Joey Travolta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joey Travolta (born 14 October 1950) in Englewood, NJ is an American actor, singer, and director. Travolta graduated from Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, New Jersey in 1969. He graduated from Patterson State College with a degree in Special Education.
Joey is married to Wendy Shawn (daughter of comedian Dick Shawn) and they have one daughter, Rachel.
Travolta began a singing career in 1978 as a recording artist on Casablanca Records. The following year he made his acting debut starring in the feature film Sunnyside for Filmways Productions. He is the brother of Academy Award-nominated actor John Travolta. He was a guest star in the 1980s television show Simon & Simon in the episode The Hottest Ticket in Town.
Additional acting credits include work with director John Landis on multiple feature film projects: Beverly Hills Cop III with Eddie Murphy and Hector Elizondo, Oscar with Sylvester Stallone and Chazz Palminteri, and Susan's Plan with Adrian Paul and Dan Aykroyd. He was also a series regular on the WB television hit Movie Stars. Stage performances include starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Guys and Dolls, and West Side Story.
After several development deals with Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios, Travolta entered the independent film route to maintain greater control of his projects, with a greater concentration on directing and producing. He wrote and directed Diva Las Vegas in 1989, which went on to win the Italian Funny Film Festival.
In 1991 he produced and starred in Da Vinci's War with James Russo and Michael Nouri. He later produced and starred in the sequel, To The Limit, which also featured Nouri and Anna Nicole Smith.
Travolta made directing his main priority in 1994. He immediately directed the action thrillers Hard Vice starring Shannon Tweed and Navajo Blues starring Steven Bauer. Subsequent titles include Minus Zero starring Academy Award nominee Pat Morita, Laws of Deception starring C. Thomas Howell and Brian Austin Green, Detour starring Michael Madsen and Academy Award nominee Gary Busey, Mel starring Jack Scalia and Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine, Partners starring Casper Van Dien, Enemies of Laughter starring Peter Falk, and Waiting to Live starring Lee Majors and second generation star Alison Eastwood.
For television audiences he directed the police drama L.A. Heat, the pilot of Friday Night After the Movies, and the syndicated Disney series Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show. Lately he has been directing many music videos. He is responsible for huge hits like Aqua's 'Dr Jones' and most resently Latvias smash hit entry, in Euro Vision Song contest 2008 'The Pirates of the sea'.
Travolta has gained national acclaim for his mission of helping students develop self-esteem, confidence, and creativity through acting and digital film making. He founded Inclusion Films to specifically make films about individuals with special needs.
