This week in history: 16th – 22nd December

Image featured is a still from the movie Saturday Night Fever. Pictured is John Trovolta combing and blow drying his hair in the mirror.
Image featured is a still from the movie Saturday Night Fever. Pictured is John Trovolta combing and blow drying his hair in the mirror.

Image via: classic–movies.blogspot.co.uk

America caught Saturday Night Fever on 16th December 1977, with the release of John Travolta’s first step into stardom. Travolta played a young man who danced away all his troubles of the time, whilst wearing his glamorous white suit. A global disco phenomenon soon followed.

December 17th 1946 saw the birth of Eugene Levy, better known as Jim’s dad from the American Pie movies. Being gifted with the uncanny ability to portray an embarrassing and out of touch father, Eugene Levy has starred in very similar roles in other films such as Splash and Taking Woodstock.

On the same year as the release of Saturday Night Fever, Jacques Tourneur passed away on the 19th of December.Known as one of the greatest directors of the golden age of Hollywood, Jacques directed such classic B-movie horror films as I walked with a Zombie and Cat People.