John Travolta's Marriage Implodes

John Travolta fights to hold on to his marriage as Kelly Preston is ready to get out.

JOHN TRAVOLTA’s marriage to Kelly Preston has exploded under the strain of his gay sex scandals, his indifference about her sputtering career and a mystery man with a shocking past who’s come between them, say sources.

As The ENQUIRER recently reported, the two are facing a $220 million divorce, and sources say that John is desperate to avoid a messy, high-profile trial where all of his dirty laundry will be exposed.

In recent years, the “Saturday Night Fever” star has been plagued by accusations of sexual battery by several men, masseurs – two of whom brought lawsuits against him. Travolta’s reps vehemently denied the claims and the lawsuits were eventually withdrawn. And his for¬mer pilot Doug Gotterba told The ENQUIRER that he was Travolta’s gay lover for six years.

DESPITE THE ACCUSATIONS, THE actor has been scrambling to keep up the image that his 21-year marriage is stronger than ever. In fact, the couple smiled for the cameras and appeared to be the perfect family as they vacationed on Australia’s Gold Coast with their 2-year-old son, Ben.

“John and Kelly put on a happy face while on vacation Down Under in early April,” said an insider. “But the truth is that John rushed his family halfway around the world to smooth things out with Kelly and cover up her frustration about their union.”

The latest blow to the marriage is Travolta’s close friendship with a 42-year-old obsessed fan and occasional photographer for Travolta, who goes by the name of Rav Holly. The ENQUIRER can reveal that his real name is Todd Dwayne Holly, and sources say they were introduced by a mutual friend and initially bonded because they’d both lost their young sons. Travolta’s boy Jett died at age 16, and Holly’s son Patrick killed himself in his early 20s.

Holly, a photographer based in L.A., directed Travolta’s widely ridiculed video, “I Think You Might Like It,” which the actor made with his “Grease” co-star Olivia Newton-John and was released with their 2012 holiday album, “This Christmas.”

As The ENQUIRER’s exclusive photo shows, Holly has taken to dressing just like his idol – in a black T-shirt and jeans – and he’s adopted the same hairstyle. Meanwhile, a source close to the Holly family says his photography studio is plastered with photos of the “Pulp Fiction” star, and Holly “constantly gushes about his friendship with John.”

As The ENQUIRER previously reported, Travolta and Holly recently spent 28 hours together on a train ride from San Antonio, Texas, to L.A. An eyewitness on the train says that for most of the trip, they stayed in Holly’s cramped compartment with the door locked and curtains drawn. A source close to Holly, however, insists he is not gay!

But Holly has been hiding a dark past from his famous pal. The ENQUIRER has discovered that Holly was arrested in 2002 for allegedly beating his then-14-year-old son Patrick and chaining him to a bed.

Officers responding to a tip found Patrick in the kitchen with a chain padlocked to his right ankle. The teenager had a “swollen blackened right eye” and “redness and swelling” to his left side, according to the affidavit.

Patrick said his father had beaten him after he took the family vehicle without permission, according to police. The teen also said his father had previously hit him in the back with a hockey stick, and tried to run him over while he was intoxicated. “(Patrick)...stated that his mother and father had chained him to his bed to prevent him from leaving the residence,” according to the affidavit.

Holly pleaded guilty to intentionally and knowingly causing bodily injury to Patrick in December 2002. He received four years probation and a $1,000 fine, but violated probation and was jailed almost a month later.

While behind bars, court documents say he made outrageous claims that the food and water were poisoned, leading a medical doctor to determine that Travolta’s new pal “has a severe mental illness, major depressive disorder with psychotic features.”

Sadly, Patrick killed himself with a gunshot to the head on Jan. 7, 2010.

“It’s impossible to say for sure if Patrick’s father abused him regularly, but Patrick let certain things slip from time to time, indicating their relationship was very strained,” a former Holly family friend told The ENQUIRER. According to court documents obtained by The ENQUIRER, Holly and his now ex-wife, Patricia, also filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in 2004, owing nearly $75,000.

“It’s no wonder (Holly) is hiding from his past and using a different name in California,” said the former family friend. “No doubt John Travolta will flip his lid when he finds out his new friend’s real story.” The ENQUIRER caught up with Holly at a Long Beach, Calif., gas station on April 7, but when he was approached by a reporter and asked about his relationship with Travolta and the abuse charges against his son, he uttered “no comment” and drove off.

Another source told The ENQUIRER: “Kelly knows Rav and she doesn’t care for him one bit, which makes John’s friendship with him even worse for their marriage.

“John told Kelly his train trip with Rav was all business and begged Kelly not to divorce him. He repeated over and over again that he loves her, little Ben and [their 13-year-old daughter] Ella Bleu more than any-thing on earth.”

As The ENQUIRER reported, Kelly hit her breaking point when John tried to convince her to pass on filming the sitcom pilot, “Keep Calm and Karey On,” in L.A.

He preferred her to be a stay-at-home mom in their Orlando, Fla.-area mansion, the only role she’d been playing since Jett’s tragic death in 2009.

Sources say that’s when Kelly exploded and threatened to end their marriage if he didn’t allow her to restart her career.

Travolta responded by taking the rail journey with Holly, and even when he was in L.A., he wasn’t seen with Kelly. But just after he returned to Florida, Travolta found out The ENQUIRER was set to report about Kelly’s divorce threat and his long trip with Holly. At that point, the actor hightailed it to Kelly’s side in California with son Ben.

“He showed up just in time to watch Kelly prance around the set in a pink bridesmaid’s gown for a funeral scene in a graveyard,” said the source.

“He bought Ben a bag of M&M’S and let him dance on the hood of a crew member’s car while doing his best to look like a supportive, loving hubby.” But not everybody was buying Travolta’s attempt at playing happy family.

“John was on the set for about two hours, but he spent hardly any time with Kelly,” said the source.

“They both seemed very glum, cold and distant. Eventually, John and Ben left with the nanny while Kelly stayed on the set for another three hours.”

Travolta’s lack of support for Kelly’s career is a real blow, sources say, since she’s stood by him while he’s been hit by a string of lurid gay scandals.

His reputation took another whack when a website uncovered documents it claims revealed Travolta’s insurer paid $84,000 in hush money to the two men who filed sexual battery suits against him.

“John surrounds himself with straight, macho guys, reeling them in with exotic vacations and an almost bizarre level of attention before making physical advances toward them,” said a source.

Another source added: “Now John is more desperate than ever to smooth things over with Kelly – she’s been around long enough to know all John’s darkest secrets.

The last thing he wants is a messy public divorce where Kelly could reveal everything she knows, so now he’s backtracking and trying to be the perfect husband.”

PART OF TRAVOLTA’S DAMAGE control was whisking Kelly and Ben off to Australia, where they spent some highly visible hours mingling with the locals. “John Travolta told me my son was gorgeous, which completely made my day,” said Penny Ferguson, who was touring the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on April 8 with her 2-year-old, Aidan.

“He was just so lovely and down to earth. He was making jokes and didn’t act like he was anything special.” Incredibly, Kelly seemed to be playing along with John’s act, spark¬ing fears for her among her friends.

“Everyone is wondering what is wrong with Kelly,” said a source. “She seems to go merrily along with John, accompanying him around the world and even showing him affection. “But it’s just a matter of time before she pulls the plug on their marriage. I mean, how much can one woman take?”

Jacked from The National Enquirer