Joey Travolta

Joey Travolta was born Joseph Allen Travolta on October 14, 1950, in Englewood, New Jersey. He pursued higher education at Paterson State College, graduating in 1974 with a degree in special education. His professional career initially began in 1978 as a recording artist with Casablanca Records, releasing an eponymous album. The following year, he transitioned into acting, making his debut in the feature film “Sunnyside” (1979) for Filmways Productions. Throughout the 1980s, Travolta appeared in various television shows, including “Simon & Simon.” He further expanded his acting portfolio with collaborations with director John Landis on films such as “Amazon Women on the Moon,” “Beverly Hills Cop III” (1994), “Oscar,” and “Susan’s Plan.” In addition to his film work, he was a regular cast member on The WB television series “Movie Stars” (1999–2000).

By 1991, Joey Travolta ventured into producing and starring in films like “Da Vinci’s War” and its sequel, “To the Limit” (1995). His focus shifted primarily to directing in 1994, leading him to helm action thrillers such as “Hard Vice” (1994) and “Navajo Blues” (1996). His directorial credits also include “Earth Minus Zero” (1996), “Laws of Deception” (1997), “Detour” (1998), “Mel” (1998), “Partners” (2000), “Enemies of Laughter” (2000), and “Waiting to Live” (2006). For television, he directed episodes of “L.A. Heat” and the Disney series “Honey, I Shrunk The Kids.” He also directed music videos for artists like Aqua (“Doctor Jones”) and Latvia’s Eurovision Song Contest 2008 entry, “Pirates of the Sea.”

A significant turning point in Travolta’s career involved leveraging his background in special education. In 2005, he produced “Normal People Scare Me,” a documentary directed by a 15-year-old autistic individual he mentored. This experience led him to establish Inclusion Films, an organization dedicated to providing vocational training and career opportunities in filmmaking for individuals with developmental disabilities. Under Inclusion Films, he directed “Carol of the Bells” (2019), a film with 70% of its crew having developmental disabilities, which earned the Audience Award for Best Feature at the 2019 San Diego International Film Festival. His subsequent feature, “Let’s Work” (2020), also premiered at SDIFF. Travolta continues to be an advocate for inclusion, collaborating with organizations like HEAL to create programs such as the HEAL Film Camp with Joey Travolta in Jacksonville, Florida.