Olivia was 28-years-old and John was 23-years-old when they filmed Grease and the pair were on the edge of superstardom while shooting the movie. "I think it was good, because I think it kept the tension there and the chemistry.
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.
In a recently published oral history of Grease, Thurm, 80, has admitted the reason why a decision to cast older actors was made. “People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it's a fantasy,” he told The Guardian. “It's a non-PC fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens.
Did John Travolta fall in love with Olivia Newton-John?
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.
Frenchy was played by Didi Conn, who was 26 while filming during the summer of 1977. Conn had appeared in multiple TV shows and movies before hitting it big with "Grease."
The Grease girls, who played memorable best buds and cousins Sandy and Frenchy in the 1978 classic, joined one another on stage at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino during Newton-John's show.
John Travolta, 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.
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 film is also notable for having Danny (played by John Travolta, who had already had top-40 hits before Grease) sing lead on the song, while Kenickie (Jeff Conaway) contributed with a few call-and-response lines.
New PEOPLE Special Edition: Olivia Newton-John on Why She Initially Turned Down 'Grease' Newton-John hadn't wanted to play high schooler Sandy, telling producers: “I'm not American, I can't do an American accent. I'm 29, how can be 18?" Read what changed her mind in an excerpt from PEOPLE's new tribute issue.
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.
The Grease co-stars were still very close up until Olivia's death in August 2022, and even famously reunited in LA in 2002 to sing their classic hit 'You're The One That I Want'. John Travolta was a huge support to Olivia Newton-John as she underwent treatment for breast cancer.
With only a few television roles and small film appearances, Michelle Pfeiffer, then aged 23, was a relatively unknown actress when she attended the casting call audition for the role of Stephanie. Other actresses considered for the part included Lisa Hartman, Kristy McNichol, Andrea McArdle, and singer Pat Benatar.
Is Rydell High School a real school? Not only is Rydell High School fictitious, but the school scenes in Grease were also actually filmed in three different places—Venice High School, Huntington Park High School and John Marshall High School. Of the three schools, Venice High was used for its aesthetics.
The Frosty Palace, first seen in the 1978 film, also is seen throughout the first season of “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.” The new musical series, which takes place in 1954 (four years before the original Broadway musical and film), centers on four “fed-up outcasts who dare to have fun on their own terms, sparking ...
Why Do They Call in Grease? The 1978 hit movie Grease got that title from the word “greasers.” Greasers were young guys of the '50s often with greased back hairstyles. The movie Grease is based on the musical with the same name, which had its first performance in 1971.
The Rydell interiors, including the high school dance, were filmed at Huntington Park High School. The sleepover was shot at a private house in East Hollywood.
Stewart was diagnosed with HIV in 1993 and died from pneumonia as a result of complications from AIDS in 1994. Stewart was buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park Whittier, Los Angeles County, California, USA along with his mother Evelyn M. Stewart.
The car that becomes “Greased Lightning” is a 1948 Ford De Luxe convertible that Kenickie buys with the money he saved while working at Bargain City over the summer.
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.
In addition, the shop teacher aiding the T-Birds sets up the twist, saying that, "if it were in any better condition, it would fly." Still, while the flying car is a departure for Grease, it serves as a symbol that Danny and Sandy are quite literally flying into the sunset for their happy ending.
The New York Times said: “Grease 2 is dizzy and slight, with an even more negligible plot than its predecessor had.” Film critic Roger Ebert described it as Grease, “without the stars, without the energy, without the freshness and without the grease.” The Washington Post gave one of the few positive reviews, saying: “ ...
Olivia Newton-John has confirmed they were approached, while also confirming she didn't think much of the final product. Why they didn't appear is down to the change of plans: the cameo intended to bring them back never made it beyond the conception stage.
