
Salvatore Travolta is the father of American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, singer, dancer, musician, and pilot John Joseph Travolta. Salvatore’s son John Travolta became known during the 1970s, appearing on Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979) and starring in Carrie (1976), Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978), and Urban Cowboy (1980).
Salvatore Travolta: Bio Summary
Name | Salvatore Travolta |
Famous as | father of John Travolta |
Date of birth | 9 November 1912 |
Place of birth | Hillsdale, Bergen County, New Jersey, USA |
Died | 29 May 1995 (aged 82) |
Nationality | American |
Parents | Salvatore Samuel Travolta and Josephine Marsala Travolta |
Spouse | Helen Travolta |
Children | John Travolta, Sam Travolta, Ann Travolta, Ellen Travolta, Joey Travolta, and Margaret Travolta |
Who Is John Travolta’s Father, Salvatore?
Salvatore Travolta was born on 9 November 1912, in Hillsdale, Bergen County, New Jersey, USA. Salvatore Samuel Travolta and Josephine Marsala Travolta are the names of his parents. He has a brother called Vincent Jerry Travolta. He may have other siblings as well.
There is little information about his humble beginnings. Salvatore Travolta is said to be a second-generation Sicilian American with roots in Godrano, Province of Palermo. He was of Italian descent. There are unknown facts regarding Salvatore’s life as a child, family, and education.
Salvatore Travolta used to be a semiprofessional football player. He also worked as a tire salesman. He became the owner of a tire company called, Travolta Tire Exchange. He was married to a woman named Helen Cecilia (née Burke). Helen was an actress and singer.
Helen was known for Saturday Night Fever (1977). She appeared in The Sunshine Sisters, a radio vocal group, and acted and directed. Salvatore’s wife Helen Cecilia was also a high school drama and English teacher. Salvatore and Helen’s union produced six children, three boys, and three girls.
Their sons are John Travolta, Sam Travolta, and Joey Travolta while their daughters are Ellen Travolta, Ann Travolta, and Margaret Travolta. Their children are all involved in the entertainment industry. They were inspired by their mother’s love of theatre and drama and became actors.
Salvatore Travolta and Helen Travolta remained married until Helen passed away. According to IMDb, they were married from 1936 until Helen’s death on December 3, 1978.
ALSO, READ: Helen Travolta: How Did John Travolta’s Mother Die?
Salvatore Travolta Lost His Grandson In 2009

Salvatore Travolta became the grandfather of three children thanks to his son actor John Joseph Travolta, the youngest of Salvatore’s six children. Salvatore’s three grandchildren are Jett Travolta, Ella Bleu Travolta, and Benjamin Travolta ( children of John Travolta and his late wife Kelly Preston).
On January 2, 2009, Salvatore Travolta’s grandson Jett Travolta died at the age of 16 years. He died while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas, according to PEOPLE. Jett, who was born in April 1992, had a history of seizures. He reportedly suffered from Kawasaki disease since the age of two.
Jett Travolta, 16, hit his head on a bathtub after suffering a seizure, at his family’s vacation home at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island. Jett’s mother Kelly had opened up about her son in an interview. “[Jett] was autistic. He had seizures and when he was very young, he had Kawasaki Syndrome,” she said.
John Travolta paid tribute to Jett Travolta on his 30th birthday. On what would have been Jett’s 30th birthday, his father John posted a throwback picture of himself and Jett. He wrote the caption: “My dearest Jetty, I miss you more than words can say. I think about you everyday. Happy Birthday. Love, your Dad.”
ALSO, READ: Ann Travolta: Inside The Life Of John Travolta’s Sister
What Happened To John Travolta’s Father?

John Travolta’s father Salvatore Travolta has kicked the bucket. He took his last breath on 29 May 1995, in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, California, USA. He died when he was 82 years of age. The cause of his death is unknown. Looking at Findagrave, he was laid to rest at Santa Barbara Cemetery.
Salvatore Travolta’s wife Helen Travolta died on 3 December 1978, at age 66, in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, California, USA. She died of cancer. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles County, California, USA, according to Findagrave.
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