The timing was right as we were having a 50s revival with Happy Days on TV and the music put the album on the charts for a decade.” Following Newton-John’s in August 2022, Thurm recalled to PEOPLE that casting the star as Sandy was “very simple,” though the actress about taking the role.

Olivia Newton-John and Didi Conn in Grease (1978).
Paramount/Rso/Kobal/Shutterstock “John was already pre-set, and John asked me, ‘What do you think of Olivia?’ I said, ‘She’s wonderful.’ He said, ‘What do you think of her for Sandy? That’s a great idea.’ And once John said that, and that’s who John wanted, I stopped anything else,” he said at the time, later explaining that Newton-John “didn’t jump at the offer.” “She said, ‘Okay, I want to see a screen test with John and myself and then I’ll let you know if I want to do it,’ ” he recalled.

Thurm confessed this was a first for him, telling PEOPLE: “I think I’ve never heard of a case where an actor being offered a role said, ‘I want to see me before I say yes.’ But that’s how smart she was.” : ‘Grease’ Casting Director Reacts to Criticism the Actors Were Too Old: ‘It’s a Fantasy’

How old was John T in Grease?

How old was John Travolta in Grease ? – Travolta was already famous by the time Grease was released, as his breakthrough hit came out in 1977. John Travolta was 23 years old when he filmed the part of 18-year-old Danny Zuko.

How old was Danny in Grease?

John Travolta was 23 when “Grease” was filmed in 1977. – John Travolta in 1978. Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Although Sandy tells the Pink Ladies during “Summer Nights” that Danny “was sweet, just turned 18,” Travolta was older than his character by a few years when filming. However, Travolta — who had already starred in ” Saturday Night Fever ” when ” Grease ” came out — was still younger than some of his castmates.

Did John and Olivia from Grease ever date?

Olivia Newton-John said she and John Travolta had ‘undeniable attraction’

They were the subject of persistent romance rumors after they steamed up screens in 1978’s “Grease.”But Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta never got physical while filming the movie musical, and instead went on to share a 44-year friendship that remained strictly platonic. In her 2018 autobiography Newton-John — who — revealed the reason she never hooked up with her hunky co-star, despite their “undeniable attraction” toward one another. “Yes, we really liked each other and there was an attraction, but we would never date because we were both involved with other people at the time,” the bubbly blond divulged in the tome. “Both of us have a loyalty streak that runs deep,” she added, insisting she would never cheat on a partner.

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta never got physical while filming “Grease,” and instead went on to share a 44-year friendship that remained platonic. They are pictured at left in 2020. The longtime pals are seen top right on the set of “Grease” in 1978, and bottom right in 1983.

Getty Images The pair steamed up screens in “Grease,” and their chemistry crossed over into real life — but they never acted on their flirtations.
Redferns Still, the pair enjoyed a strong flirtation, with Newton-John going on to recall her amorous audition alongside Travolta.
John came out to meet me.

Our eyes met. When we walked inside the room together, it was magic, and everyone saw it,” she cooed. “They couldn’t deny this kind of chemistry.” Their fondness for one another only intensified over the course of the two-month shoot, with the Australian beauty becoming enamored by her co-star’s kindness.

Newton-John divulged that Travolta purposely messed up a scene so that they could shoot it again because he believed that she could “do better.” “He said: ‘Sorry I messed up. Liv, I did that on purpose because I don’t want them to use that take. I know you can do better,’ ” she recalled in the memoir.

“I had great love and support from him and the feeling was mutual. I would be forever grateful for his concern.” “John came out to meet me. Our eyes met. When we walked inside the room together, it was magic, and everyone saw it,” she cooed. “They couldn’t deny this kind of chemistry.” CBS via Getty Images Newton-John also wrote about filming the final scene of “Grease,” where her character, Sandy, shows off her,

There were gasps, catcalls and a lot of whistling,” she penned, before detailing Travolta’s reaction to her eye-catching ensemble.
John was filming the song ‘Sandy’ and I strutted on set.
He stopped singing mid-note, as his head jerked up and his eyes popped.
Tell me more, tell me more,’ he shouted.

We laughed so hard. It was exactly the reaction I wanted,” Newton-John wistfully wrote. Meanwhile, the superstar claimed that Travolta told her on set: “Liv, it’s every guy’s dream to have you as his girlfriend.” Tell me more! Newton-John dished on Travolta’s reaction after he saw her in a sexy black ensemble she donned for the film’s final scene.

CBS via Getty Images In her book, Newton-John wrote that Travolta later told her: “It almost happened between us a few times, but it didn’t.
Sometimes life just offers you the wrong timing.
We had to leave it as dear friends.” Indeed, the pair enjoyed a friendship for the ages, frequently appearing together on red carpets and reuniting for “Grease” anniversaries.

The pair are pictured together in 2006. They frequently appeared together on red carpets and at “Grease” anniversary events. AP In 2018, Travolta told magazine that the huge success of their flick had helped them stay connected. “When you share that kind of meteoric success — and nothing has been able to exceed it— you share a bond,” he stated.

I’ve been through her having a child, getting divorced, losing her sister. She’s been through my getting married, having children. It’s wonderful and full of shared memories.” Following Newton-John’s death, Travolta was the first A-lister to to his beloved pal. “My dearest Olivia,” he emotionally wrote on Instagram.

“You made all of our lives so much better. Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. “We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John.” : Olivia Newton-John said she and John Travolta had ‘undeniable attraction’

Did John Travolta love Olivia Newton-John?

As Sandy and Danny, Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta’s onscreen romance in Grease is one of the most iconic in film history. But did their undeniable chemistry ever spill over into real-life? Watch above: Olivia Newton-John looks back on her incredible life Stream the world’s best reality, entertainment and true crime shows for free on 7Bravo on 7plus >> Travolta shared a moving social media post about Newton-John following her passing on August 8, US time. The entertainer died peacefully aged 73 at her ranch in Southern California surrounded by family and friends. Signing his tribute as “Your Danny, your John!”, the actor told Newton-John that he was was “yours from the first moment I saw you”. Olivia Newton John and John Travolta at the Grease party at Paramount Studios in 1978 in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Brad Elterman / FilmMagic While the pair never officially dated, the pair have made no secret of their feelings for one another. “I think we love each other and when you love someone you stay in touch,” Travolta said of his co-star. However Grease co-star Didi Conn – who played Frenchie – maintains that it was no secret that Travolta was secretly infatuated with Newton-John. “Oh yeah,” Conn told Daily Mail. “What was so much fun was that most of us were older than the characters we were playing so we just stayed in character all day long.” She also shared details of a little-known kiss that was filmed as part of an alternate ending for Grease, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in England during the week of release of the film Grease in September 1978. Credit: Mirrorpix / Getty Images “Randal Kleiser, the director, thought: ‘Maybe I should make an alternative ending’, and they fly up into the sky and instead of looking back, Danny looks at Sandy and pulls her closer to him and gives her the juiciest kiss and Olivia,” she added. “You see for a moment she’s surprised and then she responds. It’s juicy and it’s great. “They weren’t acting in that moment, it was like he had his chance and he was going to take it. It was real, it really was.” Newton-John explained that the timing was never right for romance. “We were both with other people when we were filming,” Newton-John said in 2018. “I think, respectfully, it just didn’t happen.” John Travolta kisses Olivia Newton-John in a scene from the film Two Of A Kind in 1983. Credit: Archive Photos / Getty Images If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your, To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide, She added: “I think it kept the tension there and the chemistry. It might have been a real disaster had we decided to date, or we had a falling out or something.” In 2021, Newton-John opened up about her first kiss with Travolta on the set of Grease – recalling the “exciting” moment. “It was at the beach – actually the opening scene of the movie,” she told Us Weekly, “It was a beautiful day. We were playing around in the water, and I don’t really remember exactly, but it was a very lovely day and an exciting moment because it was the start of the film, although everything was kind of out of order, but we did that. ‘I think we love each other and when you love someone you stay in touch,’ Travolta said of his co-star. Credit: RB / Redferns “That was the first time we had kissed.” After Grease, Travolta said they remained in each other’s lives forever. “We were together not that long ago, about three months ago, and we text each other all the time,” he said in 2019. “It’s wonderful. If I go to see her in her show, we go backstage and hang out, and I watch the show and all that. “If I go to see her personally, we usually have dinner and catch up. And recently we’ve been talking about trying to do something together.” John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Credit: Gregg DeGuire / WireImage Newton-John described Travolta as a “lovely, sweet man”. She added: “And he made all my acting experiences really easy. He was very thoughtful and encouraged me if he thought I wasn’t doing a good enough job.” In this tribute to Newton-John following her passing, Travolta spoke of his love for her. “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better,” Travolta wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. “Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. “Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! “Your Danny, your John!” Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To You – Part 1 airs on Channel 7 and 7plus Tuesday 9 August 9.10pm Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To You – Part 2, airs on Channel 7 and 7plus Wednesday 10 August 9.00pm If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your, To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide,

