Grease

On June 16th, 1978, this musical film hit the theaters with a bang. Today, Sandy, Danny and the good old Rydell High gang turn 39! Man does time fly. This hit film starred John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing and Jeff Conaway as the cigarette-smoking, leather jacket bearing, and pink jacket-wearing coolest high school kids ever. Grease was filmed on a particularly tight budget and was adapted from the hit Broadway musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. It went on to become the highest-grossing movie musical in history. On its 39th birthday, we are exploring the scandalous situations that went on behind the scenes of the film, during its production. Travolta brought his Scientologist beliefs to the set. John Travolta preaching to the choir via Daily Mail Randal Kleiser, the director of Grease remembers how Travolta brought his Scientology beliefs to the set of the film. The director had gotten a foot infection from muddy water during the filming of the drag race scene, and he needed to pause all production. Travolta stepped forward to remedy Kleiser with his learned method called “touch assist.” Kleiser said Travolta would touch his feet and quiz him on it whenever he felt like it. According to Kleiser, “I was lying there with this fever and he’s poking me and poking me and poking me and I’m like, ‘Yes, I feel it.’ ‘Thank you.’ Then he left. The next day I was better, and of course, he claimed it was because of the touch assist.” Travolta caused some tension with co-star Jeff Conaway when he decided he would sing “Grease Lightnin’” Stockard Channing recalls, "Jeff Conaway was always comforted by plenty of friendly groupies on the set." Conaway with one of his many girlfriends via Broadway World It would eventually become a bit of problem and a distraction. Channing remembers: "He was really feeling his oats. We used to joke all the time because his trailer at lunchtime was really rocking." WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE PINK LADY FROM "GREASE"? CLICK TO PLAY: For more scandalous behind the scenes facts, click "Next". Travolta was very depressed on set due to his mourning of the death of his girlfriend Diana Hyland. John Travolta and Diana Hyland via Celeb Romance According to Travolta,“It acted as a giant distraction for me. It was probably the healthiest thing I could have done was to be in back-to-back movies, because I was very sad.” Olivia Newton-John almost didn’t play Sandy. Olivia Newton-John as Sandy via Grita Radio Carrie Fisher, Susan Dey, Marie Osmond and Deborah Raffin were considered for the role ahead of Newton-John. Once she was in the running, she didn’t want it. According to Olivia Newton-John: "I was very anxious about making another film because my music career was going well and I did not want to mess it up by doing another movie that wasn't good." Other famous actors were at considered for the hit film were Elvis as the Teen Angel and porn star Harry Reems as Coach Calhoun. Harry Reems and Sid Caesar as Coach Calhoun via Wikipedia Paramount decided to keep the porn actor out of the film for publicity's sake and the role went to Sid Caesar. Do you know of any other scandalous behind the scenes facts of Grease? Tell us in the comments section below. SOURCES: (Fox News, Wikipedia, Youtube) RELATED STORIES: Facts You Didn’t Know About Grease