Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John (born September 26 1948) is a British-born Australian singer and actress.

Biography

Olivia Newton-John, OBE was born in Cambridge, England, and is the granddaughter of Max Born, a German Nobel prize-winning physicist who fled from 1930's Germany with his wife in order to avoid persecution due to his Jewish heritage. In 1954, at the age of 5, Olivia, her parents, Brin and Irene Newton-John, and her older siblings, Hugh and Rona, relocated to Melbourne, Australia, because her father had taken a job there as the Dean of Ormond College. Her father was originally from Wales and was a professor of German. Her parents divorced when Olivia was 11 years old.

Related Topics:
Cambridge, England - Max Born - German - Nobel prize - Physicist - Jewish - 1954 - Melbourne, Australia - Wales

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By the age of 15, she had formed an all-girl band called Sol Four. By 1963, she was a regular on local television and radio shows in Australia. She won a talent contest on the television programme Sing, Sing, Sing — the prize was a trip to England. On this programme she sang two songs: "Anyone Who Had A Heart" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses".

Related Topics:
1963 - Television programme

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Newton-John returned to live in England, with her mother, when she was 16 years old, working as a duo with her friend, Pat Carroll, singer (who subsequently married Olivia's producer, John Farrar). Newton-John cut her first single, "Till You Say You'll Be Mine" b/w "Forever" for Decca Records in England in 1966. Newton-John's first album was titled Toomorrow , which was also the name of the group of which Newton-John was a member; it was the brainchild of American producer Don Kirshner, creator of The Monkees. They starred in the movie Toomorrow. Although the band and film were commercially unsuccessful, Newton-John's solo career started to take off with her first solo album titled Olivia Newton-John which was released in the UK on Pye Records.

Related Topics:
Pat Carroll, singer - John Farrar - Decca Records - 1966 - Don Kirshner - The Monkees - Pye Records

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In 1968 Newton-John met Shadows' guitarist, Bruce Welch to whom she became engaged until 1972. She made appearances on Cliff Richard's weekly show "It's Cliff Richard" and starred with him in the tele-film The Case.

Related Topics:
1968 - Shadows - Bruce Welch - Cliff Richard - The Case

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The public soon took notice of Newton-John's talents and she quickly became one of Britain's most popular singers, hence she was voted 'Best British Female Vocalist' two years in a row by the magazine 'Record Mirror'.

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Newton-John's first international hit was a song written by Bob Dylan called "If Not For You" which was produced by her then fiance Bruce Welch and John Farrar. She represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 and came in at 4th place.

Related Topics:
Bob Dylan - Bruce Welch - John Farrar - Eurovision Song Contest - 1974

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Later in the year, the single I Honestly Love You was released in the United States and became her first single to chart at #1 across the Atlantic.

Related Topics:
I Honestly Love You - United States

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In 1975, encouraged by expatriate Australian singer Helen Reddy, Newton-John left England and moved to the USA where she became a hugely popular singer in both country and popular music. She had five #1 hits, including the song Physical, which stayed at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks. She has earned many awards and received four Grammys. She has also received an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) from Queen Elizabeth II in 1979. In 1981 Newton-John received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of her outstanding career.

Related Topics:
1975 - Helen Reddy - Country - Popular - Physical - Billboard Hot 100 - Grammy - OBE - Queen Elizabeth II - 1979 - 1981 - Hollywood Walk of Fame

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In the country field, she was respected and loved by fans as much as she was reviled by country purists who believed her brand of music had no place on country radio). In 1974, she won the Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award, beating out such country heavyweights as Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Anne Murray and Tanya Tucker; another country icon, Tammy Wynette, wasn't even nominated. Newton-John's win angered many pure country artists and fans, and perhaps as a direct result, some country artists and other influential personalities became members of a newly formed organization called the Association of Country Entertainers.

Related Topics:
1974 - Country Music Association - Dolly Parton - Loretta Lynn - Anne Murray - Tanya Tucker - Tammy Wynette

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Newton-John's film breakthrough came when she was offered the female lead in the highly successful movie Grease, after a chance meeting with producer Allan Carr at a party at Helen Reddy's house in Los Angeles. John Travolta had desperately wanted Newton-John to be his co-star in the film and had let his wishes be known to Allan Carr and Randal Kleiser before either of them had yet to meet Newton-John.

Related Topics:
Grease - Allan Carr - Los Angeles - John Travolta - Randal Kleiser

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"You're The One That I Want" and "Summer Nights" went to number one on US and international charts and stood at the number one position for 9 and 7 weeks respectively on the UK charts. Newton-John's solo number "Hopelessly Devoted To You" was also a huge hit. The film itself was the biggest box office hit of the year, and has remained an audience favorite.

