Olivia Newton-John
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 26, 1948
- Died
- August 8, 2022 (aged 73)
- Birthplace
- Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
Biography
Dame Olivia Newton-John AC, DBE (September 26, 1948 – August 8, 2022) was an English-born, Australian-raised singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles (including two platinum) and 14 of her albums (including two platinum and four double platinum) have been certified gold by the RIAA. She has sold an estimated over 100 million albums worldwide. In 1978, she co-starred with John Travolta in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, Grease, which became one of the most successful films and movie soundtracks in Hollywood history. It features two major hit duets with co-star John Travolta: "You're the One That I Want"—which is one of the best-selling singles of all time—and "Summer Nights". She became the second woman (after Linda Ronstadt in 1977) to have two singles – "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Summer Nights" – in the Billboard top 5 simultaneously. Her performance earned her a People's Choice Award for Favorite Film Actress. She was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress in a Musical and performed the Oscar-nominated "Hopelessly Devoted to You" at the 1979 Academy Awards. In 1980, she starred with Gene Kelly and Michael Beck in the musical fantasy film Xanadu. Although it was a critical failure, its soundtrack was certified double platinum and scored five top 20 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. She charted with "Magic", "Suddenly" with Cliff Richard, and the title song "Xanadu" with the Electric Light Orchestra. "Magic" was Newton-John's biggest pop hit to that point and still ranks as the biggest AC hit of her career. The film has since become a cult classic and the basis for a Broadway show that ran for more than 500 performances beginning in 2007 and was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical. She helped pioneer the music video industry by recording a video album for Physical, featuring videos of all the album's tracks and three of her older hits. The video album earned her a fourth Grammy and was aired as an ABC prime-time special, Let's Get Physical, becoming a top-10 Nielsen hit. She teamed up with Travolta again in 1983 for the critically and commercially unsuccessful movie Two of a Kind, redeemed by its platinum soundtrack featuring "Twist of Fate", and a new duet with Travolta, "Take a Chance"Iowa. In 2002, she was inducted into Australia's ARIA Hall of Fame and, in 2015, she was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame. In recognition for "her work as an entertainer and philanthropist", she was bestowed Australia's highest honor, the Companion of the Order of Australia, in June 2019. In 2008, she raised funds to help build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia. She led a three-week, 228 km walk along the Great Wall of China, joined by various celebrities and cancer survivors throughout her trek. The walk symbolised the steps cancer patients must take on their road to recovery. She was a a long-time activist for environmental and animal rights issues. She battled breast cancer three times and was an advocate for breast cancer research and health awareness. Her business ventures included launching several product lines for Koala Blue and co-owning the Gaia Retreat & Spa in Australia.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
20th Century Masters: The Best of Olivia Newton-John
Movie
ABBA: Against the Odds
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Christmas with Delta in Hollywood
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
When ABBA Came to Britain
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
John Farnham: Finding the Voice
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Olivia Newton-John at the BBC
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over
Movie · as Self
Drag Race Down Under
TV · as Self - Special Guest · 1 ep
The A-Z of Eurovision
Movie · as Self - Contestant (archive footage)
Christmas with Delta 2020
Movie · as Self
The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee
Movie · as Olivia
High as Mike
Movie · as Self
The Tamron Hall Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Sharknado 5: Global Swarming
Movie · as Orion
The Grease Story
Movie · as Sandy Olsson
And the Winner Isn't
Movie · as Self
Stayin' Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees
Movie · as Self
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
Movie · as Self - Actress (archive footage)
The Fabulous Allan Carr
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John: Two Strong Hearts - Live in Concert
Movie · as Self (Vocals)
Behind Closed Doors with Natalie Morales
TV · as Sandy Olsson (archive footage) · 1 ep
Country Queens at the BBC
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
RuPaul Drives...