Did John Travolta sing in Grease?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Greased Lightnin'”

US single picture sleeve

Single by John Travolta

from the album Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture

B-side

“Razzamatazz”
” Sandy “

Released

1978 1999 (re-release)

Recorded

1977

Genre

Rock and roll

Length

3 : 13

Label

RSO

Songwriter(s)

Jim Jacobs
Warren Casey

Producer(s)

Louis St. Louis
John Farrar
Barry Gibb
Albhy Galuten

John Travolta singles chronology

” Sandy ” (1978)

” Greased Lightnin’ ” (1978)

” Never Gonna Fall in Love Again ” (1980)

/td>

Greased Lightnin’ ” is a song from the 1971 musical Grease which was also adapted into the 1978 film Grease, A soundtrack recording from the film version, with John Travolta on lead vocals, peaked at No.47 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978.

Who was the youngest in Grease?

The cast of ‘Grease’: Where are they now? Credit: Everett Collection Since its release in June of 1978, the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical has remained an enduring fixture of pop culture. The highest-grossing movie of the year, it also produced one of the best-selling albums of all time; a 1982 sequel starring and Maxwell Caulfield; a live television event, ; and the upcoming Paramount+ spin-offs and Summer Lovin’,

The story of high school sweethearts Danny Zuko () and Sandy Olsson () is a quintessential tale of teenage devotion set against the musical backdrop of the 1950s.
After a whirlwind fling of “Summer Nights,” the pair assumes their time together is over, and that Sandy must return to Australia with her parents.

But, when her family decides to stay in America, Sandy is enrolled in Rydell High alongside Danny, who tries to play it cool in front of his gang of greaser friends — the T-Birds — causing friction between them. She quickly falls in with her own clique — the Pink Ladies —and the two groups dance and sing their way through the ups and downs of adolescent love. Credit: Everett Collection; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Before he donned Danny Zuko’s leather jacket, John Travolta was already a bona fide star thanks to his roles as Vinnie Barbarino on, Billy Nolan in (1976), and Tony Manero in (1977) — for which he received his first Academy Award nomination.

Following the juggernaut success of the film, Travolta’s next hit came with 1980’s, but then a string of disappointments followed, and the actor’s career hit a slump throughout the following decade.
In 1989, however, things began to turn around with the success of Look Who’s Talking, costarring Kirstie Alley, but it was 1994’s, directed by, that truly sparked his career resurgence, earning him his second Oscar nomination in the process.

He has gone on to star in several hit films since, including (1995), (1997), and (1998), as well as a return to movie musicals with his performance as Edna Turnblad in the 2007 remake of, In 2012, Travolta reunited with Olivia Newton-John for their holiday album This Christmas, and, in 2016, he received his first Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Robert Shapiro in FX’s, Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images Already a when she was cast as good-girl-gone-bad Sandy, Olivia Newton-John’s career rose to greater heights after the movie became the biggest box office hit of 1978. Thanks to her soundtrack contributions “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “Summer Nights,” she became the second woman to have two singles in the Billboard top five at the same time.

In addition to the box office and Billboard success brought on by the musical, her performance in Grease also landed her a Golden Globe nomination.
Inspired by her climactic transformation into “Bad Sandy,” Newton-John revamped her sound and image for her next album, Totally Hot, to add more of a Pink Ladies edge.

Her big screen follow-up, Xanadu — costarring — was a critical and commercial failure, but produced a hit soundtrack and a slew of top 20 singles, including “Magic,” which spent five weeks at No.1 on the charts. The movie musical was also where she met her first husband, Matt Lattanzi, and in 1986 gave birth to their daughter, Chloe Rose.

In 1981, she released Physical, the biggest album of her career.
The risqué title track ruled the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks, and its tongue-in-cheek, aerobics-inspired music video became an MTV staple.
She went on to record 15 more studio albums, achieving a career total of 26, and selling over 100 million units worldwide.

In 1992, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and became a tireless advocate for cancer research throughout the rest of her life, founding the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Australia. In addition, she was “hopelessly devoted” to philanthropic works, including a stint as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program. Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic By the time she was cast as high school bad girl Rizzo, had already amassed an impressive list of stage and screen credits, including a starring turn opposite and in ‘ The Fortune (1975). After two brief attempts at sitcom stardom in the early-1980s, Channing re-teamed with Nicholson and Nichols (as well as ) for the film Heartburn, based on ‘s best-selling novel.

She continued to work onstage as well, eventually earning a Tony award for Best Actress in a Play for Peter Nichol’s A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, and nominations for her work in The House of Blue Leaves and Six Degrees of Separation, Four Baboons Adoring the Sun, The Lion in Winter, Pal Joey (for Best Actress in a Musical), and Other Dessert Cities,

In 1993, she reprised the role of Louisa “Ouisa” Kittredge for the film version of Six Degrees and received both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her performance. She worked steadily through the ’90s before joining the cast of the celebrated drama in 1999 — which brought her six Emmy nominations and one win. Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage Kenickie, the T-Birds second-in-command, was brought to the screen by Jeff Conaway. Like his costar John Travolta, Conaway appeared in the original cast of Grease on Broadway, serving as an understudy for several of the roles, eventually taking over the part of Danny Zuko.

He followed his time on the Great White Way with guest star turns on a number of television shows before joining the cast of the Grease film and becoming a series regular on the sitcom, After three seasons on Taxi, and two Golden Globe nominations, Conaway left the hit show due to both creative differences with the producers and his struggles with drug abuse on set.

Throughout the rest of the ’80s and early-’90s, he primarily worked in guest spots on TV, and small supporting roles in films, until he booked the role of Zack Allan on from 1994 to 1999. Things took a dark turn in the mid-2000s when Conaway relapsed from substance abuse and turned up on reality TV as a star of the VH1 shows Celebrity Fit Club and Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Bobby Bank/Getty Images, born Edith Bernstein, is the only cast member to appear in all three screen adaptations of Grease, having also appeared in 1982’s Grease 2, and Fox’s Grease: Live! (2016). After her turn as beauty school dropout Frenchy in the original 1978 film, she went on to star in television shows like The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, Benson, and the PBS series Shining Time Station — alongside, and, later, George Carlin.