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To follow this success, Newton-John released Totally Hot in 1978 with extensive promotion; the release was a critical and commercial success spawning the smash hit "A Little More Love," Top Ten single "Deeper Than The Night," and the Top 40 title track "Totally Hot." A more ambitious album than some of Newton-John's earlier releases, the record included both sexy uptempo numbers (including a spirited remake of the Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'") alongside characteristically beautiful ballads. Newton-John further established herself as one of the most versatile and appealing female pop vocalists of her generation. The album also cemented Newton-John's transformation to 70's sex symbol.

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In 1980, she took the lead with Gene Kelly in the cult film, Xanadu, another critical and commercial failure. However, the Xanadu soundtrack had several commercially successful singles. Its production was a collaborative effort with Electric Light Orchestra.

Related Topics:
Gene Kelly - Xanadu - Electric Light Orchestra

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Newton-John also starred in Two of a Kind which received little acclaim but garnered hit songs. Newton-John has also occasionally appeared in made-for-television movies and series episodes.

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She starred in the television movies "A Mom For Christmas" and "A Christmas Romance" and appeared in an episode of the CBS series Murphy Brown. She had a small role in the independent film Sordid Lives. She has also appeared in sitcoms "Bette" and "Ned and Stacey" and the made for TV film "The Wilde Girls" which featured her daughter Chloe Rose Lattanzi and actress Swoosie_Kurtz.

Related Topics:
Murphy Brown - Swoosie_Kurtz

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In 1983, Newton-John and Pat Farrar, a longtime friend, founded Koala Blue, a chain of clothing boutiques for women with the designs of the apparel based on the unique style and colours of Australia. The chain was successful for some time but eventually went out of business. However, Newton-John and Farrar have licensed the brand name for a line of Australian produced wines, confectionery and other items.

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She was married to Matt Lattanzi from 1984 to 1995. There is one child from this marriage, Chloe Rose Lattanzi, born in 1986. Since 1996, she has been with boyfriend, Patrick McDermott, a cameraman. In 1992, she underwent breast-cancer surgery from which she recovered. She actively promotes public awareness of the importance of early detection of the disease. In 1998, Newton-John, John Farnham and Anthony Warlow formed a powerful trio on the "Main Event" tour which travelled to all major Australian capital cities, spawned a Top 10 CD which won an ARIA (Australian Record Industry Association) Award for Highest Selling Australian CD.

Related Topics:
1984 - 1995 - Chloe Rose Lattanzi - 1986 - 1996 - Patrick McDermott - 1992 - Breast-cancer

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She sang a duet "Dare to Dream" with John Farnham at the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics and was the Olympic flame torch bearer running the route around the Sydney Opera House. In 2002, a duets album called (2) was released (featuring singers such as Darren Hayes, Tina Arena, Jimmy Little and Billy Thorpe as well as heartfelt duet-tributes with Peter Allen and Johnny O'Keefe) and went Top 5 in Australia and was followed by a successful Australian tour.

Related Topics:
2000 Sydney Olympics - 2002 - Darren Hayes - Tina Arena - Peter Allen - Johnny O'Keefe

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In 2002 Newton-John was also inducted into the ARIA HAll of Fame. 2004 saw the death of her beloved mother Irene and the release of "Indigo: Women of Song", a tribute album covering songs by The Carpenters, Minnie Ripperton, Doris Day, Nina Simone, Joan Baez and many others dedicated to Irene.

Related Topics:
The Carpenters - Doris Day - Nina Simone - Joan Baez

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In 2005 a compilation album "Gold" was released: a double CD with many hits and some rarities and later in the year "Stronger than Before" a CD promoting breast cancer awareness will also be released. Another rumoured project is "The Hotel Sessions" a dance music CD produced by Newton-John's nephew, Brett Goldsmith.

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Her niece is singer and entertainer Tottie Goldsmith.

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In the summer of 2005, Newton-John's long-time boyfriend, Patrick McDermott, went missing following a June 30 fishing trip off the California coast. The Coast Guard is not ruling out the possibility of foul play but concede they have few leads.

Related Topics:
2005 - June 30 - California - Coast Guard

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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16352527%255E601,00.html http://www.smh.com.au/news/people/newtonjohn-frantic/2005/08/22/1124562799885.html?oneclick=true http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/newton-johns%20lover%20missing%20for%20two%20months

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