Ellen Travolta
| Ellen Travolta | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 6, 1940 Englewood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Craig Respol (divorced)[1] Jack Bannon (1983-present)[2] |
Ellen Travolta (born October 6, 1940) is an American actress.
Biography
Ellen Travolta was born on October 6, 1940 in Englewood, New Jersey.[3] to Salvatore ("Sam") Travolta (1913-1995) and Helen Cecilia Travolta, formerly Helen Cecilia Burke (1912-1978). Her father was a semi-professional football player[4] before becoming a tire salesman and a partner in a Firestone franchise called Travolta Tires.[5] Helen Travolta was an actress and singer who appeared with The Sunshine Sisters, a radio vocal group.[4] She later became a drama coach, actress and director of student productions.[6] Ellen Travolta's siblings are Joey Travolta, Ann Travolta, Margaret Travolta, Sam Travolta and John Travolta.[7]
Ms. Travolta attended Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, New Jersey[8] and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[9]
She is probably best known for her portrayal of Louisa Arcola Delvecchio, the aunt of Fonzie (Henry Winkler) and mother of Chachi Arcola (Scott Baio) in the 1950s-based sitcom Happy Days, and the spin-off Joanie Loves Chachi. She also played the mother of Baio's character on the syndicated comedy series Charles in Charge from 1987 to 1990.[8]
Her first truly notable role came playing Mrs. Horshack-O'Hara in three episodes of Welcome Back, Kotter. Her brother, John Travolta, portrayed Vinnie Barbarino in the series. Later in the 1970s, she played Dorothy Manucci in the short-lived television series Makin' It.[8]
She also played Marion Keisker in John Carpenter's renowned 1979 television film Elvis.
Filmography
2009 Falling Up - Dean Swift
2006 Waitin' to Live - Gossipy Woman
2006 Lonely Hearts - Ida
2002 Judging Amy (TV series) - Mrs. Haskell's lawyer
2002 People of the Lie - Mrs. Haskell's lawyer
2001 Face to Face - Joanne
1999 Passions - Alice
- Episode #1.14 (1999)
1999 The Basket - Agnes
1998 Too Hard to Die (video) - Rose Devlin
1998 Mel - Dr. Vogul
1997 The Pretender (TV series) - Dara's Mother
- Unhappy Landings (1997)
1997 The Single Guy (TV series) - Mrs. Cordova
- Vegas Finale (1997)
- Grandfather Clause (1997)
1994-1996 General Hospital (TV series) - Gloria Cerullo
1987-1990 Charles in Charge (TV series) - Lillian
- Charles Be DeMille (1990)
- Fair Exchange (1990)
- Seeing Is Believing (1990)
- Almost Family (1990)
- Teacher's Pest (1990)
1989 Murder, She Wrote (TV series) - Mona
- Jack and Bill (1989)
1986 Circle of Violence: A Family Drama (TV movie) - Marion
1981-1984 Happy Days (TV series) - Louisa Arcola
- Passages: Part 2 (1984)
- Turn Around... And You're Home (1983)
- Love and Marriage (1982)
- Not with My Mother, You Don't (1981)
- Hello, Mrs. Arcola (1981)
1982-1983 Joanie Loves Chachi (TV series) - Louisa Arcola Delvecchio
- The Elopement (1983)
- First Love, Last Love (1983)
- Christmas Show (1982)
- My Dinner with Chachi (1982)
- Term Paper (1982)
1983 Allison Sydney Harrison (TV movie) - Joyce
1982 Quincy, M.E. (TV series) - Mrs. Marguiles
- For Love of Joshua (1982)
1980 Number 96 (TV series) - Rita Sugarman
1980 Three's Company (TV series) - Mrs. Marconi
- And Justice for Jack (1980)
1980 The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (TV series) - Myra Kimberly
- Mystery on the Orly Express (1980)
1980 Human Experiments - Mover
1979 Marie (TV movie) - Carla Coburn
1979 Chief of Detectives (TV series) - Janine
- Only the Pretty Girls Die: Part 1 (1979)
Only the Pretty Girls Die: Part 2 (1979)
1979 Makin' It (TV series) - Dorothy Manucci
- Tony's Homecoming (1979)
- Little Orphan Fusco (1979)
- Something for Ma (1979)
- Fun, Fun, Fun: Part 2 (1979)
- Fun, Fun, Fun: Part 1 (1979)
1979 Elvis (TV movie) - Marion Keisker
1977-1978 Eight Is Enough (TV series)
- You Won't Have Nicholas to Kick Around Anymore: Part 1 (1978) - Real Estate Agent, Della Gale
- Schussboomer (1977) - Dr. Abbott
1978 Diff'rent Strokes (TV series) - Ms. Aimsley
- The Social Worker (1978)
1978 The Love Boat (TV series) - Norman's Mother
- Rocky/Julie's Dilemma/Who's Who? (1978)
1978 Are You in the House Alone? (TV movie) - Rouillard
1978 Grease - Waitress
1978 The Courage and the Passion (TV movie) - Emily
1978 Wheels (TV mini-series)
1978 CHiPs (TV series) - Helen
- Cry Wolf (1978)
