Who is Ellen Travolta? John Travolta posts sweet message as sister lands dream role in Hallmark movie
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hollywood star John Travolta's elder sister, Ellen Travolta, has finally achieved her dream of working in a Christmas Hallmark movie after working in ‘Haul Out the Holly’. It took Ellen years to prepare for the launch of the brand-new holiday film, which was released on the Hallmark Channel on November 26.
Ellen, 83, who was well-known for her parts in vintage comedies like 'Happy Days' and 'Charles in Charge', was devastated when she lost her husband Jack Bannon in 2017. Soon after Bannon's passing, Ellen adopted a friendly cat from the street that her late husband had given the moniker "O". Ellen watched Hallmark movies to cope with her sadness. “For half a minute I thought, ‘Is Jack back as a cat? I can’t ignore this,’” Ellen explained, via The Spokesman-Review. “So I let him in. He came up on the couch and we watched Hallmark. And that was the beginning of the rest of that year. From Oct. 25 on through, O and I watched Hallmark movies and I fell in love with them.”
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Ellen had a new desire at this time—she wanted to be in a Hallmark Christmas film. Even though they aren't always realistic, she argued that these movies are "hopeful," and thus she wanted to be involved. She tried to make it happen by telling everyone she knew in the entertainment industry about it, and at one point she even told her famous brother, John, 68, about it. Fortunately, her brother made some contacts to start the casting process which resulted in her receiving a call from the network. She subsequently received a role in the holiday film, ‘Haul Out the Holly’. “I was away with John in Austria and all I did was talk about being on Hallmark. So when we got back, he called his agent and asked, ‘What do we have to do to get Ellen in a Hallmark movie? All she wants is one line,’" she said with a laugh.
John marked the occasion with a message on his Instagram story before the movie's Hallmark premiere. In addition to posting a screenshot of Ellen from the film, he also said, "My sister Ellen always wanted to be in a Hallmark Christmas movie and has had so much fun making it!" In ‘Haul Out the Holly’, Lacey Chabert plays Emily, a woman who unanticipatedly spends the holidays alone herself at her parents' home and who grudgingly partakes in the several Christmas celebrations held by the HOA. Mary Louise, portrayed by Ellen Travolta, is a boisterous neighbor. Wes Brown, Stephen Tobolowsky and Melissa Peterman are also featured in the movie.
Who is Ellen Travolta?
On October 6, 1939, Ellen Travolta was born in Englewood, New Jersey. She is an actress best recognized for her roles in 'Charles in Charge', 'Joanie Loves Chachi' and 'Grease'. She was previously married to James Thomas Fridley and Jack Bannon. She is the eldest sibling in the Travolta family and has had a decent career of her own. Ellen has two children with her ex-husband James -- Tom and Molly.