Conn has appeared on series such as,, and, She competed on the hit British series Dancing on Ice in 2019, but was eliminated in week four. After her son David was diagnosed with autism at an early age, she has become an outspoken advocate for autism awareness, and, in 2008, she was named the National Celebrity Spokesperson for Autism Speaks.

She has been married to her second husband, David Shire, since 1982. Advertisement Advertisement Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Albert L. Ortega/WireImage The daughter of screenwriter Arnold Manoff, and Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress/director Lee Grant, Dinah Manoff played Marty Maraschino, the Pink Ladies’ biggest flirt. Following the success of Grease, and a yearlong stint on the ABC sitcom Soap in 1978, she went on to win a Tony award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play in 1980 for Neil Simon’s I Ought to Be in Pictures,

She stayed busy for the rest of the ’80s, starring in the film version of the play, as well as parts in Ordinary People (1980) and the horror movie (1988). In 1988, she booked the lead role of Carol Weston in the hit NBC spin-off of, Empty Nest. She costarred on the sitcom alongside Richard Mulligan and Kristy McNichol, and was featured in every episode of its seven-season run.

Manoff has three children with her second husband, Arthur Mortell. After her oldest son, Dashiell, tragically died in a car accident in 2017, she began teaching acting at the Purdy Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor, Wash., as a way to deal with her grief. Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Bobby Bank/Getty Images Frenchy’s troublemaking boyfriend Doody was portrayed by Barry Pearl, who performed in the first national tour of Grease prior to joining the cast of the film. In the years since, he has built a long list of guest star credits on TV shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents,,, and Even Stevens. Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Bobby Bank/Getty Images Kelly Ward brought the youngest member of the T-Birds, Putzie, to life in a role specifically created for the film. Grease wasn’t his first time working with costar John Travolta, as the two worked together on 1976’s made-for-television movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,

Five years later, after a handful of TV appearances in shows like,, and Magnum, P.I., Ward retired from acting on-camera. He has gone on to become a voice director for Disney Television Animation, and a screenwriter for numerous cartoons, including the feature film All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (1996). From 1992 to 1996, he served as Vice President of Animation at MGM studios, and spent 23 years as an adjunct musical theater professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Dramatic Arts.

Advertisement Credit: CBS via Getty Images; Tara Ziemba/Getty Images Jan, the nerdy, junk food-loving member of the Pink Ladies was played by Jamie Donnelly, who originated the part on Broadway, and was the only cast member to play the same role in both the stage musical and the film.

Prior to Grease, she also starred in the premiere New York and Los Angeles productions of The Rocky Horror Show alongside Tim Curry. After the success of the movie, Donnelly took an almost 20-year break from acting, working as a theatrical coach in the Los Angeles area. She returned to the profession in the late-’90s and has appeared on television in series like,, and, as well as the feature films Cyrus (2010) with and (2015) with,

Advertisement : The cast of ‘Grease’: Where are they now?

Who was the oldest actress in Grease?

Grease casting director FINALLY reveals why stars were too old Published: 18:41 BST, 7 April 2023 | Updated: 21:08 BST, 7 April 2023

It’s a question that has vexed fans of the movie Grease for years: Why are the main actors so much older than the high schoolers they are portraying?
The film, which featured leads and the, was released in 1978 but was set at a Los Angeles–area high school exactly two decades earlier.
Travolta was actually one of the younger members of the cast, as he was still in his early 20s, while several of the major supporting actors were well into their 30s despite playing youths in their late teens.
However, a new oral history of the classic musical that was published by this week is shedding new light on the film’s unorthodox casting.
Grease’s casting director Joel Thurm, who would been pivotal to assembling the final cast, has finally answered the question.

Clearing it up: The casting director for Grease has spoken out about the ages of the film’s primary cast after fans have puzzled over why they were so much older than their high school characters for years; Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta seen in Grease (1978) Ballpark figure: According to casting director Joel Thurm, the film ‘is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy.’ He said the actors just need to look about the same age as each other; (L–R) Didi Conn, Dinah Manoff, Stockard Channing and Jamie Donnelly

According to him, using older actors was a completely intentional choice on the creative team’s part.
Thurm pushed back on common criticisms of the actors’ ages, noting that the stylized comedy is ‘not a documentary.’
‘People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy,’ he clarified.

‘It is a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens,’ Thurm explained. ‘The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did.’

The choice to eschew strict realism meant that Travolta and his costar Michael Tucci, who was eight years older than him, could both sport the kind of five o’clock shadows that most high school boys can only dream of growing.
Principal photography on Grease commenced in the summer of 1977, the year before the film was released, and Travolta — who played Danny Zuko — was already 23 at the time.
Newton-John — who was six years older than her co-lead, which was reportedly a source of concern for her — would have been around 29 at the time of filming when she played the visiting Australian student Sandy Olsson.
Tucci, who played a member Sonny LaTierri, a member of Danny’s T-Birds gang, was over 30 by the time shooting began.
‘By the time the film came around, I was in my early 30s and too old for the role,’ Tucci admitted to The Guardian.

Mismatch? Travolta was among the youngest at 23, while Newton-John was older at 29. She reportedly worried about the age difference Nailed it: Michael Tucci (top R) was one of the oldest and over 30, which he thought meant he wouldn’t work for the film, though he scored a role thanks to his presence in the stage musical Mature men: All of the film’s male stars were considerably older than high school boys and sported five o’clock shadows most high schoolers could only dream of growing

But after the casting team heard that he had been featured in the stage production of the musical, he secured an audition and still got the job.
Among the principal cast, Stockard Channing’s Rizzo was the oldest, as she was 33 during filming.
Didi Conn, who played Frenchy, recalled bonding with her costars and putting their true ages behind them to get into character.

‘Once we got our makeup on, I was Frenchy and we all called each other by our characters’ names. That really helped because I was 27 at the time, and there were a few others there who were older than that, so this gave us a licence to be goofy and crazy and horny,’ she explained.

‘It was all the things that teenagers in the ’50s would be.’ Jeff Conaway, who played Danny’s close friend Kenickie, would have been around 27 when shooting the film.
He suffered from drug abuse throughout the 1980s and 2000s, and he died from pneumonia and sepsis in 2011.
One of the older looking actors in the film, the antagonist Leo ‘Crater-Face’ Balmudo — nicknamed for his acne scars — would have been around 30 when production started.

He died in 1994 of complications from AIDS. Although the film initially received mixed reviews from critics, audiences didn’t seem to mind and turned out in droves to see Grease. ‘I knew it was going to be a hit — there wasn’t a question in my mind. The critics didn’t matter, since they forgot that audiences go to movies to have fun,’ Thurm said.

‘The timing was right as we were having a ’50s revival with Happy Days on TV and the music put the album on the charts for a decade.
‘I love going on YouTube now and watching flashmobs still performing songs from the film around the globe,’ he added.
Instant success: Casting director Thurm wasn’t only unconcerned about the cast’s ages, but he ‘knew it was going to be a hit,’ as the film coincided with a wave of ’50s nostalgia Saying goodbye: Travolta paid tribute to Olivia and referenced their Grease roles after her death from cancer on August 8, 2022 Newton-John died on August 8, 2022, after she suffered a recurrence of breast cancer in 2017.

By the time it was discovered, it had metastasized and spread to her lower back and bones. Travolta paid tribute to her after her death with a heartbreaking note posted to Instagram. ‘My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better, he wrote.

Why was the Grease cast so old?

Grease fans have finally got closure on why the cast are so much older than highschoolers (Picture: Shutterstock) Finally, Grease fans have been given an answer as to why the principal cast are so much older than the high school students they are portraying.

