'Grease' Cast: Where Are The Original T-Birds and Pink Ladies Now?

"You're the one that I want, the one I want, ooh-ooh-ooh, honey!"

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If you grew up in the last 40 years, you've likely heard this iconic jingle from the hit movie, Grease. The Grease movie was released in 1978 after its successful 1971 Broadway run. It was so popular that it became the highest-grossing film of the year and was nominated for an Academy Award for best original song. For those who haven't seen the movie, it centers around a quintessential high school romance between Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson. Each of them are in their own "clique," where they sing and dance their way through the highs and lows of teenage romance at Rydell High.

Flash forward 40 years, and the Pink Ladies are back in action with a prequel series, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. Slated to debut on Paramount + in 2023, the prequel will focus on the girl gang that rules Rydell High, set a few years before Sandy and her group arrive at the school. The new series will have a new crew of actresses, with a more diverse cast than the original. The original cast of Grease set the stage for the new crop of actors and actresses but won't appear in the prequel. Even though it's been over 40 years since the OG cast members were together at Rydell High, they've all taken unique paths in their personal and professional lives. 

John Travolta

John Travolta played the main male heartthrob and leader of the T-birds, Danny Zuko. Travolta was already a big-name actor, after his starring role in Saturday Night Fever. After Grease, he had a bit of a lull in his career but was catapulted back into stardom after his roles in Urban Cowboy and Pulp Fiction. He was even nominated for his second Oscar for the film. He went on to continue in various roles and appeared in the musical film adaptation of the musical Hairspray. He and his on-screen love, Olivia Newton-John reunited in 2012 for their This Christmas holiday album. He was married to Kelly Preston from 1991-2020 until she sadly died from breast cancer. He has three children, but one of his sons, Jett, passed away in 2009 from a seizure. 

Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John played the new girl in town, Sandy Olsson. Fans of the movie may be surprised to learn that she was actually Australian and had a thriving country music career in the U.S. Her Grease single, "Hopelessly Devoted to You," landed on the Billboard top five. Her role in the comedic musical Xanadu led her to meet her first husband, Matt Lattanzi. She released the widely popular album, Physical in 1981, and it launched a successful studio career. She continued to have a Las Vegas residency, and in 2017 her breast cancer came back and spread. Tragically, she passed away in 2022 at the age of 73. 

Stockard Channing

Stockard Channing played Betty Rizzo, the quintessential teenage "bad girl." After Grease's success, she went on to act in film, television, and Broadway. She was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Six Degrees of Separation. One of her more iconic roles was that of First Lady Abbey Bartlet in The West Wing, for which she won an Emmy award. In 2016, she appeared in The Good Wife, with her most recent role being in the West End production of Apologia. She's been married four times and was in a long-term relationship with Daniel Gillham until his death in 2014.

Jeff Conway

Jeff Conway played the T-Bird's right-hand man Kenickie. After Grease ended, he went on to appear on the hit show, Taxi. Unfortunately, Conway developed a severe drug addiction, which ultimately was one factor in his decision to leave Taxi. In 2011, he appeared on Celebrity Fit Club and Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew in an effort to heal from his addiction. Sadly, he passed away in 2011 from pneumonia. 

Didi Conn

Didi Conn played Frenchy, one of the members of the Pink Ladies. She's the sole actress who appeared in all three Grease productions, including Grease 2, and Grease: Live. After Grease, she appeared in The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang and other PBS productions. She appeared on Britain's Dancing on Ice in 2019. After her son was diagnosed with autism, she became a strong advocate and was the celebrity spokeswoman for the organization, Autism Speaks. 

Barry Pearl

Barry Pearl played Doody, the class clown of the T-Birds and Frenchy's boyfriend. Prior to his role in the movie, he acted in the original musical production of Grease. After Grease, he's had a successful acting career, appearing in 90210, Baywatch, Criminal Minds, and ER. He and Didi were the only two from the original cast to appear in 2016's Grease: Live. Pearl also teaches film for adults and kids with disabilities at Joey Travolta's Inclusion Film Company.

Dinah Manoff

Dinah Manoff plays Marty Maraschino, one of the more flirtatious members of the Pink Ladies. After Grease ended, she had some short stints in sitcoms and in Neil Simon's I Ought to Be in Pictures play. She appeared in all seven seasons of the Golden Girls spinoff, Empty Nest. Manoff is married and has three children, one of whom passed away in a car wreck in 2017. She wrote her first book, The Real True Hollywood Story of Jackie Gold in 2021. 

Kelly Ward

Kelly Ward played the youngster of the T-Birds, Putzie. Prior to Grease, he appeared with John Travolta in The Boy in the Plastic Bubble. He spent the five years post-Grease appearing in shows like Mash and Magnum P.I. He eventually retired from on-screen work and worked as a voice director for Disney. He also wrote for several cartoons and taught musical theater at the University of Southern California's School of Dramatic Arts.

Jamie Donnelly

Jamie Donnelly played the geeky Pink Ladies member Jan, both in the theatrical production, and the movie. Before joining Grease, she performed in the original Rocky Horror Show. After Grease, Donnelly took a two-decade hiatus from acting. She worked as a theater coach in Los Angeles, before returning to acting in shows like Monk and Veep. In 2015, she appeared alongside Johnny Depp in the movie Black Mass. 

Michael Tucci

Michael Tucci played a member of the T-Birds and Marty's boyfriend. After Grease, he went on to play Norman Briggs for four seasons on Diagnosis: Murder. He also toured for three years for the national production of the musical, Chicago. He now teaches acting at a high school in southern California. 

READ MORE: 'Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies' Cast: Get To Know The Stars Of The Paramount+ Prequel Series