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Quick Facts
- NAME: Donny Osmond
- OCCUPATION: Television Actor, Music Producer, Singer, Game Show Host, Talk Show Host, Journalist
- BIRTH DATE: December 09, 1957 (Age: 55)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Odgen, Utah
- ZODIAC SIGN: Sagittarius
Best Known For
Donny Osmond was the standout performer of his family singing group, the Osmond Brothers. He also hosted the Donny and Marie variety show with his sister.
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Donny and Marie Osmond - Full Episode
From their early years on the immensely popular "Donny and Marie Show" variety show to their talk show, Donny and Marie Osmonddanced, sang and often skated their way into the hearts of millions each week.
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Play NowDonny Osmond. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 10:24, May 25, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/donny-osmond-342932.
Donny Osmond. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/donny-osmond-342932 [Accessed 25 May 2013].
"Donny Osmond." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 25 2013, 10:24 http://www.biography.com/people/donny-osmond-342932.
"Donny Osmond," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/donny-osmond-342932 [accessed May 25, 2013].
"Donny Osmond," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/donny-osmond-342932 (accessed May 25, 2013).
Donny Osmond [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 25] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/donny-osmond-342932.
Donny Osmond, http://www.biography.com/people/donny-osmond-342932 (last visited May 25, 2013).
Donny Osmond. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/donny-osmond-342932. Accessed May 25, 2013.
Donny and Marie had many guest stars, including comedian Paul Lynde, Andy Williams, Kris Kristofferson, and Andy Gibb. Most of all, the show featured the much of the Osmond family from younger brother Jimmy to the original members of the Osmond BrothersAlan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay. After its first season,
the show was moved to its production to a studio facility the Osmond family had built in their hometown of Orem, Utah.
Waning Popularity
In 1978, Donny and Marie also starred in their own feature film Goin' Coconuts, which incorporated a lot of singing and joking around—just like their variety show. It failed to impress critics or movie audiences. That same year, Osmond married his girlfriend Debbie at the Salt Lake City Temple. The two had dated in secret to protect her from all media attention—but that attention was beginning to wane.
Soon television audiences tired of the squeaky clean brother-sister act and their renditions of older, more family friendly songs. Disco and more urban styles of music were all the rage, making the Osmonds seem completely out of step with the times. The show—then known as The Osmond Family Hour—left the air in May 1979.
After the show was cancelled, Osmond floundered professionally for many years. He was, as he has written on his website, "uncool to the max, a prisoner of my teenybopper past." In 1982, Osmond made his Broadway debut in Little Johnny Jones, but this musical revival quickly closed. It was not until the late 1980s that Osmond was able to revive his music career with some help from an unlikely source—Peter Gabriel. At the time, Gabriel was enjoying great reviews as well as achieving chart success with his innovative rock music. He allowed Osmond to use his recording studio in Bath, England, where Osmond recorded his comeback single.
Recent Work
Released in 1989, "Soldier of Love" reached the number two slot on the Billboard pop charts. The following up single, "Sacred Emotion" also did well, climbing as high as number 13 on the charts. Osmond had updated his image somewhat, trying to appear a little tougher by wearing a leather jacket and a few days' worth of stubble.
In 1998, Osmond returned to television, again partnering with his sister, to co-host a daytime talk show, which ran for two seasons. The following year, he added best-selling author to his list of accomplishments with the publication of Life Is Just What You Make It: My Life So Far. Osmond then became a game show host for Pyramid, a new version of the popular classic, The $25,000 Pyramid, in 2001.
The 2003's release of the Osmonds greatest hits collection led to the Osmond brothers returning to the pop charts in the United Kingdom. Spurred on by the album's success, the brothers later regrouped and did a UK tour. That same year, Donny and other members of the Osmond family received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
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- Marie Osmond
- Donny Osmond
Donny and Marie Osmond
View groupThe younger siblings of the Osmond family, Donny and Marie Osmond started performing at an early age. Donny first entered the public eye when he joined his older brothers' singing group,"The Osmonds," and appeared regularly on"The Andy Williams Show." Donny and Marie both recorded solo albums before joining forces to star on the 70s TV variety show "Donny & Marie." In the late 1990s, the duo co-hosted their own talk show. Donny and Marie both enjoyed newfound popularity after separately appearing on the hit reality competition show, "Dancing with the Stars." In 2008, they announced an exclusive engagement of concerts at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.
Donny and Marie Osmond 2 people in this group
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Cast of Dancing with the Stars
View groupThe famous dance-competition show Dancing with the Stars has seen more than a dozen seasons and a gamut of stars, including Apolo Anton Ohno, Kirstie Alley, Joey Fatone, Jennifer Grey, David Hasselhoff, Buzz Aldrin, Brandy, Wynonna Judd, Dorothy Hamill, D.L. Hughley and Aly Raisman. Learn more about the show's contestants, who, for a period, swapped their skills as athletes, actors, musicians, comedians, TV personalities and politicians for a chance to show off their footwork on national TV.
Cast of Dancing with the Stars 92 people in this group
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Famous Sagittarians 567 people in this group