Released in 1978 and starring John Travolta and Dame Olivia Newton-John as Danny and Sandy, the classic film followed the teenagers’ love story as it unfolded against the backdrop of Rydell High School. While the movie has faced a spate of criticism for being ‘problematic’ in recent years, one element many viewers have struggled to get over is the age of the actors.

Most of the lead stars were in their 20s and 30s while filming Grease with Travolta aged 23 and Newton-John aged 29, despite playing teenagers. However, casting director Joel Thurm has at long last explained why older actors were used, stressing that it was totally intentional. The majority of the cast were in their 20s and 30s despite playing teenagers in the 1978 film (Picture: CBS) Speaking to The Guardian, he said: ‘People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy. ‘It is a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens.’ He added: ‘The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did.’ Well, that’s that then. According to casting director Joel Thurm, casting older actors was planned (Picture: CBS) Sandy star Newton-John died ‘peacefully’ at her ranch in Southern California aged 73 last August, surrounded by family and friends. Travolta led tributes to the late icon on Instagram, sharing a throwback photo of his former co-star.

What is the oldest Grease movie?

Grease
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Randal Kleiser
Screenplay by	Bronté Woodard
Adaptation by	Allan Carr
Based on	Grease by Jim Jacobs Warren Casey
Produced by	Robert Stigwood Allan Carr
Starring	John Travolta Olivia Newton-John Stockard Channing
Cinematography	Bill Butler
Edited by	John F. Burnett
Music by	Michael Gibson
Production companies	Allan Carr Enterprises Stigwood Group
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	June 16, 1978
Running time	110 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$6 million
Box office	$366.2 million

Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Randal Kleiser (in his feature directorial debut) from a screenplay by Bronté Woodard and an adaptation by Allan Carr, based on the stage musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey,

The film depicts the lives of greaser Danny Zuko ( John Travolta ) and Australian transfer student Sandy Olsson ( Olivia Newton-John ), who develop an attraction for each other during a summer romance.
Grease was released in the United States on June 16, 1978, by Paramount Pictures,
The film was successful both critically and commercially, becoming the highest-grossing musical film at the time.

Its soundtrack album ended 1978 as the second-best-selling album of the year in the United States, only behind the soundtrack of the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever (which also starred Travolta), and the song ” Hopelessly Devoted to You ” was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 51st Academy Awards,

The film also received five nominations at the 36th Golden Globe Awards, including for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and two for Best Original Song, for ” Grease ” and “You’re the One that I Want”. In 2020, Grease was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

A sequel, Grease 2, was released in 1982, starring Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer as a newer class of greasers. Few of the original cast members reprised their roles. As of 2023, a short-lived prequel television series, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, debuted on Paramount+, with a prequel film, titled Summer Lovin ‘, currently in production.

Does Danny smoke in Grease?

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Rizzo and the Pink Ladies drink wine from the bottle and try to get Sandy to drink some. The T-Birds appear to drink beer in one scene. Rizzo drinks a beer. A student at the dance-off spikes the punch with liquor, and later he (or someone else) walks by and takes a swig from a bottle.

BLOOD/GORE None. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Danny and the T-Birds refer to women as “chicks” and see them as sexual material (like stereotypical teenage males). Danny gives Sandy the cold shoulder so that he’ll still look cool to his buddies. Rizzo sings a song, “Look at me, I’m Sandra Dee” mocking Sandy’s pure and proper behavior.

Leo, the Scorpion’s gang leader, continually tries to instigate something between the rival gangs. FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS In the opening cartoon sequence, there is an ever-so-brief image of what appears to be Davy Crockett with a rifle. Switchblade: Shown by Kenickie in one scene.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: “Puts out,” “Horny,” and “Flog your log,” (sexual), “Moron,” “Chicks” (for women), “Jerks,” “Shut up,” “Screws up,” “Dorks,” “Creep,” “Nuts” (crazy), “Bite the weenie,” “Fruitcake,” “Knocked up” (pregnant) and “Putz.” Although they’re 1950’s type gangs, nearly all of the main characters (male and female) belong to them and many smoke.

A student pushes another student over a third student crouched behind him. Kenickie puts a small creature into a girl’s bag to make her scream when she puts her hand inside it. One of the T-Birds looks up some girls’ skirts through the bleachers. Danny does some brief pelvic thrusting while singing a song with the line, “We made out under the dock.” It appears that Leo gives the T-Birds “the finger.” Rizzo throws a milkshake in Kenickie’s face.

A student at the dance-off spikes the punch with liquor. Three of the T-Birds moon the TV camera and we see their bare butts. Students sneak into a drive-in theater by hiding in a car’s trunk. Leo and Danny participate in a drag race. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) Much of the following isn’t outwardly obvious or completely intelligible, but it does occur during these songs.

The song “Greased Lightnin'” contains the “s” word, a possible slang term for female genitals (the “p” word) and definitely for breasts (the “t” word) and the phrases “the chicks’ll cream for greased lightnin’,” and “I can get off my rocks.” The song “Sandra Dee” contains the word “crap,” and the lines, “Look at me, I’m Sandra Dee, lousy with virginity – Won’t go to bed until I’m legally wed.” and “Elvis, Elvis, let me be, keep that pelvis far from me.” In the song “Summer Nights” about Danny and Sandy’s romance, Danny’s friends sing lines such as “Tell me more, tell me more, did you get very far,” “Tell me more, tell me more, did she put up a fight,” “Tell me more, tell me more, that you don’t got her preg,” and he boastfully sings “Well she was good, you know what I mean.” PROFANITY 1 “s” word, 1 possible slang term for female genitals (the “p” word), 2 slang terms for breasts (the “t” word), 4 craps, 1 ass, and 3 uses of “God” as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY There’s also the material listed under the “Music/Inappropriate” category.
Depending on the age of your kids, you might rate the following differently than us (we gave it a mild rating leaning toward a moderate).
In the opening animated credits, we briefly see the cartoon bare butts of several guys “mooning” others and a similarly drawn Rizzo in her bra.

The T-Birds ask Danny if he “got in her (Sandy’s) drawers.” We briefly see Rizzo and some of the other Pink Ladies in their underwear (but nothing else is seen). In an exchange between Rizzo and Kenickie we hear, “What’s up?” and then “One guess” (innuendo).

Danny then says that she’s looking good and she replies, “Eat your heart out.” He then says that he’s not into “sloppy seconds.” When he then walks off she asks him, “Are you going to flog your log?” (masturbate). Catching a ride with Kenickie and then addressing the other T-Birds, Rizzo says, “What do you guys think this is, a gang bang? You wish.” We see a passing shot of teens making out in the backs of cars and then stop on Kenickie and Rizzo.

They passionately kiss in the backseat and she asks him, “Do you have something?” He then pulls out a condom (calling it his “twenty-five cent insurance policy”), but then comments that it just broke. After a momentary pause, she says “What the hell,” they start kissing again and it’s implied that they have sex.

Later, she mentions that she’s missed her period, but then comments that Kenickie isn’t necessarily the father.
It later turns out that she isn’t pregnant.
When someone tells Rizzo to “bite the weenie,” she says, “With relish.” A T-Bird comments that “chicks” are only good for one thing (sex).
Another then asks “What are you supposed to do for the other twenty-three hours and forty-five minutes?” Another then says, “Is that all it takes – fifteen minutes?” Three of the T-Birds moon the TV camera and we see their bare butts.

