Just before his back-to-back star-making turns (in 1977's "Saturday Night Fever" and then "Grease" the following year), Travolta did indeed play minor villain Billy Nolan in the horror classic "Carrie" (1976).

It was his second big-screen role (the first was even more obscure -- a small part in the even smaller 1975 horror film "The Devil's Rain"), but he was already starting to establish himself as a TV star at the time.

"Welcome Back, Kotter" premiered a year before "Carrie" was released, and Travolta's character on that show, Vinnie Barbarino, was a fan favorite.

Yet his "Carrie" role was indeed pretty minor. It mostly amounted to helping his far more villainous girlfriend, Chris, torment the titular Carrie. But he was the one who gathered the pig's blood that was dumped on her in the climactic prom scene -- even people who've never seen the movie are probably familiar with that part.

Though his role was relatively small, Travolta's spot in "Carrie" started the incredible run of mid-'70s hits -- "Carrie" in '76, "Saturday Night Fever" in '77, and "Grease" in '78 -- which meant that his parts were never really small afterwards.

Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided. 

Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided.