I was the one who got Travolta to kiss Olivia Newton John smack on the lips at the Grease premiere in ‘78.
Back in 1978 I was one of only a few photographers photographing the Grease opening night party at Paramount Studios. Travolta was so young and photogenic. The next morning, I hustled these photos out to magazines all over the world!
I am blown away by how popular my photo of John Travolta and Olivia Newton John at the Grease party in ‘78 has been on tumblr! It was just me John, Livy, a few hundred invited guests, three publicists and one other photographer shooting over my shoulder.
I knew the moment that I pointed my camera in the direction of Travolta that he was major star power.
I am not sure how I got Olivia Newton John to kiss John Travolta at the Grease party back in 1978. The studio spent a fortune and there were shrimp the size of Hummers! I couldn’t of asked for more. I got great photos and I gorged myself with all kinds of free food and drink!
When I was a kid I got invited to the Grease premier and party back in 1978. There was a swat team of publicist lurking around this table with Olivia Newton John and Travolta at the Grease party in 1978. They were watching every move, but I just had to get the ash tray and the smelly cigarettes in my photo!
While I have a captive audience, check out my new coffee table book “Like It Was Yesterday”. My limited edition prints are available at Rock Paper Photo.
I covered the Academy Awards for years. It was just to make money and not for fun. In 1982, it was all about business for me as the magic had died from the music scene so I photographed celebrities. Due to an army of officious publicists backstage, this presented a very difficult proposition to make a true raw and memorable photograph. This photo of Liza Minnelli and John Travolta was taken backstage in the Green Room and I like it because it is so casual.