TV · as Self - Guest · 2 eps
A Few Best Men
Movie · as Barbara Ramme
John Denver Rocky Mountain High An Earth Day Concert
Movie · as self
1 a Minute
Movie · as Self - Actress / Breast Cancer Survivor
Score: A Hockey Musical
Movie · as Hope Gordon
Music Nuggets
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Sound Relief - SCG
Movie · as Self
Glee
TV · as Olivia Newton-John · 2 eps
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV · as Self - Guest · 2 eps
RuPaul's Drag Race
TV · as Self - Guest Judge · 1 ep
Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra: Live at the Sydney Opera House
Movie · as Self
Sordid Lives: The Series
TV · as Bitsy Mae Harling · 12 eps
Anne Murray Friends and Legends
Movie · as Self
The Graham Norton Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
Movie · as Self
The Time, the Place, the Motion: Remembering Grease
Movie · as Self – Sandy Olsson
Animal nocturno
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 2
Movie · as Herself
Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 1
Movie · as Herself
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Dancing with the Stars
TV · as Self - Guest Judge · 1 ep
John Travolta: The Inside Story
Movie · as Self
Parkinson
TV · as Self - Guest / Performer · 1 ep
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
American Idol
TV · as Self - Guest Judge · 1 ep
The Wilde Girls
Movie · as Jasmine Wilde
Sordid Lives
Movie · as Bitsy Mae Harling
Sydney 2000 Olympic Opening Ceremony
Movie · as Self (Vocals)
Mannheim Steamroller: The Christmas Angel - A Story on Ice
Movie · as Female Storyteller
Mariah Carey: Around the World
Movie · as Self
Bee Gees One Night Only In Australia
Movie · as Host
The Early Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Where Are They Now?
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs
Movie · as Self
The Main Event
Movie · as Self (Vocals)
Bee Gees: One Night Only
Movie · as Self - Audience member
Snowden on Ice
Movie · as Self - Performer (voice)
The View
TV · as Self · 1 ep
It's My Party
Movie · as Lina Bingham
TFI Friday
TV · 1 ep
Ned & Stacey
TV · as Olivia Newton-John · 1 ep
A Christmas Romance
Movie · as Julia Stonecypher
The Man from Snowy River
TV · as Joanna Walker · 3 eps
Intimate Portrait
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Late Show with David Letterman
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Madonna: Truth or Dare
Movie · as Self
A Mom for Christmas
Movie · as Amy Miller
Night of 100 Stars III
Movie · as Self
Timeless Tales: Rapunzel
Movie · as Host
AN EVENING WITH: FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Movie · as Self
Timeless Tales from Hallmark
TV · as Host · 8 eps
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Movie · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
She's Having a Baby
Movie · as Olivia Newton-John (uncredited)
Olivia Down Under
Movie
Le monde est à vous
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Sacrée soirée
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Olivia Newton-John: Soul Kiss
Movie · as Herself
Olympic Gala
Movie
Olivia Newton-John: Twist Of Fate
Movie
Two of a Kind
Movie · as Debbie
Olivia Newton-John: In Concert
Movie · as Self
Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical
Movie · as Herself
Wetten, dass..?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Jogo da Vida
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
Movie · as Self
Xanadu
Movie · as Kira
Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights
Movie · as Self
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1980
Movie
Solid Gold
TV · as Self · 1 ep
America's Top 10
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Grease
Movie · as Sandy
Olivia
Movie · as Self
Grease Day USA
Movie · as Self
Ciné regards
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Neil Diamond : Live At the Greek Theatre 1976
Movie · as Self - Uncredited
Only Olivia
Movie · as Herself
The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special
Movie · as Princess Hialeah / Musical Guest
Please Turn the Page
TV · as Self · 1 ep
A Special: Olivia Newton-John
Movie
Carpenters Very First Television Special
Movie · as Self (uncredited)
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Movie · as (archive footage)
Donny & Marie
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Rocky Mountain Christmas
Movie · as Self
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1975
Movie
Saturday Night Live
TV · as Self - Host & Musical Guest · 1 ep
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Numéro un
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Sounds Like Les Dawson
Movie
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1974
Movie
Dinah!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Case
Movie · as Olivia
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Midnight Special
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Musikladen
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Disco
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Toomorrow
Movie · as Olivia
Sez Les
TV · 1 ep
Funny Things Happen Down Under
Movie · as Livvy
Top of the Pops
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
TV · as Self - Musical Guest · 1 ep
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Eurovision Song Contest
TV · as Self - United Kingdom Contestant · 1 ep
The Oscars
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Today
TV · as Self · 1 ep