Grease cast 45 years after iconic movie from Hollywood legend to tragic deaths

17 September 2023 , 10:00

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The Grease cast have all grown up and found success elsewhere (Image: CBS via Getty Images)

Grease took over Broadway before being adapted into a film in 1978 and the rest is history. Ever since, it has become a staple in pop culture and movie entertainment.

As we celebrate the film's 45 year birthday with a much needed rewatch, we're immediately swept away by the charming story of Danny Zuko and Sandy Olson. On screen, they are forever frozen as teenagers, but, in life, the two characters are actually played by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

Both of the lead stars went on to have successful careers, but what happened with the rest of the cast? Step into present day with a recap of what has happened to the film's beloved stars.

John Travolta

John Travolta played Danny Zuko (Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Heartthrob of the 1970s, John Travolta's career has only captured the attention of more fans over the years. In the early 1990s, Travolta's career had another revival when he starred in a Quentin Tarantino classic — Pulp Fiction. His already successful career only grew into what has now cemented his stardom in Hollywood history. He also released a Christmas album with his former co-star Olivia Newton-John.

In his personal life, John married Kelly Preston in the early 1990s and they had three children. Travolta has also faced tragedy as his eldest son, Jett, died from a seizure in 2009 and his wife Kelly passed away in 2020 from breast cancer.

Olivia Newton-John's husband speaks out on her 'lucid and pain-free' final days

Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John played Sandy Olson (therealonj/Instagram)

The multi-talented Sandra Dee star Olivia Newton-John was also a recording country music star. In Grease, the singer had two songs featured which caused her to become only the second woman ever to have two singles in the Billboard top five simultaneously.

After the success of the movie, she continued to pursue her musical passions, but also landed more roles such as 1980 musical movie Xanadu. Unfortunately, the movie didn't do well, but the music thrived.

In 1992, Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer. For many years she battled the disease and became deeply involved in charity for cancer research. While at one point she went into remission, the cancer returned multiple times. In 2022, she tragically passed away at the age of 73.

Stockard Channing

Stockard Channing played Betty Rizzo (Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic)

Stockard Channing played fan favourite Betty Rizzo in the film but afterwards she struggled to further her acting career. She ventured into sitcoms for a while, but it didn't quite seem to stick. However, she never stepped away from her acting career and even won a Tony for A Day in the Death of Joe Egg. Plus, she racked up several nominations.

In recent years, she found wonderful success when appearing on the show The Good Wife. As for her relationships, she has a laundry list of romances. In fact, she has went through four different divorces. She also dated Daniel Gillham up until his 2014 death.

Jeff Conaway

Jeff Conaway played Kenickie (WireImage)

The Kenickie actor Jeff Conaway also appeared in the Broadway version of the film. He was an understudy and even played the Danny Zuko lead, so coming into the movie he had a great grasp on all things Grease.

After the movie, he moved onto a few other acting engagements, including on sitcoms. Most of his roles were relatively small appearances and cameos. In later years, it was revealed that Conaway was struggling with a substance abuse problem. He died in 2011 from pneumonia.

Didi Conn

Didi Conn played Frenchu (Getty Images)

The fabulously pink-haired icon Frenchy was played by Didi Conn. She has the honour of having made an appearance in every screen adaptation of the movie to date.

After the movie, she turned to television, even once starring alongside Beatles icon Ringo Starr. She ended up making appearances on a variety of shows like Law & Order and Blue Bloods. Now, though, she mostly focuses on advocacy as a spokesperson for Autism Speaks. In her personal life, she has been married twice, most recently to David Shire.

Alex West