Joey Travolta

Joseph Allen Travolta (born October 14, 1950) is an American actor, singer, producer, director and screenwriter. He is the older brother of actor John Travolta.

Early life

Travolta was born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey, a nearby suburb of New York City, where he attended Dwight Morrow High School. His father, Salvatore Travolta, was a semi-professional football player turned tire salesman and partner in a tire company. His mother, Helen Cecilia (née Burke; 1912–1978), was an actress and singer who had appeared in ''The Sunshine Sisters'', a radio vocal group, and acted and directed before becoming a high school drama and English teacher. His father was a second-generation Italian American and his mother was Irish American. He is one of six children including actors John Travolta, Ellen Travolta and Margaret Travolta.

He graduated from Paterson State College with a degree in special education in 1974.

Career

Travolta began a singing career in 1978 as a recording artist on Casablanca Records, releasing his eponymous album. The following year he made his acting debut starring in the feature film ''Sunnyside'' for Filmways Productions. He then became a guest star in the 1980s television show ''Simon & Simon'' (episode: "The Hottest Ticket in Town").

Additional acting credits include work with director John Landis on multiple feature film projects: ''Amazon Women on the Moon'' (1987), ''Beverly Hills Cop III'' (1994), ''Oscar'' (1991), and '' Susan's Plan'' (1998). He was also a series regular on the WB television hit ''Movie Stars'' (1999).

Stage performances include starring roles in ''Bye Bye Birdie'', ''Guys and Dolls'', and ''West Side Story''. He wrote and directed ''Diva Las Vegas'' in 1989, which went on to win the Italian Funny Film Festival.

In 1991, Joey Travolta produced and starred in ''Da Vinci's War''. He later produced and starred in the sequel, '' To the Limit'' (1995). He made directing his main priority in 1994. He directed the action thrillers ''Hard Vice'' (1994) and ''Navajo Blues'' (1996). Subsequent titles include ''Earth Minus Zero'' (1996), ''Laws of Deception'' (1997), ''Detour'' (1999), ''Mel'' (1996), ''Partners'' (2000), ''Enemies of Laughter'' (2000), and ''Waiting to Live'' (2002).

For television audiences he directed the police drama '' L.A. Heat'' (1999), ''Friday Night After the Movies'' (2010), and the syndicated Disney series '' Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show'' (2007). He has directed music videos as well such as Aqua's ''Doctor Jones'' and Latvia's entry, in Eurovision Song Contest 2008, '' Pirates of the Sea''.

Disability advocate

Travolta has worked as a special education teacher in New Jersey. In 2005, he produced a documentary film called Normal People Scare Me, directed by a 15 old boy with autism whom he mentored. Around this time, he founded Inclusion Films, which involve individuals with special needs in the process of making films.

He has collaborated with a non-profit organization called HEAL to form a Jacksonville, Florida based ''HEAL Film Camp with Joey Travolta''.

In 2019, Travolta directed ''Carol of the Bells'' for Inclusion Films starring R.J. Mitte as an adoptee who discovers his biological mother has Down Syndrome. 70% of the crew had developmental disabilities. The film won the Audience Award for Best Feature at the 2019 San Diego International Film Festival. His next feature film titled ''Let's Work'' premiered at SDIFF in the documentary competition in October 2020.

Personal life

Travolta is married to Wendy Shawn (daughter of comedian Dick Shawn) and they have one daughter, Rachel.

References

External links

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Interview with Joey Travolta about autism and Normal People Scare Me

{{DEFAULTSORT:Travolta, Joey
1950 births
Living people
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
20th-century American writers
American male film actors
American film producers
American male screenwriters
American male television actors
American people of Irish descent
American writers of Italian descent
Dwight Morrow High School alumni
People from Englewood, New Jersey
Shepherd University alumni
William Paterson University alumni
Film directors from New Jersey
Travolta family
American film directors of Italian descent