Born on February 18, 1954, John Travolta turns 65 today. A unique star with a singular career, Travolta is a true Hollywood survivor. He first gained notice in the mid-1970s playing high-school students in Carrie and Welcome Back, Kotter, though already in his early 20s.

Then came the two roles that defined his movie stardom: Saturday Night Fever (1977) andGrease (1978). In both movies, he played a working-class rebel who found purpose and escape in youth culture—disco clubs in Saturday Night Fever and 1950s greaser gangs in Grease. Both movies were huge commercial and critical hits; Saturday Night Fever earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor at just 24 years old.