40 Years Later, Maxwell Caulfield Happily Remembers 'Grease 2'

When it comes to famous movie flops, few can top "Grease 2," the sequel to the 1978 megahit. While the John Travolta-Olivia Newton John musical, from the 1971 Broadway hit, grossed $132 million domestically, the sequel grossed just $15 million, just $4 million over its budget. In this new version set at Rydell High School a few years after the original, the original film's sex roles were reversed with British actor Maxwell Caulfield playing the naive outsider while Michelle Pfeiffer played the street-wise leader of a girl gang called the Pink Ladies.

It was thought at the time that it would be a springboard to movie superstardom for Caulfield, who caught the attention of producers from his stage roles, specifically playing the bisexual manipulator in a hit off-Broadway production of Joe Orton's "Entertaining Mr. Sloane." It didn't, though don't cry for the 62-year-old actor – he has a long and successful career in television, film and stage, including most recently playing porn giant Bob Guccione on the Hulu series "Pam & Tommy."

Over the years, "Grease 2," directed by Broadway director/choreographer Patricia Birch, has found its cult following. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Paramount Home Entertainment is releasing "Grease 2" on a limited edition Blu-ray SteelBook.

EDGE spoke to Caulfield about getting the role, his experiences while filming, and why he loves the movie.

EDGE: "Grease 2" turns 40 years old this year. Looking back, what did you think of its initial pitch and being cast as Michael?

Maxwell Caulfield: When it got released theatrically, obviously it died a terrible death. The competition was very fierce, and the studio lost the faith in it immediately. Then it got lambasted by the critics, but they had also gone after the first film. So, we weren't surprised.

Thankfully, cable TV came along and aired "Grease 2" repeatedly. During that time, everyone was embracing MTV, so our film fit right into the mix. The film is an idealized version of high school life, circa 1962. For most of us, it was the happiest years of your life. We live in a world now that's anything but innocent, so that's another reason why people are nostalgic for it.

To land the role of Michael, particularly over people who were much more qualified than me, was a thrill and a surprise. At the time, neither myself nor Michelle Pfeiffer were known quantities. John Travolta was now an international superstar courtesy of "Saturday Night Fever" and Olivia Newton John was a top recording artist. Everyone was going to compare us to them, which was not fair. She rose from the ashes like a phoenix and justly should have, but I went down with the ship. Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled to get the role and a paycheck, but my path to instant fame was a short path.

EDGE: The film may have flopped at the box office, but now it has become a cult classic, particularly with strong support from the LGBTQ community.

Maxwell Caulfield: Yes, sir. Absolutely. I couldn't agree with you more. I'm so grateful for the love and support from the LGBTQ community. You know my first job in New York was in a gay farce called�"Hot Rock Hotel." The show was set in a gay resort in Florida and was about a mixup of Louis Vuitton bags. I came out at the end of the show as the new lifeguard wearing a pair of white Speedos. The audience went wild. Talk about a boost to your self-esteem.

EDGE: The soundtrack has some great songs. Plus, I feel like every single song is about sex. Is there a song that still gets stuck in your head?

Maxwell Caulfield: Well, I love the song "Prowlin" that the T-Birds sang. I just think it is absolutely hilarious and not very racy. Those guys were such cut-ups while filming it. I love the tune; it really gets me moving. At that time and still now, sex sells. "Grease 2" tried to push the envelope a little further than "Grease" did when it came to that.

EDGE: Do you have a favorite moment from the film that you keep returning to all these years later?

Maxwell Caulfield: There are so many moments and most of them are the moments that I am not a part of. I really like my scene when Michael is riding the motorcycle and I am dressed up in the leather outfit. I felt really cool.

EDGE: 40 years later, what do you believe "Grease 2's" legacy is?

Maxwell Caulfield: What is it? Let's see now. The film's true success is because of Michelle's character. For the longest time, I didn't realize that it wasn't just the obvious trappings of the film that had made it a success. Michelle's character was such a fun and assertive female. I'm not going to say feminist because that's not necessarily the right word, or I wouldn't be using it so loosely. Stephanie knows her own mind and isn't going to be defined by her choice of a mate. She's still looking for a pretty guy in black leather, but she is going to do her own thing and make her own choices. She has a great line when she is at the bowling alley and tells Johnny, "I ain't no one's trophy." Michelle became Stephanie and owned the role. Plus, she just had that luminous presence on screen.

At the end of the day, I think "Grease 2" is a really cool film. Yes, "Grease" was a lot cooler, and it had a fantastic Broadway soundtrack, but "Grease 2" was just as fun. It's a tried-and-true film. It may have had some rough edges, but the beauty of that has helped it stand the test of time. If you can make one film in your life, you want it to be remembered and I think we did that with this film. I love that it has become a cult classic.

EDGE: What happened to Michael and Stephanie?

Maxwell Caulfield: They are still together. They probably took over the local Dairy Queen, the bowling alley, and of course, the family gas station. I'm sure they made some beautiful babies.

EDGE: The cast is amazing! It is like being in gay heaven. What was it like working with Michelle Pfeiffer, Lorna Lunt, Tab Hunter and Connie Stevens?

Maxwell Caulfield: You are so right! Lorna is every bit as talented as her illustrious mom and sister. She is such a fun person and I love being around her. Tab Hunter was such a sweet guy and what guts he had to keep his sexuality under wraps for so long. I truly admired him as a man and an actor. The reason I got the role of Michael was because I was in a play in New York at the time playing a bisexual character in "Entertaining Mr. Sloane" at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Everybody was coming to see it. One night there was somebody howling at the back of the theater and when I came offstage, I said to the stage manager, "You've got to throw that drunk bum out of the theater. I can't concentrate." He said, "I can't, it's Tennessee Williams. Do you want to go tell him yourself?"

The two lead producers of "Grease," Allan Carr and Robert Stigwood came and saw the show and although they had others in mind (Rick Springfield, Leif Garrett, and Shawn Cassidy) to play Michael, somehow, I got the role. A miracle or pure dumb luck. I loved working on the set. At first, I was jealous of Michelle's success after the film, but I can't blame her. She is a lovely person and a joy to work with. Connie Stevens was amazing. The entire cast was great and if that is what heaven is like, it's going to be awesome.

EDGE: What next projects are you working on?

Maxwell Caulfield: I have a couple of films in the works. I am very lucky that I get to continue doing what I love. I am so glad that there are still lots of "Grease 2" fans out there. I am very lucky to have had that experience. I always say that maybe one of the reasons my marriage has stayed together all these years is because I didn't suddenly take off and become a big star. I have never let anything I do go to my head. I could have blown it all away and I didn't. This business teaches you humility one way or the other.