The Many Faces of John Travolta

Saturday Night Fever

If you've ever been to a wedding, bat mitzvah or high school dance and seen people flail their hips about while pointing their fingers in the air, blame John. In 1977, he donned platform shoes and a tight white suit to play Tony Manero, a Brooklyn man who escapes his troubles through disco. On the weekends, Tony slicks back his hair and becomes a disco king. But, during the week, he's a working-class guy dealing with a dead-end job and a dysfunctional family.

For better or for worse, some credit this movie with popularizing disco around the world. To this day, Saturday Night Fever has one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time.