Olivia Newton-John

Biography

Dame Olivia Newton-John AC, DBE 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

Sandy Olsson

Grease

Self (archive footage)

Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection

Sounds Like Les Dawson

Debbie

Two of a Kind

Lina Bingham

It's My Party

Self

The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's

Self

Anne Murray Friends and Legends

Kira

Xanadu

Self (archive footage)

John Farnham: Finding the Voice

Self - Actress / Breast Cancer Survivor

1 a Minute

Female Storyteller

Mannheim Steamroller - The Christmas Angel: A Story on Ice

Self

Mariah Carey: Around the World

Bitsy Mae Harling

Sordid Lives

Self

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

Julia Stonecypher

A Christmas Romance

Amy Miller

A Mom for Christmas

Barbara Ramme

A Few Best Men

Hope Gordon

Score: A Hockey Musical

Self

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

Olivia

Toomorrow

Self

Madonna: Truth or Dare

Self - Uncredited

Neil Diamond : Live At the Greek Theatre 1976

Self (archive footage)

Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC

Self

John Travolta: The Inside Story

Self

Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs

Self

Night of 100 Stars III

self

John Denver Rocky Mountain High An Earth Day Concert

Self - Contestant (archive footage)

The A-Z of Eurovision

Self (archive footage)

Olivia Newton-John at the BBC

Herself

Only Olivia

Self

Christmas with Delta 2020

Herself

Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical

Self (Vocals)

John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John: Two Strong Hearts - Live in Concert

Self (archive footage)

ABBA: Against the Odds

Herself

Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 2

Herself

Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 1

Funny Things Happen Down Under

Host

Timeless Tales: Rapunzel

Kira (archive footage)

The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made

Self (archive footage)

Country Queens at the BBC

Self (archive footage)

Superstar (Song for Karen)

Self

Olivia Newton-John: In Concert

Self

Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights

Orion

Sharknado 5: Global Swarming

Sandy Olsson

The Grease Story

Self

And the Winner Isn't

Self (Vocals)

The Main Event

A Special: Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John (uncredited)

She's Having a Baby

Self

Olivia

Self

Grease Day USA

Self

Rocky Mountain Christmas

Olivia

The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1980

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1975

Self

High as Mike

Self

Stayin' Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees

Self

Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra: Live at the Sydney Opera House

The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1974

Self (Vocals)

Sydney 2000 Olympic Opening Ceremony

Self - Performer (voice)

Snowden on Ice

Princess Hialeah / Musical Guest

The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special

Herself

Olivia Newton-John: Soul Kiss

Self - Actress (archive footage)

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

The Wilde Girls

Self

Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over

Self

AN EVENING WITH: FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Self (archive footage)

Christmas with Delta in Hollywood

Self

Sound Relief - SCG

Host

Bee Gees One Night Only In Australia