Most people remember John Travolta‘s star-making role as Vinnie Barbarino in the TV sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979) in which his sister, Ellen, also occasionally appeared (as Arnold Horshack’s mother).

But, his career started much sooner than that — as seen in the above vintage Safeguard Bath Soap television commercial.

Travolta also played a messenger on the CBS soap opera The Edge of Night and appeared on another CBS serial The Secret Storm.

John Travolta’s first California-filmed television role was as a fall victim in Emergency! (S2E2) in September 1972, but his first significant movie role was as Billy Nolan, a bully who played a prank on Sissy Spacek‘s Carrie White in the horror film Carrie (1976).