While parked at the drive-in theater, Danny puts his arm around Sandy and tries to put his hand on her breast, and then pulls her down into the seat, but she quickly stops him and leaves. SMOKING In the opening animated credits, we briefly see people with pipes or cigars.

Enickie smokes throughout the film, while Danny and Rizzo occasionally smoke and Sandy briefly smokes.
Rizzo and her friends try to get Sandy to smoke (peer pressure) and she does, but coughs after one puff.
Other minor characters (the T-Birds, etc.) smoke.
TENSE FAMILY SCENES None.
TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The accuracy of this film’s depiction of the 1950’s.

That Sandy decides at the very end of the film to forgo her prim and proper dress, behavior and attitude, and adopts a behavior where she smokes, frizzes her hair, and dons a tight leather outfit in an attempt to win over Danny. VIOLENCE Leo twice backs his car into Kenickie’s car.

While trying out for several sports teams, Danny punches one guy in the gut to get a basketball, he hits a wrestler in the chest who’s sitting on top of him, and he pulls an umpire’s mask out and then lets go, letting it smack the guy in the face.
Enickie and Leo get into a very brief pushing match on the dance floor during a number.

A car door accidentally hits Kenickie on the head, knocking him out. Leo has a spinning, drill like device on his car that cuts into Danny’s car and shreds its side. Reviewed March 14, 1998 Other new and recent reviews include: Privacy Statement and Terms of Use and Disclaimer By entering this site you acknowledge to having read and agreed to the above conditions.

Who turned down Danny Grease?

Henry Winkler missed out on some serious greased lightning in a bottle. In an interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace that aired over the weekend, the 77-year-old actor said he was offered the role of Danny Zuko in 1978’s musical film Grease, which would go on to help cement John Travolta ‘s icon status in Hollywood.

According to Winkler, he turned down the role despite having a bit of a dry spell in his own career at the time — for fear of being “typecast,” as he felt the character was too close to that of his Happy Days character, Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli.
I literally thought, ‘Am I ever gonna find anything with as much impact as the Fonz? How will I know? Will anybody ever ask me? I’m not getting any offers,’ ” Winkler recalled.

After Winkler said he was offered the role of T-Birds leader Danny, Wallace, 75, asked his guest, “Are you a damn fool?” — to which the actor replied, “Yes. I am.” Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

At the time, Winkler — who starred on Happy Days throughout its decade-long run, from 1974 to 1984 — thought, ” ‘I’ve played the Fonz, I don’t wanna do it again, it has already happened. I’m already typecast.’ ” “I should’ve just shut up and had a really good time making that movie,” he said, joking, “Now, I go home, I say no, and I have a Diet Coke.

John Travolta goes home, and has done the movie, and buys a plane.” Grease casting director Joel Thurm tells PEOPLE that while Winkler was never officially offered the role of Danny, he may have been been talked about — but Paramount Pictures agreed to distribute the film only due to Travolta’s casting.

The musical teen film has become a cultural phenomenon since it hit theaters, inspiring many a reunion, theatrical re-releases and more. The popularity of the movie and stage show also inspired a a live television production back in 2016. Travolta, 68, penned a heartfelt tribute to his onscreen love interest Olivia Newton-John, who played co-lead Sandy Olsson in the film, after her death in August at age 73,

“Yours from the moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John !” Travolta captioned his social-media post, in part. Henry Winkler as the Fonz on Happy Days circa 1977. Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images Despite missing out on Danny, Winkler has led a prolific career of his own in the 40-plus years since Grease premiered, post- Happy Days,

He has been nominated for five Daytime Emmy Awards and nine Primetime Emmy Awards, winning a latter accolade in 2018 for his role in Barry,
With his first acting credits dating back to 1964, Winkler said during the PEOPLE & Entertainment Weekly Red Carpet Live pre-show at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards back in September that it’s funny to see his fans’ age by what they recognize him by.

” Happy Days, Scream, Waterboy, Parks & Rec, Arrested Development and now Barry,” he said, listing a few of his hit shows and movies. As for how he was feeling at the time, “I am relaxed,” Winkler said. “I can take it in, I’m not so worried.”

Did John Travolta fancy Olivia?

Grease’s Didi Conn reveals John Travolta’s crush Olivia Newton-John Published: 17:20 BST, 9 May 2018 | Updated: 18:55 BST, 9 May 2018

In 1977, Didi Conn knew little of the hysteria she would later be apart of when she filmed a ‘goofy’ little high school movie on the Paramount lot in Los Angeles.
Now fast forward 40 years and the 66-year-old star of Grease, who played beauty school dropout Frenchy, has revealed all about the behind-the-scenes shenanigans she and the beloved cast got up to during that faithful summer.
Speaking to exclusively to MailOnline as she celebrated Now TV’s Sky Cinema pass, Didi spilled the beans on ‘s crush on co-star Olivia Newton-John and how Stockard Channing’s special brownies have hilariously marred her memory of the film’s wrap party.

Go Grease Lightening: Didi Conn has revealed all about the behind-the-scenes shenanigans she and the beloved cast got up to during that faithful summer As the cinema classic prepares to celebrate it’s 40th anniversary, New York native Didi took it back to ’77 as she discussed heartthrob John’s no-so-secret infatuation with Aussie beauty Olivia while they filmed the iconic film.

A then 23-year-old John, who was coming off the back of Welcome Home, Kotter! fame, didn’t have to fake his attraction for 29-year-old hitmaker Olivia, according Didi.
The pair’s electric chemistry was palpable for film goers as they played smitten teens Danny Zucko and Sandy Olsson.
Now, Didi has revealed that the film’s new release showcases their natural energy with an extra special ending that see’s the pair sharing a ‘juicy’ kiss.

‘Oh yeah,’ she shared. ‘What was so much fun was that most of us were older than the characters we were playing so we just stayed in character all day long. They go together! Speaking to exclusively to MailOnline as she celebrated Now TV’s Sky Cinema pass, Didi spilled the beans on John Travolta’s crush on co-star Olivia Newton-John Beauty school dropout: Didi played beauty school dropout Frenchy in the 1977 hit flick ‘So there was an ongoing improvisation happening so the flirting, let’s just say the flirting, was fine, it was in the context of the characters and the storyline.’ Adding: ‘And in the new 40th anniversary edition has bonus features and one of the features is a different ending.

‘So the beginning of the movie Sandy and Danny are kissing and then she pulls away dramatically and sad and wondering if they’ll ever see each other again.
Well, do they ever kiss in the movie again? They never.’ She continued: ‘Randal Kleiser, the director, thought: “Maybe I should make an alternative ending”, and they fly up into the sky and instead of looking back, Danny looks at Sandy and pulls her closer to him and gives her the juiciest kiss and Olivia.

Look her, she’s Sandra Dee! A then 23-year-old John, who was coming off the back of Welcome Home, Kotter! fame, didn’t have to fake his attraction for 29-year-old hitmaker Olivia, according Didi Hopelessy to you: Didi has revealed that the film’s new release showcases their natural energy with an extra special ending that see’s the pair sharing a ‘juicy’ kiss Sandy: The pair’s electric chemistry was palpable for film goers as they played smitten teens Danny Zucko and Sandy Olsson ‘You see for a moment she’s surprised and then she responds.

It’s juicy and it’s great. ‘They weren’t acting in that moment, it was like he had his chance and he was going to take it. It was real, it really was.’ Playing characters similar to their age, Didi explained that they never really broke out of their roles and with that, they experienced similar coming-of-age moments, never more so than at the film’s wrap party.

