Biography

Ellen Travolta was born on October 6, 1940 in Englewood, New Jersey. to Salvatore ("Sam") Travolta (1913-1995) and Helen Cecilia (née Burke) Travolta (1912-1978). Her father was a semi-professional football player before becoming a tire salesman and a partner in a Firestone franchise called Travolta Tires.

Helen Travolta was an actress and singer who appeared with "The Sunshine Sisters", a radio vocal group. She later became a drama coach, actress and director of student productions. Ellen Travolta's siblings are Joey Travolta, Ann Travolta, Margaret Travolta, Sam Travolta and John Travolta.

Ms. Travolta attended Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, New Jersey and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

She is probably best known for her portrayal of Louisa Arcola Delvecchio, the aunt of Fonzie (Henry Winkler) and mother of Chachi Arcola (Scott Baio) in the 1950s-based sitcom Happy Days, and the spin-off Joanie Loves Chachi. She also played the mother of Baio's character on the syndicated comedy series Charles in Charge from 1987-90.

She played Mrs. Horshack-O'Hara in three episodes of Welcome Back, Kotter, on which her brother, actor John Travolta, starred as Vinnie Barbarino in the series. Later in the 1970s, she played Dorothy Manucci in the short-lived television series Makin' It. She played Marion Keisker in John Carpenter's renowned 1979 television film Elvis.

Selected TV and filmography

• 2009: Falling Up - Dean Swift
• 2006: Waitin' to Live - Gossipy Woman
• 2006: Lonely Hearts - Ida
• 2002: Judging Amy (TV series) - Mrs. Haskell's lawyer
• 2001: Face to Face - Joanne
• 1999: Passions - Alice
• 1998: Too Hard to Die (video) - Rose Devlin
• 1997 The Pretender (TV series) - Dara's Mother
• 1997: The Single Guy (TV series) - Mrs. Cordova
• 1994-96: General Hospital (TV series) - Gloria Cerullo
• 1987-90: Charles in Charge (TV series) - Lillian
• 1989: Murder, She Wrote (TV series) - Mona
• 1986: Circle of Violence: A Family Drama (TV movie) - Marion
• 1982-83: Joanie Loves Chachi (TV series) - Louisa Delvecchio
• 1982: Quincy, M.E. (TV series) - Mrs. Marguiles
• 1980: Number 96 (TV series) - Rita Sugarman
• 1980: Three's Company (TV series) - Mrs. Marconi
• 1980: The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (TV series)
• 1979: Human Experiments - Mover
• 1979: Marie (TV movie) - Carla Coburn
• 1979: Chief of Detectives (TV series) - Janine
• 1979: Makin' It (TV series) - Dorothy Manucci
• 1979: Elvis (TV movie) - Marion Keisker
• 1977-78: Eight Is Enough (TV series)
• 1978: Diff'rent Strokes (TV series)
• 1978: The Love Boat (TV series)
• 1978: Are You in the House Alone? (TV movie)
• 1978 Grease - Waitress
• 1978: The Courage and the Passion (TV movie) - Emily
• 1978: Wheels (TV mini-series)
• 1978: CHiPs (TV series) - Helen
• 1978: The President's Mistress (TV movie) - Analyst
• 1978: One Day at a Time (TV series) - Mrs. Shaddock
• 1977: Intimate Strangers (TV movie) - Marilyn Burns
• 1977: Police Story (TV series) - Karen Ramsey
• 1977: What's Happening!! (TV series) - Lily
• 1977: Welcome Back, Kotter (TV series) - Mrs. Horshack-O'Hara
• 1976-77: Visions (TV series)
• 1977: Cover Girls (TV movie) - Photographer
• 1976: All in the Family (TV series) - Secretary

Personal life

Travolta married James Fridley in May 1964. Ellen and James had two children, a son, Tom Fridley, an actor whose credits include Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!!, Face/Off, Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge, Summer Camp Nightmare, Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI, and The Karate Kid. and a daughter, Molly Allen Ritter. Molly Allen Ritter (also called Molly Allen) has been a preschool teacher, waitress, disc jockey, and actress. She wrote "The Day Spring Wouldn't Come Out", a play in which Ellen Travolta performed in 2003 and currently has a number one morning radio program, Dave, Ken and Molly in the Morning on KZZU-FM.

Travolta and Fridley divorced in 1977. She remarried to actor Jack Bannon on April 9, 1983. In 1994, the couple moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Ellen Travolta has been a longtime performer and supporter of the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre where she appeared in a production of Hello, Dolly! (musical) in the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre in 2000 and 2012 playing the star role opposite her husband's portrayal of Horace Vandergelder. The theatre is the beneficiary of the Helen Burke Travolta Memorial fund, established in honor of Ms. Travolta's mother. Ms. Travolta has stated “My mother was the beginning of all of this for us. She loved the theater, and she was always involved with the community theater and she encouraged all of us to be in it.”

[ Source: Wikipedia ]