On Facebook, I mentioned the John Travolta TV movie "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" (1976) made during his Welcome Back Kotter fame but before Saturday Night Fever. It will be shown this Friday 3/22/24 on TCM at 10PM.
It co-stars Robert Reed and Diana Hyland. The older Hyland was dating Travolta while playing his mother in the movie! Sadly she died of cancer that year but posthumously won the Emmy for Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Special. Travolta accepted the award!
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I was debating about recording this. I'm pretty sure I remember Travolta accepting the Oscar on her behalf. I'm going to record it.
I watched the Seinfled satire with the "Bubble Boy" twice.
"Seinfeld" The Bubble Boy (TV Episode 1992) - IMDb
I vaguely remember watching this back in the day. It was a big deal because this was John Travolta's first major role after left Welcome Back, Kotter. He really hit it big after that with Saturday Night Fever. I watched it more recently when I was up at 2 in the mornng (as I am more often than I should). With adult eyes I found it rather cheesy, but that's probably why one shouldn't watch the things you liked when you were a kid with adult eyes.
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble was a TV movie, so Travolta would have accepted an Emmy Award on Diana Hyland's behalf.
I remember when this was on but I didn't watch it. I didn't know John Travolta was in it. I appreciate the alliteration of the Paul Simon lyric "the boy in the bubble and the baby with the baboon heart."
I finally watched it and thought it was well done. Travolta displayed an acting range that wasn't possible with his characters in Carrie or Saturday Night Fever.
Apparently the inspiration for the character pointed out that taking off the "spacesuit" inside the bubble would have contaminated it.
I didn't watch it but I did notice that Duel (1971) was on immediately after it. That's a movie I did see back in the '70s.
I saw Duel recently. It still holds up.