The star, who revisited her role in Grease 2, admitted that she remembers little of the star-studded bash after co-star Stockard Channing made the cast some ‘special brownies’ which left her giggling on the floor. Summer nights: She began: ‘Oh yeah, What was so much fun was that most of us were older than the characters we were playing so we just stayed in character all day long’ Blue moon: Playing characters similar to their age, Didi explained that they never really broke out of their roles and with that, they experienced similar coming-of-age moments, never more so than at the film’s wrap party

She admitted: ‘I don’t remember much about the wrap party because Stockard Channing gave everybody some brownie she made.
‘I really don’t remember much, just dancing and lying on the floor laughing with everybody.’
And that wild streak was apparent throughout the entirety of filming as she revealed that the party never stopped after the cameras stopped rolling.

‘Let’s just say some of the trailers were rocking and rolling during filming,’ she shared. ‘There was. Y’know I played Frenchy and Frenchy is a good friend so she wouldn’t tell.’ Tears on her pillow: The star, who revisited her role in Grease 2, admitted that she remembers little of the star-studded bash after co-star Stockard Channing (pictured in red) made the cast some ‘special brownies’ which left her giggling on the floor Uh oh: She admitted: ‘I don’t remember much about the wrap party because Stockard Channing gave everybody some brownie she made.

I really don’t remember much, just dancing and lying on the floor laughing with everybody’ Now part of cinema’s rich tapestry of classics, Didi insisted they had no idea how Grease would impact society as it has, nor did film studio Paramount for that matter who passed up the opportunity to recast leads John and Olivia for a sequel called Summer School.

She explained: ‘We had no idea. Paramount had no idea. Paramount was surprised. ‘The last scene of the carnival when the boys are throwing pies at the coach, and he says “I’ll see you in summer school” well that was too lead into a sequel called Summer School.

Continuing: ‘John and Olivia said: “Yes, we had such a good time let’s make another one right away”, and Paramount said: “I don’t think this is going to go anywhere.
We’re glad you all had a good time but no”.
Impact: Now part of cinema’s rich tapestry of classics, Didi insisted they had no idea how Grease would impact society as it has Studio: Nor did film studio Paramount for that matter who passed up the opportunity to recast leads John and Olivia for a sequel Good time: ‘John and Olivia said: “Yes, we had such a good time let’s make another one right away”, and Paramount said: “I don’t think this is going to go anywhere.

We’re glad you all had a good time but no” ‘Saturday Night Fever hadn’t come out yet, he had made it already but it hadn’t come out. So they made a goof and passed on a sequel until it was a big success and I guess John & Olivia weren’t available and that concept changed to Grease 2.

Adding: ‘Nobody knew but we really had a wonderful time. We really did.’ Didi Conn launched NOW TV’s slumber screening pop-up which was an exact replica of Frenchy’s bedroom. Celebrate Grease’s 40th anniversary and stream the film on NOW TV with a Sky Cinema pass for £9.99. ‘Wonderful’: She added: ‘Nobody knew but we really had a wonderful time.

We really did’ : Grease’s Didi Conn reveals John Travolta’s crush Olivia Newton-John

Did Sandy and Danny date in real life?

Newton-John and Travolta kissed at a “Grease” party that year. – Newton-John and Travolta at a Paramount party. Brad Elterman/Getty Images While attending a party for “Grease” at Paramount Studios the year of the film’s premiere, the actors gave a glimpse of their on-screen chemistry by sharing a kiss. Though the actors stayed in character as Sandy and Danny on set, their romance was limited to the script.

In her autobiography, Newton-John recalls having a mutual “attraction” with Travolta but explains that they were both committed to other people.
The truth is, it never went beyond friendship with John despite the fact that the fans wanted for us to become a couple in real life.
We left the making out to Sandy and Danny, but the deep feeling of sisterly love I have for John continues to this day,” she writes, per The Sunday Post,

Decades after they shot the film, Newton-John said “Grease” benefited from the fact that the actors never got together in real life. “I think it kept the tension there and the chemistry. It might have been a real disaster had we decided to date or we had a falling out or something.” she reportedly said on a 2018 episode of Mamamia podcast,

How old was Olivia from Grease when she died?

She amassed No.

Did John Travolta attend Olivia Newton-John’s funeral?

John Travolta absent at Olivia Newton-John’s memorial : The real reason why. Woman’s Day.

Where was Grease filmed?

Grease Locations – Grease was shot in various locations across the Los Angeles area, from the lively South Bay to the charming Silverlake neighborhood. Much of the production was filmed on-site, including exterior shots of Rydell High, taken at Venice High School, Huntington Park High School, and John Marshall High School.

The backdrop for these locations offers a unique look into different parts of Los Angeles. Venice offers stunning architecture with its art-deco facade, while Huntington Park provides a vibrant landscape with its school interiors and sports fields. Paying homage to classic musicals such as Guys and Dolls, Kleiser opted for a combination of both on-location shoots and Paramount studio sets to bring Grease’s fantasy alive.

Although some scenes were shot at the studio out of necessity, most were filmed around various places within Los Angeles. A trip to these locations would be worthwhile for any Grease fan looking to explore their favorite movie in more detail. Each spot allows viewers to experience the nostalgic atmosphere brought alive by the iconic musical.

How old was Cha Cha when she made Grease?

This week marks the 40th anniversary of Grease, the big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical tribute to 1950s rock n’ roll Americana. The Randal Kleiser directed film, which cemented stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as movie icons forever, became the most successful live-action movie musical all of all time upon its release, and is still known by movie fans the world over. Grease was a phenomenon when it was released, becoming the biggest musical blockbuster of the decade, and four of its songs became huge Billboard hits. The songs “Grease” by Frankie Valli, “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “You’re the One That I Want,” and “Summer Nights” all became top-10 hits, but only “Summer Nights” originated in the original Broadway show. Just as several songs were added to the soundtrack specifically for the movie, many songs from the original play were excised from the final film except as background songs, most notably, “It’s Raining on Prom Night,” “Those Magic Changes,” and “Freddy My Love.” Fox’s Grease Live in 2016 restored most of these songs to the show. A very young Michael Biehn, best known to sci-fi fans for his roles in James Cameron movies (such as Kyle Reese in The Terminator, Corporal Hicks from Aliens, and Lt. Coffey in The Abyss ), made his film debut in Grease in an uncredited cameo as a Rydell student. He gets punched in the stomach in the basketball court scene.4. A freaky coincidence links Grease and the passing of Elvis In an eerie coincidence, the last scene filmed for the movie was the scene where Rizzo and the Pink Ladies sing “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee” in Rizz’s bedrom during the sleepover. In the scene, Stockard Channing sings a verse about Elvis Presley and looks lovingly at an Elvis photo on her wall. In the play, “Greased Lightning” was Kenickie’s signature song, and thus it was originally supposed to be sung by actor Jeff Conaway. But John Travolta ultimately convinced the movie’s producers to let his character of Danny Zuko sing it instead. It’s said that Conaway was not super thrilled about that change of plans.6. Olivia Newton-John dressed Sandy herself in that scene Sandy’s super tight black pants she wore in “You’re the One That I Want” actually belonged to Olivia Newton-John herself. They were actual vintage pants from the ’50s, and she had to be sewn into them when her zipper broke on set during filming.7. Danny Zuko was almost played by the Fonz via GIPHY If you think today is just a huge nostalgia fest for the ’80s, it doesn’t have anything on the ’70s, which were filled with with huge pop culture hits based around 1950s nostalgia. Ever wonder why there’s a weird blurred out poster in the scene where Sandy and Danny meet up at the Frosty Palace? It’s because it was a Coca-Cola advertisement, and Paramount had made a deal with Pepsi for product placement in the film, and the Coke poster had to go. The casting of grown-ass adults as high school students is a longstanding tradition in Hollywood, but Grease is especially shameless in this regard. John Travolta was 23 at the time of filming, Olivia Newton-John was 29, and Stockard Channing was 33. Annette Charles, who played bad girl Cha Cha DiGregorio, was 30. Just how huge was Grease ? If you adjust for inflation, it would make $705 million in today’s dollars, more than modern mega blockbusters like Black Panther and Avengers, The budget was a very low $6 millon, which was actually low even by ’70s standards. Do you have a favorite memory surrounding Grease ? If so, be sure to let us know down below in the comments. Images: Paramount Pictures

Did John Travolta lose a child?

