• John Travolta is an American actor who began his television career on the sitcom Welcome Back Kotter in the mid 1970s. He became a bona fide superstar after playing the lead role in Saturday Night Fever in 1977. A singer as well, he became even more popular when he played Danny Zuko in the 1978 film Grease.

  Travolta is starring in the film The Taking of Pelham 123 with actor Denzel Washington, released on June 12, 2009. As of July 21st, the film had grossed over $62M and ranked number 11 in the box office.Examiner: Review: The Taking of Pelham 123 (July 21, 2009) Travolta's performance in the film is described as being "his spellbinding best."Click: Travolta spellbinding in Taking of Pelham 123 (August 11, 2009)

• 1. Full name: John Joseph Travolta
  2. Born: February 18, 1954TV Guide: John Travolta
  3. Birthplace: Englewood, New Jersey
  4. Known for his iconic roles in films such as Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction and Grease
  5. Is a Scientologist
  6. Golden Globe Award: Get Shorty (1996)
  7. Oscar nominations: Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Pulp Fiction (1994)
  8. Wife: Kelly Preston
  9. Is an avid pilot

• Jett Travolta Foundation

  Entertainment Tonight reports that Travolta has set up The Jett Travolta Foundation in memory of his son, Jett. Travolta's personal website claims the foundation will "assist and provide relief to children with vision, hearing, mobility, communication, behavioral learning impairments or other special medical, environmental, health or education needs."ET: John Travolta Announces Foundation in Memory of Son(February 20, 2009)Official Site: John Travolta.com

• Jett Travolta

  On January 2, 2009, Travolta's son, Jett Travolta, passed away while on vacation in the Bahamas with his father and mother, Kelly Preston. An autopsy performed on January 5, 2009, lists Jett Travolta's cause of death as being seizure related.TMZ: John Travolta's Son Dies (January 2, 2008)TMZ: Travolta Death Cert Lists... (January 5, 2009) A private memorial service was planned for January 8, 2009, at Travolta's residence at Jumbolair Aviation Estates in Ocala, Florida.Extra: Travolta Memorial Planned (January 7, 2009)

• Extortion

  On January 23, 2009, three people were detained in the Bahamas in connection with a plot to extort $20 million from Travolta and wife Kelly Preston. Senator Pleasant Bridgewater, ambulance driver Tarino Lightbourne and parliament member Obie Wilchcombe were arrested, but not initially charged with any crime, as is consistent with Bahamian law. Officials reported that they had some kind of incriminating recording of Bridgewater, but did not elaborate with any further details. Lightbourne came forward in the days following the death of Jett Travolta, claiming that he had attempted to revive the young man before he was pronounced dead.

  It was later revealed that the extortion plot reportedly stemmed from a "refusal to transport" document that Travolta signed, releasing emergency services from any liability, after he considered flying Jett to Florida for treatment instead of having him transported to a hospital 45 minutes away. Travolta opted to have Jett transported to the hospital after considering the two options.TMZ: Details in Mystery Travolta Extortion Doc (January 27, 2009) People: Police Reveal Details of Travolta Extortion Plot (January 27, 2009)

  Lightbourne and Bridgewater were formally charged with conspiracy to extort in late January of 2009.Huffington Post: Paramedic Charged In $25 Million Travolta Extortion Plot (January 26, 2009) Wilchcombe was released without any charges.E Online: Paramedic Charged in Alleged Travolta Extortion Plot (January 26, 2009) The case ended in a mistrial in October of 2009 after allegations of juror misconduct.http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20314252,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines

• Career Overview

  Travolta played the role of Danny Zuko in the Broadway production of the musical Grease before he landed his first sitcom role. In the 1980s, following Welcome Back Kotter after the film production of Grease and Saturday Night Fever, his career slowed significantly. Travolta made a comeback to the big screen when he earned rave reviews as Vincent Vega in the Quentin Tarantino-directed film Pulp Fiction in 1994. More successful films followed including Get Shorty and the John Woo action flick Face/Off with Nicolas Cage.

  A noted Scientologist, Travolta produced and starred in Battlefield Earth, a movie adaptation of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's book. The film was panned and became a box office failure, but Travolta went on to make the successful movie Wild Hogs.

• Jett Travolta

  Travolta and Preston confirmed that their son, Jett, suffered from Kawasaki Disease, a form of vasculities that is poorly understood by doctors. However, rumors have long held that the boy in fact suffered from a form of autism. A popular blog post on Hollywood, Interrupted maintained that Jett did, in fact, have autism, which Travolta and Preston overlooked because of their Scientology faith.Hollywood Interrupted: Wild Hogs Star Gives own Autistic Son the Silent Treatment (May 10, 2007) Travolta and Preston have always maintained that Jett was not autistic.Hollyscoop: John Travolta's Son Dies (January 2, 2009) A lawyer for the family has indicated to TMZ that Jett suffered a seizure at the family's vacation home and died on the scene.TMZ: John Travolta's Son Dies (January 2, 2009)

• Thank You Letter

  John Travolta and Kelly Preston, both residents of Ocala, Florida, issued an open thank you letter to their neighbors, the residents of Ocala, via their local newspaper. The letter thanks the residents of Ocala for their love, prayers, support and condolences following the death of their son Jett.

  The enormous amount of love, support and condolence we have received from this community has been most humbling. Comforting words, thoughts and prayers of Ocala's citizens have made an impossibly painful situation, a little less painful.

  The actions of Ocala's community leaders, its law enforcement professionals, our neighbors at Jumbolair and its surrounding communities have offered us the dignity to grieve the loss of our son and Ella's brother in peace. For this we will always be grateful.Perez Hilton: Travoltas Issue a Gracious Open... (January 12, 2009)

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