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Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John

OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN, the internationally popular, award­winning recording artist, made her film debut as Sandy, Travolta's innocent love­interest. At that time she was already one of the most honored female vocalists ever, with accolades including three Grammy Awards, a total of eight American Music Awards, and multiple distinctions from Billboard, Cashbox, AGVA, The Academy of Country Music, The Country Music Association, ASCAP and Record World. Her recordings of Let Me Be There, If You Love Me, Let Me Know, Have You Never Been Mellow, and Please Mister Please were all Certified Gold million­sellers, and her smash I Honestly Love You was Certified Platinum, representing sales in excess of two million copies. In addition, she already had four Platinum albums-Let Me Be There, If You Love Me, Let Me Know, Have You Never Been Mellow? and The Greatest Hits.

Born in Cambridge, England and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Ms. Newton­John found her way back to England by way of a talent contest which landed her a recording career at the age of 16. In 1973, she received her first Grammy as Best Female Country Vocalist for Let Me Be There, and the next year I Honestly Love You won her a pair of Grammy's for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance. She was named top female vocalist in 1975 by both Billboard and Cashbox, received the People's Choice Award for Favorite Musical Performer in both 1974 and 1976, and was repeatedly named favorite female vocalist at the American Music Awards.

Her flair for musical comedy contributed greatly to the enormous success of her television specials for the BBC in London and for the ABC Television Network in America. Following a critically­acclaimed SRO tour of the United States, culminating with her New York City debut at the Metropolitan Opera House, she went on to a Spring concert and TV tour of Europe. She made a special guest appearance on the Silver Jubilee television show honoring Queen Elizabeth II in the 25th year of her reign.

Ms. Newton­John went on to win the 1979 People's Choice award for Favorite Motion Picture Actress thanks to her performance in Grease. That year she also received the prestigious OBE (Order of the British Empire) from Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II. Her other films since Grease have included Xanadu, Two of a Kind (with John Travolta) and Randal Kleiser's It's My Party. She also appeared in the highly­rated TV movies A Mom for Christmas and A Christmas Romance."

Her successful battle with breast cancer in 1992-93 led to the creation of her album GAIA: One Woman's Journey, which marked her debut as a songwriter. It chronicled the often painful journey of the previous two years in her life.

In the twenty years since Grease, Ms. Newton-John has also given birth to a daughter, Chloe, recorded ten albums, and been named Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Environment Program. In addition, she is Spokesperson and Goodwill Ambassador for the Colette Chuda Environmental Foundation. Her new Back With A Heart LP will be released by MCA Nashville in May. The first two singles, I Honestly Love You and Precious Love, will be released simultaneously to adult contemporary and country radio formats. This current recording of Olivia's hit I Honestly Love You features her in a duet with multi-Grammy award­winning artist Babylace and was produced by multi­Grammy award­winning producer David Foster.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2002.

Olivia Newton-John Facts

OccupationActress, Musician
BirthdaySeptember 26, 1948 (75)
SignLibra
BirthplaceCambridge, England, United Kingdom
Height5' 6" (1m68)  How tall is Olivia Newton-John compared to you?

Selected Filmography

Grease
Xanadu
Sordid Lives
Sordid Lives: The Series
Sordid Lives Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack
She's Having a Baby
A Few Best Men
Two of a Kind
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