1978 The President's Mistress (TV movie) - Analyst
1978 One Day at a Time (TV series) - Mrs. Shaddock
- Ann's Secretary (1978)
1977 Intimate Strangers (TV movie) - Marilyn Burns
1977 Police Story (TV series) - Karen Ramsey
- Stigma (1977)
1977 What's Happening!! (TV series) - Lily
- Nothing Personal (1977)
1977 Welcome Back, Kotter (TV series) - Mrs. Horshack-O'Hara
- The Deprogramming of Arnold Horshack (1977)
- Just Testing (1977)
- There Goes Number 5 (1977)
1976-1977 Visions (TV series)
- Iowa (1977) - Nurse
- The Great Cherub Knitwear Strike (1976) - Angie
1977 Cover Girls (TV movie) - Photographer
1976 All in the Family (TV series) - Secretary
- The Unemployment Story: Part 2 (1976)
1976 Medical Center (TV series)
- You Can't Annul My Baby (1976)
Personal life
Ms. Travolta is married to actor Jack Bannon. In 1994, the couple moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.[10][11] They are the parents of Tom Fridley, an actor whose credits include Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!!, Face/Off, Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge, Summer Camp Nightmare, Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI, Phenomenon and The Karate Kid.[12] She was previously married to Craig Respol[13] (who later married Ms. Travolta's sister, Ann[14] ). Ms. Travolta and Mr. Respol have a daughter, Molly Allen Ritter.[15] Molly Allen Ritter (also called Molly Allen) has been a preschool teacher, waitress, disc jockey, and actress. She wrote "The Day Spring Wouldn't Come Out," a play in which Ellen Travolta performed in 2003[16] and currently has a number one morning radio program, Dave, Ken and Molly in the Morning on KZZU-FM.[11]
Ellen Travolta has been a longtime performer and supporter of the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre[17] where she appeared in a production of Hello, Dolly! (musical) in the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre in 2000 and 2012 playing the star role opposite her husband's portrayal of Horace Vandergelder.[11] The theatre is the beneficiary of the Helen Burke Travolta Memorial fund, established in honor of Ms. Travolta's mother. Ms. Travolta has stated “My mother was the beginning of all of this for us. She loved the theater, and she was always involved with the community theater and she encouraged all of us to be in it.”[18]
References
- ↑ "Craig Respol". IMDb. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
- ↑ Skipper, Richard. "Jack Bannon : Horace Vandergelder (opposite Ellen Travolta) Coeur D'Alene Summer Theater' 2000 and 2012 productions of Hello, Dolly!". Richard Skipper's Celebrities. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
- ↑ "Ellen Travolta: Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Featured Birthday John Travolta". Tunetown Studios. Retrieved 2013-10-14.
- ↑ Saks, Diane (http://books.google.com/books?id=okFOoBMl-eoC&pg=PA217&lpg=PA217&dq#v=onepage&q&f=false). Overcoming Celebrity Obsession. iUniverse. p. 217. ISBN 978-1-45022-847-3. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ Reeves, Michael. "John's mom gave him introduction to acting". The Milwaukee Journal. Journal Communications. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
- ↑ "Ellen Travolta". NNDB. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Ellen Travolta - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
- ↑ Holmes, Abby (2010-09-15). "Dear Ellen". The Wenatchee World. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
- ↑ Bannon, Ellen Travolta and Jack. "Excitement of Summer Theater (video)". YouTube.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Skipper, Richard. "Ellen Travolta - Call on Dolly: Celebrating The First Fifty Years of Hello, Dolly!". Retrieved 2013-10-14.
- ↑ "Tom Fridley - IMDb". IMDb. Retrieved 2013-10-14.
- ↑ "Ellen Travolta". NNDB. Retrieved 2013-10-14.
- ↑ "Stayin' Alive". People Magazine. 1997-11-24. Retrieved 2013-10-14.
- ↑ "Dear Ellen". Wenatcheeworld.com. 2010-10-15. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
- ↑ "Right season for play finally comes along". The Spokesman-Review Mobile. 2003-12-19. Retrieved 2013-10-14.
- ↑ Kerschner, Jim (1004-05-23). "Travolta family to put on a show". The Spokesman-Review Mobile. Retrieved 2013-10-13. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ Kershner, Jim (1998-02-22). "Keillor And Radio Show Here In June". The Spoksman-Review Mobile. Retrieved 2013-10-13.