GREASE

Welcome back everyone or just welcome if you are new here! For this entry I am going to share some fun facts about the movie MUSICAL “GREASE”. Let’s hop right on in!

Did you know that another famous leather jacket wearing icon almost became “DANNY”?

HENRY WINKLER, who became a sensation as “FONZIE” [“THE FONZ”!] on “HAPPY DAYS” [1974-1984], was considered for the role of “DANNY ZUKO”. He turned down the role for fear of being typecast. Besides, WINKLER has readily confessed to being unable to sing, a talent that would have been essential for playing the role of “DANNY”.

During an appearance on “THE RACHAEL RAY SHOW” [2006-2023] in 2019, the ACTOR called it “one of the great decisions” of his life because JOHN TRAVOLTA “deserved” the role and ended up being so right for it. Grease CO-STAR DIDI CONN ended up starring along side WINKLER in the ANIMATED series “THE FONZ AND THE HAPPY DAYS GANG” [1980-1981]. [She also had a guest appearance in an episode of “HAPPY DAYS”.]

[TRAVOLTA as “DANNY”]

[WINKLER as “FONZIE”]

[CONN]

[CONN as “FRENCHY” or “FRENCHIE” depending on who you ask.]

[An image of CONN and WINKLER’S characters and the rest of the main cast of the ANIMATED series.]

Did you know how the CREATORS of “GREASE” first met?

According to VANITY FAIR, “GREASE” was written by JIM JACOBS, an ADVERTISING COPYWRITER, and WARREN CASEY [April 20, 1935 – NOV. 8, 1988], a HIGH SCHOOL ART TEACHER, who met through an amateur THEATER GROUP in CHICAGO in the SIXTIES. The two bonded over their love of DOO-WOOP songs from the previous decade and wrote a play about HIGH SCHOOL kids from that era. “GREASE” premiered in CHICAGO in 1971, and made its way to NEW YORK CITY a year later. When its film rights became available, it was purchased by ALAN CARR [MAY 27, 1937 – JUNE 29, 1999], who PRODUCED the film.

[CASEY]

[JACOBS]

[CARR]