April 15, 2022 / 9:02 AM / CBS News John Travolta remembered his late son, Jett, on what would’ve been his 30th birthday Thursday. Jett died in 2009 at 16 years old after having a seizure and hitting his head in a bathtub. “My dearest Jetty, I miss you more than words can say.

I think about you everyday.
Happy Birthday.
Love, your Dad,” Travolta, 68, wrote on Instagram, sharing a black-and-white photo of himself and Jett.
The family was on vacation in the Bahamas when Jett suffered a seizure and died shortly after.
Travolta and his late wife, Kelly Preston, also shared a daughter, Ella.

About one year after Jett’s death, they had another son, Benjamin. Travolta’s tribute to his late son comes three months before the anniversary of his wife’s death, Preston died at age 57 in July 2020 after a battle with breast cancer. The actor’s post received an outpouring of love from friends and followers. Caitlin O’Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift, Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue

Did Sandy actually sing in Grease?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Sandy”

Single by John Travolta

from the album Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture

Released

September 29, 1978

Length

2 : 31

Label

Midsong International/ Polydor

Songwriter(s)

Louis St. Louis
Scott Simon

Producer(s)

John Farrar

John Travolta singles chronology

” Summer Nights ” (1978)

” Sandy ” (1978)

” Greased Lightnin’ ” (1978)

/td>

Sandy ” is a song from the 1978 film Grease, written by Louis St. Louis and Screamin’ Scott Simon (of Sha Na Na ), and performed by John Travolta, in character as Danny Zuko. It was released as a single in several countries, giving Travolta a no.2 hit in the UK.

Was Elvis supposed to be in Grease?

6 July 2022, 16:58 Elvis Presley almost starred in Grease. Picture: Alamy/Paramount Grease became a monster hit at the worldwide box office upon its release in 1978, and it harked back to the glory days of rock and roll in the 1950s. The film referenced and even starred a couple of former teen idols in supporting roles: Edd Byrnes played the DJ Vince Fontaine, while Frankie Avalon appeared as the Teen Angel.

The 15 greatest teen idols from the ’50s and ’60s, ranked Did Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta ever date? ‘Grease’ stars reveal what really happened on set 10 secrets about Grease you probably never knew

Elvis Presley was originally considered for the Teen Angel role. Donny Osmond in the 1970s. Picture: Getty At the time, Elvis was in his 40s – and while he was still performing to thousands of people in Las Vegas, his health had been deteriorating. However, he turned down the offer from producers. It had been a while since Elvis had done films, and perhaps if he wasn’t the main star then Colonel Tom Parker wouldn’t be keen.

Another star who had been considered by Frankie Avalon won the role, was actual teenager Donny Osmond,
Grease producer and writer Allan Carr had reportedly imagined Donny in the role – which would make some sense as he was a teen heartthrob at the time, and as the ‘Teen Angel’ he would appeal to the character of Frenchie more than an older star.

Funnily enough, Donny’s sister Marie Osmond was also considered for the role of Sandy but turned it down, ultimately leading to Olivia Newton-John landing the part. Grease returns to the West End with Peter Andre – first look rehearsals! “Initially the script came to me, and the script was much edgier then what Olivia came up with,” she said. “But I was at a place in my life where I wanted to have children and I didn’t like the fact that the girl had to turn bad to get the guy.

Olivia Newton-John dismisses claims Grease is sexist: ‘It’s just a girl in love with a guy’ Grease’s West End return is a gritty update with plenty of surprises for fans – a first look When Elvis Presley joined Celine Dion on stage for a mind-blowing duet 30 years after his death (Yes, really)

There was also a strange quirk involving Elvis. The King of Rock & Roll passed away during the filming of Grease in 1977. Frankie Avalon Beauty School Drop Out HD Elvis himself gets referenced by Rizzo (Stockard Channing) in the film, and that scene was recorded on the day of his death. Rizzo says: “Elvis, Elvis, let me be. Keep that pelvis far from me”, during the song ‘Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee’.

How much older was Olivia Newton-John than John Travolta in Grease?

Released in 1978 and starring John Travolta and Dame Olivia Newton-John as Danny and Sandy, the classic film followed the teenagers’ love story as it unfolded against the backdrop of Rydell High School.
While the movie has faced a spate of criticism for being ‘problematic’ in recent years, one element many viewers have struggled to get over is the age of the actors.

Why was the cast of Grease so old?

Grease casting director FINALLY reveals why stars were too old Published: 18:41 BST, 7 April 2023 | Updated: 21:08 BST, 7 April 2023

It’s a question that has vexed fans of the movie Grease for years: Why are the main actors so much older than the high schoolers they are portraying?
The film, which featured leads and the, was released in 1978 but was set at a Los Angeles–area high school exactly two decades earlier.
Travolta was actually one of the younger members of the cast, as he was still in his early 20s, while several of the major supporting actors were well into their 30s despite playing youths in their late teens.
However, a new oral history of the classic musical that was published by this week is shedding new light on the film’s unorthodox casting.
Grease’s casting director Joel Thurm, who would been pivotal to assembling the final cast, has finally answered the question.

According to him, using older actors was a completely intentional choice on the creative team’s part.
Thurm pushed back on common criticisms of the actors’ ages, noting that the stylized comedy is ‘not a documentary.’
‘People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy,’ he clarified.

The choice to eschew strict realism meant that Travolta and his costar Michael Tucci, who was eight years older than him, could both sport the kind of five o’clock shadows that most high school boys can only dream of growing.
Principal photography on Grease commenced in the summer of 1977, the year before the film was released, and Travolta — who played Danny Zuko — was already 23 at the time.
Newton-John — who was six years older than her co-lead, which was reportedly a source of concern for her — would have been around 29 at the time of filming when she played the visiting Australian student Sandy Olsson.
Tucci, who played a member Sonny LaTierri, a member of Danny’s T-Birds gang, was over 30 by the time shooting began.
‘By the time the film came around, I was in my early 30s and too old for the role,’ Tucci admitted to The Guardian.

But after the casting team heard that he had been featured in the stage production of the musical, he secured an audition and still got the job.
Among the principal cast, Stockard Channing’s Rizzo was the oldest, as she was 33 during filming.
Didi Conn, who played Frenchy, recalled bonding with her costars and putting their true ages behind them to get into character.

‘It was all the things that teenagers in the ’50s would be.’ Jeff Conaway, who played Danny’s close friend Kenickie, would have been around 27 when shooting the film.
He suffered from drug abuse throughout the 1980s and 2000s, and he died from pneumonia and sepsis in 2011.
One of the older looking actors in the film, the antagonist Leo ‘Crater-Face’ Balmudo — nicknamed for his acne scars — would have been around 30 when production started.

