73. John Travolta as Tony Manero
      Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Even though Fever has been exiled to the outer reaches of cabledom, the most jaded channel surfers are stopped dead in their tracks by Travolta’s introductory strut as Tony—but it’s knowing where he’s headed, sashaying back to a dead-end job with such cool conviction, that hooks us. Travolta’s cocky smile and dance floor flair are intoxicating, and then he melts our hearts as his narcissist Tony transforms into a sensitive gent who wears his feelings on his polyester sleeves. In the role that made him a movie star, Travolta created a character far more durable than disco.

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