<Li> Michael Biehn (uncredited) as Mike, a jock at Rydell high </Li> <P> John Travolta had previously worked with producer Robert Stigwood on Saturday Night Fever, had a nascent singing career at the time (including the top - 10 hit "Let Her In" in 1976), and had previously appeared as Doody in a touring production of the stage version of Grease . He made a number of casting recommendations that Stigwood ultimately accepted, including suggesting Randal Kleiser (who had never directed a theatrical feature before this but had directed Travolta in the 1976 telefilm The Boy in the Plastic Bubble) as director, and Olivia Newton - John, then known almost exclusively as a country music singer, as Sandy . Newton - John had done little acting before this film, with only one film credit (the unreleased 1970 film Toomorrow, which predated her singing breakthrough) to her name up to that time . Before accepting the role, Newton - John requested a screen test for Grease to avoid another career setback . The screen test was done with the drive - in movie scene . Newton - John, who is native to England and lived most of her life in Australia, was unable to perform with a convincing American accent, and thus her character was rewritten to be Australian . Before Newton - John was hired, Allan Carr was considering numerous names such as Ann - Margret, Susan Dey and Marie Osmond for the lead role; Newton - John agreed to a reduced asking price in exchange for star billing . In a case of life imitating art, Newton - John's own musical career would undergo a transformation similar to that of the Sandy Olsson character; her next album after Grease, the provocatively titled Totally Hot, featured a much more sexual and pop - oriented approach, with Newton - John appearing on the album cover in similar all - leather attire and teased hair . </P> <P> Jeff Conaway, like Travolta, had previously appeared in the stage version of Grease; he had played Danny Zuko during the show's run on Broadway . Jamie Donnelly reprised her role as Jan from the Broadway show, the only cast member to do so; as her hair had begun to gray by this point, she had to dye her hair to resemble her stage character . Kelly Ward had previously appeared as a similar sarcastic supporting character in The Boy in the Plastic Bubble with Travolta under Kleiser; the role was substantially rewritten from the musical . Whereas "Rump" in the musical sang lead on two songs and was particularly known for his mooning, the renamed "Putzie" did not sing and shares the mooning scene with two of the other T - Birds, Sonny and Doody . </P> <P> Lorenzo Lamas was a last - minute replacement for Steven Ford, who developed stage fright shortly before filming and backed out . His role contained no spoken dialogue and required Lamas to dye his hair blond to avoid looking like most of the other T - Birds (although Conaway and Ward were also blonds). </P>

Who played the school teacher in the birds