The youngest of six children, he was born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey. His father, Salvatore Travolta (November 1912 – May 1995), was a semi-professional American football player of Italian descent. His mother, Helen Cecilia (née Burke, January 1912 – December 1978), was an Irish-American actress and singer. He was raised Roman Catholic, but changed to Scientology in 1975. 