Olivia Newton-John
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.
Photos
Movies (78)
Christmas with Delta in Hollywood
2024 · Self (archive footage)
When ABBA Came to Britain
2024 · Self (archive footage)
ABBA: Against the Odds
2024 · Self (archive footage)
John Farnham: Finding the Voice
2023 · Self (archive footage)
Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection
2023 · Self (archive footage)
Olivia Newton-John at the BBC
2022 · Self (archive footage)
Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over
2021 · Self
Christmas with Delta 2020
2020 · Self
The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee
2020 · Olivia
The A-Z of Eurovision
2020 · Self - Contestant (archive footage)
High as Mike
2019 · Self
And the Winner Isn't
2017 · Self
The Grease Story
2017 · Sandy Olsson
Sharknado 5: Aletamiento global
2017 · Orion
The Fabulous Allan Carr
2017 · Self (archive footage)
Stayin' Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees
2017 · Self
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
2017 · Self - Actress (archive footage)
John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John: Two Strong Hearts - Live in Concert
2015 · Self (Vocals)
Country Queens at the BBC
2014 · Self (archive footage)
Los padrinos de la boda
2012 · Barbara Ramme
John Denver Rocky Mountain High An Earth Day Concert
2011 · self
Score: A Hockey Musical
2010 · Hope Gordon
1 a Minute
2010 · Self - Actress / Breast Cancer Survivor
Sound Relief - SCG
2009 · Self
Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra: Live at the Sydney Opera House
2008 · Self
Anne Murray Friends and Legends
2007 · Self
The Time, the Place, the Motion: Remembering Grease
2006 · Self – Sandy Olsson
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
2006 · Self, Songs
Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 1
2005 · Herself
Olivia Newton-John: Video Gold 2
2005 · Herself
John Travolta: The Inside Story
2004 · Self
The Wilde Girls
2001 · Jasmine Wilde, Executive Producer
Sydney 2000 Olympic Opening Ceremony
2000 · Self (Vocals)
Sordid Lives
2000 · Bitsy Mae Harling
Mannheim Steamroller: The Christmas Angel - A Story on Ice
1999 · Female Storyteller
Mariah Carey: Around the World
1999 · Self
Bee Gees One Night Only In Australia
1999 · Host
Bee Gees: One Night Only
1998 · Self - Audience member
Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs
1998 · Self
The Main Event
1998 · Self (Vocals)
Snowden on Ice
1997 · Self - Performer (voice)
It's My Party
1996 · Lina Bingham
A Christmas Romance
1994 · Julia Stonecypher
Madonna: Truth or Dare
1991 · Self
Una mamá para Navidad
1990 · Amy Miller
Timeless Tales: Rapunzel
1990 · Host
AN EVENING WITH: FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
1990 · Self
Night of 100 Stars III
1990 · Self
Olivia Down Under
1988
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988 · Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
She's Having a Baby
1988 · Olivia Newton-John (uncredited)
Olivia Newton-John: Soul Kiss
1985 · Herself
Olympic Gala
1984
Olivia Newton-John: Twist Of Fate
1984
Two of a Kind
1983 · Debbie
Olivia Newton-John: In Concert
1983 · Self
Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical
1982 · Herself
Xanadu
1980 · Kira
Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights
1980 · Self
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1980
1980
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
1980 · Self
Grease Day USA
1978 · Self
Grease
1978 · Sandy
Olivia
1978 · Self
The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special
1977 · Princess Hialeah / Musical Guest
Only Olivia
1977 · Herself
Neil Diamond : Live At the Greek Theatre 1976
1977 · Self - Uncredited
Carpenters Very First Television Special
1976 · Self (uncredited)
A Special: Olivia Newton-John
1976
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976 · (archive footage)
Rocky Mountain Christmas
1975 · Self
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1975
1975
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1974
1974
Sounds Like Les Dawson
1974
The Case
1972 · Olivia
Toomorrow
1970 · Olivia
Funny Things Happen Down Under
1965 · Livvy
20th Century Masters: The Best of Olivia Newton-John
TV shows (50)
Drag Race Down Under
2021 · Self - Special Guest
The Tamron Hall Show
2019 · Self - Guest
Behind Closed Doors with Natalie Morales
2015 · Sandy Olsson (archive footage)
RuPaul Drives...
2013 · Self - Guest
Music Nuggets
2010 · Self
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009 · Self - Guest
Glee
2009 · Olivia Newton-John
RuPaul: Carrera de drags
2009 · Self - Guest Judge
Sordid Lives: The Series
2008 · Bitsy Mae Harling
El show de Graham Norton
2007 · Self
Animal nocturno
2006 · Self
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
2005 · Self
Dancing with the Stars
2005 · Self - Guest Judge
Parkinson
2004 · Self - Guest / Performer
Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003 · Self
American Idol
2002 · Self - Guest Judge
The Early Show
1999 · Self
Where Are They Now?
1999 · Self
The View
1997 · Self
TFI Friday
1996
Ned & Stacey
1995 · Olivia Newton-John
Río Nevado: La leyenda de los McGregor
1994 · Joanna Walker
Intimate Portrait
1993 · Self
Late Show with David Letterman
1993 · Self
Timeless Tales from Hallmark
1990 · Host
Le monde est à vous
1987 · Self
Sacrée soirée
1987 · Self
Jogo da Vida
1981 · Self
Wetten, dass..?
1981 · Self
Solid Gold
1980 · Self
America's Top 10
1980 · Self
Ciné regards
1978 · Self
Please Turn the Page
1977 · Self
Donny & Marie
1976 · Self
Saturday Night Live
1975 · Self - Host & Musical Guest
Numéro un
1975 · Self
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
1975 · Self
Dinah!
1974 · Self
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
1972 · Self
Musikladen
1972 · Self
The Midnight Special
1972 · Self
Disco
1971 · Self
Sez Les
1969
Top of the Pops
1964 · Self
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
1963 · Self - Musical Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Self
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self
Eurovision Song Contest
1956 · Self - United Kingdom Contestant
The Oscars
1953 · Self
Today
1952 · Self