The Grease cast member you didn’t realise was John Travolta’s relative

Grease is one of the beloved movies of the 1970s starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, and also one of Travolta’s family members. The original Grease was released in 1978, based on the 1972 stage musical of the same name. The movie was the highest-grossing musical film of all time upon its release and still exists in the top 30 musical films even in 2025.

It has even garnered a whole new legion of fans as it has launched on streaming platform Netflix, and comfortably sits in fifth place on the top 10 films in the UK. The film’s success set up huge careers for many of the cast members who are now mostly in their seventies, particularly John Travolta who was just 23 when the movie was made.

The 71-year-old actor, who went on to star in Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction, and Hairspray, had already made a name for himself before Grease with leading roles in films such as Carrie and the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. This clout meant he was able to pull some strings and help a fellow actor in his family get cast in a supporting role in the film.

One of Travolta’s six siblings, Ellen who is 14 years his senior, also appeared in Grease as a waitress at Frosty Palace. The role was small, in fact, her character doesn’t even have a name, and the actress can only be seen in a few scenes – but she is most certainly still there!.

When the wait staff at the Frosty Parlour are seen watching the Rydell High host the National Dance-Off, Ellen is the one to exclaim and point at the screen saying ‘Oh, there’s Danny and Sandy!’. Fans on Reddit couldn’t believe how much she looked like her brother. ‘Now it’s been pointed out, she does look and sound like him…’ said @Ianrobbie.

Another commenter @arealhumannotarobot joked about their similar looks saying: ‘We all know that was just John in a wig.’. @GitEmSteveDave added that the actor was wise to get his sister a speaking role: ‘Made sure she got a line so she has to get full SAG scale. Good move John.’.

Speaking to The Spokesman Review in 2018, Ellen explained how she ended up in the film – and it was all thanks to her brother. ‘I was on the lot at Paramount, I was guesting on a sitcom or something, and I came by the set. And (John) said, “Do you want to be in the movie? Can my sister be in the movie?” Literally. … So the next day they wrote me in a part.

‘That’s how loose it was, and never knowing the success it would become.’. The actress revealed she is still getting paid for this small part. ‘I get residuals every 13 weeks for 40 years. And I only worked two days, maybe one day, with Joan Blondell and that group, and I had a lot of fun,’ she said.

The Frosty Palace was the ice cream parlour/ diner where the gang all hung out in the film. The location was a key part of the film and the location for Frenchy’s iconic visit from the Guardian Angel who told the beauty school dropout to go back to Rydell High.

The film was released 47 years ago and in 2024, Grease star Susan Buckner died at age 71. The star was known for playing head cheerleader Patty Simcox in the musical film, and went on to appear in The Brady Bunch Hour, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries and When the Whistle Blows.

Newton-John also passed away at age 73 in 2022 from breast cancer. The Australian star was initially diagnosed in 1992. Jeff Conaway, who played Kenickie died in more than a decade before at age 60 in 2011. This article was originally published in July 2024.

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