by Martie Lownsberry

Created on: May 31, 2009   Last Updated: June 05, 2009

In 1958, a little known young blued actor, with a cocky smile and cool attitude on screen, was cast in a television series that was about to launch his career and help make him a mega star. The series was called Wanted Dead or Alive and the actor was none other than the famous Steve McQueen.

In 1975, unbeknown to the cast and crew of Welcome Back Kotter or the television viewing audience history was about to repeat itself.

The series was based on the stand up comedy of Gabe Kaplan who often used his fellow classmates in a remedial classroom for his act. The producers of the show, cast Kaplan as the lead, making him a teacher who returned to his high school after earning his teachers degree and teaches the remedial class he had once been a part of. Kaplan, in his role of Kotter discovers in the first show that a group of misfits are still using the name he and his friends had devised 12 years before. The sweat hogs.

The producers of the show, believed that Kotter would make Kaplan a comedic star, as it had Phil Silvers before him. However they had not counted on John Travolta.

John began his career at a very young age, He acted in plays at home, and in high school before quitting school at the age of 16 and moving to New York to break into acting. He had the support of his family, who with the exception of his father, were all in show business in one manner or another.

However, John did not find the road to stardom waiting for him upon his arrival in New York. He was forced to take whatever jobs came his way while he went to audition after audition. He managed to net bit parts in some off Broadway shows, and later did bit part parts in some television series.

Then he was asked to audition for the part of street smart, wise cracking school boy in a new comedy that was would be televised in the fall. John did winning the part of Vinnie Barbarino. The show was an instant success and Travolta, with his good looks and rather dumb demeanor seemed to draw teenage girls like magnets. By the end of the first season, Travolta had gone from unknown actor to a Teen age heart throb.

As the show progressed Vinnie Barbarino was the most popular character on the show, and Travolta was given through that character an opportunity to show some of his other talents such as singing and dancing.

By the time Kotter ended, Travolta had made a name for himself, and was quickly cast into parts in movies such as Carrie and Grease. His devil may care

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>