Backstage with Sandy Kenyon: John Travolta in Brooklyn
BROOKLYN, New York City (WABC) -- John Travolta went back to Brooklyn to celebrate one movie and promote another.
The borough honored the star at the pizza joint made famous by Saturday Night Fever.
"Brooklyn has been in my DNA since Welcome Back Kotter," Travolta said outside Lenny's Pizza. "I love you all so very much, and I hope that this week, you will all go out and support the Gotti movie."
Travolta portrays crime boss John Gotti in his latest film, Gotti, which was partially shot in Brooklyn.
"The movie is so good," said William DeMeo, who plays Sammy "The Bull" Gravano. "It's emotional. You'll get into it. It's time for a movie like this. There hasn't been a movie like this in a long time."
DeMeo weighed in on Travolta's significance to Brooklyn.
"John Travolta played two iconic characters, Vinny Barbarino in Welcome Back Kotter," he said. "And then that catapulted him to Saturday Night Fever."
Fans were ecstatic.
"In 1977, this movie came out and changed the world," one said.
"It's crazy," another fan added. "Everybody flocked to the movie theaters. John Travolta was absolutely bigger than life."
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