Vinnie Barbarino has come a long way from Mr. Kotter's class.
John Travolta will be honored along with actress Kelly Preston by the New York Friars Club, which has been handing out awards since its inception in 1904. The pair will receive the "Man and Woman of the Year" award at the club's annual celebrity tribute June 13.Travolta, who played Vinnie on TV's "Welcome Back Kotter" in the '70s, is currently starring in "Michael." Preston co-stars with Tom Cruise in "Jerry Maguire."
The Friars Club award is an acknowledgement of the impact the pair have had on movies and television.
Birthdays: For Friday, Jan. 24
Actor Ernest Borgnine 80
Evangelist Oral Roberts 79
Singer-songwriter
Neil Diamond 56
Actress Nastassja Kinski 37
Olympic gymnast
Mary Lou Retton 29