‘The timing was right as we were having a ’50s revival with Happy Days on TV and the music put the album on the charts for a decade. ‘I love going on YouTube now and watching flashmobs still performing songs from the film around the globe,’ he added. Instant success: Casting director Thurm wasn’t only unconcerned about the cast’s ages, but he ‘knew it was going to be a hit,’ as the film coincided with a wave of ’50s nostalgia Saying goodbye: Travolta paid tribute to Olivia and referenced their Grease roles after her death from cancer on August 8, 2022 Newton-John died on August 8, 2022, after she suffered a recurrence of breast cancer in 2017.

Why did Olivia Newton-John not do Grease 2?

Olivia Newton-John had harsh words for Grease 2 after comeback snub When Grease hit cinemas in 1978 it became a worldwide phenomenon. Not only did it make an unbelievable $366 million at the box office, but it launched the already quite famous actors John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John into superstardom.

So when talks began regarding its long-awaited sequel, Grease 2 (which hit over the weekend) the stars of the movie were keen to get involved. But things didn’t go their way. Newton-John recalled she and Travolta were approached during the beginning of Grease 2’s production. During this time, they were discussing some sort of cameo or last-minute appearance of their characters, Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson.

This initial meeting apparently went well, and everyone walked away positively, ready for the iconic Grease stars to make a comeback. But it never happened. Newton-John and Travolta were ghosted. And in 1982 Grease 2 hit cinemas with the iconic characters noticeably absent from the picture. Olivia Newton-John on the set of Grease (Image: GETTY) Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta (Image: GETTY)

Newton-John was asked by a fan in 2016 what she “honestly” thought of Grease 2.With a sweet smile, she replied: “Not a lot.”After a chuckle, she went on to say how her cameo got canned, before adding: “And then they made it with other people, and that was my memory of it.”

Newton-John’s disdain was not the only thing wrong with Grease 2. They had major casting trouble before shooting began involving, Grease 2 starred Michell Pfeiffer (Image: PARAMOUNT) Cruise was originally up for the leading role of Michael Carrington, opposite a newcomer to Michelle Pfeiffer. However, producers weren’t convinced. After auditioning Cruise and liking him, they decided they wanted someone taller.

What’s more, Cher was down to play one of the Pink Ladies, Paulette Rebchuck. But when the salary was discussed, it was not enough for the -winner. She bowed out, leaving the film production in need of another star. Newton-John did have some good things to say about another Grease sequel, however. In 2016 the TV movie Grease Live! hit streaming services, with Julianne Hough playing Sandy and Aaron Tveit as Danny Zuko.

This adaptation was something Newton-John thought deserved her praise. Newton-John was quizzed by Billboard if she gave any tips to her replacement, Hough. She replied: “She doesn’t need any tips from me. She has her own energy and I think that’s what I said to her: ‘Bring yourself to it.

Are Pat and Olivia still friends?

I’ve Lost My Best Friend – New Idea thanks to Kay While the entire world is mourning the passing of the iconic Olivia Newton-John, one man is feeling the loss more acutely than most. Mere minutes after Olivia’s death at age 73 was announced last week, her grieving Grease co-star John Travolta shared a heart-rending tribute to his dearest friend.

John – who played Danny Zuko opposite Olivia’s Sandy Olsson in the hit 1978 movie – said, You made all of our lives so much better.
Your impact was incredible.
I love you so much.
We will see you down the road and we will all be together again.
Yours from the moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John.

On August 8, following her 30-year breast cancer journey, Olivia passed away peacefully at the Southern California ranch she shared with husband John Easterling. The legendary entertainer was surrounded by loved ones, including her 36-year-old daughter Chloe Lattanzi.

John is crushed, shares a close friend, speaking exclusively to New Idea.
Olivia was candid about the fact that once her cancer had metastasized, she was living on limited time.
Even still, nothing can really prepare you for this.
All while knowing of her own diagnosis, in 2020 Olivia supported John through his own breast cancer nightmare, when he lost his wife Kelly Preston to the disease when she was 57.

John wouldn’t have coped without Olivia, says our source. She called him as often as she could. For John to lose Kelly and then Livvy – the two women he loved most in the world – within two years is unfathomable. John supported Olivia through her first cancer battle in 1992 after she learnt of her diagnosis in the same week her father, Bryn, passed away from the disease.

Sources say John also offered a supportive shoulder when Olivia’s boyfriend Patrick McDermott mysteriously vanished from a fishing boat in Los Angeles in 2005.Olivia and John’s lifelong friendship was cemented after being unexpectedly catapulted to fame in Grease. There only one person in the world that was Sandy, and that was Olivia Newton-John, John once told Entertainment Tonight.

In fact, John says he told Grease producers they must cast the Aussie bombshell because every guy in the world wants Olivia Newton-John as their girlfriend. And I knew that because I wanted that I felt the same way. Despite their obvious chemistry, the pair never become romantically involved as they were dating other people at the time.

However, co-star Didi Conn, who played Frenchy in Grease, insists John had a huge crush on his leading lady.
Drawn to each other, Olivia and John teamed up again in 1983’s Two of a Kind.
In 2019, they reunited in full Danny and Sandy garb in Florida to sing their duet ‘You’re the One That I Want’.
At the time, Olivia revealed she couldn’t stop laughing, while John said that it was one of the highlights of our lives,

At that stage they both probably knew it was their last performance together, speculates the insider. So it’s no wonder they gave it everything they had. Sources say John and Olivia managed to chat in her final days, with one insider saying, Olivia has always been worried about her daughter Chloe.

If I know John, he would have promised to look out for Chloe, just like Olivia did with Ella when her mum died. Olivia would’ve found peace from that. Theirs was a beautiful relationship that started more than 50 years ago when they met as starryeyed teenagers in London, after beginning their careers in Australia.

And Olivia’s friendship with John Farnham certainly stood the test of time, with the pair joining forces in February 2020 to raise money for bushfire victims. It would be Olivia’s last ever public performance – not that anyone knew it at the time. I feel like I’ve known most of my life, on-and-off and I’ve always been a huge fan of his, Olivia gushed in a 2015 interview.

I think he’s the most amazing singer, one of my favourite singers of all time, for sure. We have fun together and our voices go well together. The love and respect was mutual. A heartbroken John, 73, was shattered to learn of his dear friend’s death last week, just months after losing his best mate, legendary promoter Glenn Wheatley, who shared his affection for Olivia.

The Farnham family send love and sympathies to Olivia’s family, John said in a statement. Behind that iconic smile was a tenacious fighter. A beautiful voice and a loyal friend. She will be greatly missed. PAT FARRAR Ever since the first glimmer of Olivia’s talent began to emerge, Pat Farrar (nee Carroll) has been by her side.

After winning talent shows in Australia as teenagers, the bright-eyed singing wannabes found themselves in Olivia’s native England. A firm duet both on and off the stage began – and it lasted a lifetime. Pat, now in her 70s and living in Malibu, has been left absolutely devastated over the loss of Olivia, after being one of her closest confidantes since the 1960s.

She’s my dearest friend, we’ve been friends for 54 years now, Pat said in an interview with Sunday Night in 2018, just after Olivia’s third and final cancer diagnosis was made public. She is just a wonderful girl and is there for me always, she added.

The two women faced the best and worst of times together.
In 1983, they launched their joint pet project Koala Blue, a Us-based chain of Aussie themed shops and clothes.
However, it went bankrupt after eight years in business.
We expanded too fast, Olivia rued at the time.
It was depressing, but you can’t dwell on the past.

During Pat’s Sunday Night interview, she spoke of her awe for Olivia – something New Idea understands continued until her final days. Her first was a shock for all of us but she handled it with so much dignity and was always so positive always more worried about how her friends were dealing with it, Pat said.

Skye Skinner