John Travolta celebrated in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, New York (WABC) -- Brooklyn celebrated John Travolta day at the pizza place made famous in "Saturday Night Fever" on Tuesday.

Travolta made Lenny's Pizza (1969 86th Street) famous in the 1977 blockbuster movie in which he played Tony Manero and ordered two slices of pizza on top of each other. He ate it as he walked down the streets of Brooklyn. That iconic scene is so popular even today as people still order a double-decker slice. Lenny's has become a tourist destination.

Hundreds of people turned out for a special ceremony outside Lenny's Pizza, which also named a slice in his honor.

Travolta has a few ties to Brooklyn, also starring in the iconic television program "Welcome Back Kotter" in which he portrayed a Brooklyn High School student, Vinny Barbarino.

Tuesday's event also promoted Travolta's new movie, Gotti, opening in theaters on Friday. Travolta portrays crime boss John Gotti in the film, which was partially shot in Brooklyn.

Sandy Kenyon has more on John Travolta being honored at Lenny's Pizza and his role in the movie "Gotti."

As timing would have it, Wednesday marks the 40th anniversary New York City premiere of Grease, also starring Travolta.

The soundtrack from Grease was the second biggest selling album of 1978 behind only the soundtrack from Saturday Night Fever.

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