‘Grease’ Turns 40: 14 Things You May Not Know About The Movie Musical

By Michele Yeo. 13 Jun 2018 11:49 AM

It’s been 40 years since the movie version of the musical “Grease” hand-jived its way into both theatres and our collective hearts. And while it may have been a lifetime since Sandy, Danny, Rizzo, Kenickie, and the gang ruled the halls of Rydell High, to us, “Grease” is still the word and we’re hopelessly devoted to the movie musical all these years later. To celebrate the film’s big 4-0 on June 13, we’re looking back on those summer nights and sharing some things you may not have known about the pop-culture classic.

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Olivia Newton-John Insisted On A Screen Test

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'Hopelessly Devoted' Almost Didn't Happen

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Olivia Newton-John Had A Wardrobe Malfunction

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Henry Winkler Almost Played Danny Zuko
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Henry Winkler was originally offered the role of popular leather jacket-clad cool guy Danny Zuko and it's easy to see why. He had been playing the quintessential leather jacket-clad cool guy, Fonzie on "Happy Days", for years. But turns out what made him a great fit for the part in "Grease" is also why he turned it down -- the actor feared playing Danny would typecast him.
Travolta Gets Greased
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After Henry Winkler passed on "Grease", producers turned their attention to John Travolta. The actor was known for playing "sweathog" Vinnie Barbarino on television's "Welcome Back, Kotter" and had dazzled audiences with his sweet dance movies in "Saturday Night Fever". John was also familiar with "Grease", having played the smaller role of Doody in a stage production. Travolta wasn't old enough to play Danny at the time so he jumped at playing Zuko in the movie version.
Marie Osmond Nearly Played Sandy
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Marie Osmond, who, at the time was one half of the ABC variety show, "Donny and Marie", was in talks to play Sandy but the actress, known for her uber-clean-cut image, objected to Sandy's transformation to "bad girl" at the end of the movie.
Olivia Newton-John Insisted On A Screen Test
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Producers approached singer Olivia Newton John to be Sandy but the actress and singer wasn't initially convinced she'd be right for the part, insisting first on a screen test with John Travolta. The pair screen tested with the scene in Danny's car at the drive-in and the rest is history.
Sandy Wasn't Supposed To Be An Aussie
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In the final script the character of Sandy had the last name Olsson, but in its original version the character's name was Sandy Dumbrowski and she was American. After Olivia Newton John was cast producers changed the character to be Australian as OLN wasn't super comfortable doing an American accent.
Jacket With a Cause
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In the first scene of Grease we are introduced to Sandy and Danny as they are wrapping up their summer nights on the beach. Danny sports a blue jacket which was chosen as a tribute to another cool guy rebel, James Dean, who wears a red version of the jacket in "Rebel Without a Cause."
Elvis In The Building
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Speaking of "Rebel Without a Cause" Rizzo's iconic "Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee" performance originally included a reference to Sal Mineo but when James Dean's former co-star was tragically murdered in 1976, the lyrics were changed to include Elvis Presley and the line, "Elvis Elvis, let me be. Keep that pelvis far from me."
Song Switch
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In the stage version of "Grease", the song "Greased Lightning" belongs to Kenickie, the song is about working on his car, afterall. The screenplay called for the same, meaning the song would be led by Jeff Conaway, who played Kenickie. However, John Travolta convinced producers to give the song to Danny Zuko instead meaning he performed the iconic song in the movie.
Elvis Has Left The Building
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Speaking of Elvis, the "king" was apparently considered for the role of the Teen Angel in the Beauty School Dropout number, but it ended up going to former teen idol Frankie Avalon. A fortuitous casting move as Elvis ended up dying during the filming of the movie in 1977.
'Hopelessly Devoted' Almost Didn't Happen
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Hopelessly Devoted To You wasn't supposed to be in the movie but was added after the fact to give Olivia Newton John a big ballad. In fact, the scene where Sandy sings the song was shot after the movie wrapped. It proved to be worth the extra shoot days, though, as it went on to be nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.
Commitment To Character
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During the 20-year anniversary celebrations in 1998, Didi Conn, who played Frenchie, revealed in an anniversary featurette that the cast stayed in character between takes and even called each other by their character's names. So method!
Hickey From Kenickie
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Speaking of being method, during the lead up to the 20th anniversary re-release of "Grease" in 1998, Stockard Channing revealed that Rizzo's hickeys from Kenickie (like a Hallmark card!) were the real deal.
Olivia Newton-John Had A Wardrobe Malfunction
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One of the most iconic scenes from "Grease" is when good girl Sandy shows up in head-to-toe tight clothing, teased hair, and sky high heels. Turns out those leather pants were really tight. So much so the zipper broke and Olivia Newton John had to be sewn into them. In a 20th-anniversary featurette the actress revealed she was super stressed about how she'd go to the bathroom if nature called.
'Grease' Gets Gassed
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When "Grease" premiered in theatres in June 1978, the reviews weren't resoundingly positive. In fact, some were down right savage. Time magazine reported the director "doesn't seem to know what he's talking about." The "Today" show critic Gene Shalit called the movie "visual junk food" and Rex Reed from The New York Daily News shredded it, saying "Grease" should be covered on the obituary page, calling the music "atrocious" and saying Olivia Newton-John sounded like a "tone-deaf cow." Ouch. The cast and crew got the last laugh, though. "Grease" was not only the highest-grossing movie of 1978, it reigned as the highest-grossing movie musical until being dethroned 30 years later by "Mama Mia."

‘Grease’ Turns 40: 14 Things You May Not Know About The Movie Musical

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