Marie Osmond

Marie Osmond
Background information
Birth name	Olive Marie Osmond
Born	(1959-10-13) October 13, 1959 Ogden, Utah, U.S.
Genres	Country pop
Occupations	Singer actress film screenwriter
Years active	1973–present
Labels	MGM Polydor Curb Columbia
Website	marieosmond.com

Olive Marie Osmond (born October 13, 1959) is an American singer, actress, doll designer, and a member of the show business family the Osmonds. Although she was never part of her family's singing group, she gained success as a solo country music artist in the 1970s and 1980s. Her best known song is a remake of the country pop ballad "Paper Roses". From 1976 to 1979, she and her singer brother Donny Osmond hosted the television variety show Donny & Marie.

Early life

Olive Marie Osmond was born in Ogden, Utah, the eighth of nine children (and the only daughter) born to Olive May (née Davis; 1925–2004) and George Virl Osmond (1917–2007). She was raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her brothers are Virl, Tom, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny and Jimmy Osmond. From an early age, her brothers maintained a career in show business, singing and performing on national television. Osmond debuted as part of her brothers' act The Osmond Brothers on The Andy Williams Show when she was four, but generally did not perform with her brothers in the group's television performances through the 1960s.

Music career

1970s

Aside from her two oldest brothers (who are deaf), Osmond was the only family member not involved in the music business. After the initial success of the Osmonds in 1970, Donny gained success as a solo artist on the popular music charts and became a teen idol. The Osmonds' management persuaded Marie to record an album, so she signed with the family's label, MGM/Kolob Records and began making concert appearances with the Osmonds. Her style was more directed towards country music, in contrast with her brothers, who were performing contemporary pop music at the time.

In 1973, Osmond released her first single as a solo artist titled "Paper Roses." The recording, a cover version of a song originally popularized by Anita Bryant, became a No. 1 country hit, reached the Top 5 on the Billboard magazine pop chart, and achieved crossover success. The song earned a gold record as did the album of the same name. She released another single, "In My Little Corner of the World" (another Anita Bryant cover), and an album with the same title in 1974, both entering the Billboard country Top 40 in 1974. The title song on her next album, "Who's Sorry Now" (a cover of the 1920s-era Isham Jones composition that was a pop hit for Connie Francis in the 1950s), released in 1975, went to No. 40.

In 1977, Osmond released her fourth studio album, titled This Is The Way That I Feel. This was much different from her earlier covers of country artist hits, and went in more of a pop direction. This album included songs that were written for her as well as songs that were written by the Bee Gees. The album only had two singles and, like most of the Osmonds' records of the late 1970s, was a commercial failure.

Additionally in 1974, Osmond had two pop music duet hits with Donny: "I'm Leaving It All Up to You" and "Morning Side of the Mountain." The former song was a Top 20 country hit, with both songs reaching the Top 10 of the pop charts.

1980s

Singing on board the USS Ranger, during a special Suzanne Somers show, 1981

In 1984, Osmond had a single on RCA Records called "Who's Counting" and only went to No. 82 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles. The single did receive a significant amount of airplay for a few weeks.

Osmond made a comeback in country music as a solo artist by signing a joint deal with Capitol Records and Curb Records (reuniting her with Mike Curb, who was the major factor in the family's success in the early 1970s) in Nashville. In 1985, she recorded her first studio album in nearly seven years, There's No Stopping Your Heart. This album had four singles, with two reaching the number 1 position on the country charts. The songs mainly focused on the more-popular Countrypolitan style. She and Dan Seals sang a duet called "Meet Me in Montana" which became a No. 1 country hit that year. The follow-up single was the title track, "There's No Stopping Your Heart", which also reached No. 1 in early 1986. The final single, "Read My Lips", also became a top 10 hit.

The followup album in 1986 was titled I Only Wanted You. Osmond hit No. 1 again with a duet with Paul Davis, "You're Still New to Me". The second single was the title track "I Only Wanted You", which landed in the top 10. Two additional singles, "Everybody's Crazy 'Bout My Baby" and "Cry Just a Little", did not have the same success.

In 1988, Osmond released the album All in Love, and Steppin' Stone in 1989. Both albums failed to garner any success on the Billboard charts due to the changing styles of country music; neotraditionalism was coming to the forefront at the expense of country pop acts such as the Osmonds. By 1991, further changes in the country music industry would effectively end her career as a significant recording artist. Steppin' Stone would be her last country album of the 1980s.

1990s

Osmond released only one song that charted in 1995, "What Kind of Man (Walks On a Woman)".

2000s

In November 2010, she released the album titled I Can Do This that was full of balladry and highlighted her multi-octave voice in the song "Pie Jesu." The album contained 14 songs, and all of the proceeds were donated to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

2010s

Osmond's latest work Music Is Medicine was announced through a social media campaign in late 2015. The online retailer Amazon.com along with Apple's iTunes and the brick and mortar giant Walmart released the album on April 15, 2016, in both CD and digital format. An Amazon-only release of an autographed vinyl pressing was made available on November 18, 2016. This was Osmond's first new album in five years. The album was produced by Jason Deere, with whom she had worked in the past. Additional guest artists are Marty Roe, Olivia Newton-John, Sisqó, John Rich and Alex Boyé. The album was released through Osmond's own label Oliveme LLC.

Billboard Top Country Albums for the week of May 7, 2016 listed Music Is Medicine as a new entry in the number 10 position, marking the first return to the country charts for Osmond since the late 1980s.

On March 27, 2016, a video for the song "Then There's You" was released on the internet video site Vevo; it received almost 200,000 views in less than 48 hours. On April 13, 2016, the video for the title track was also released on Vevo; it was filmed with patients from Children's Miracle Hospitals.

One song was originally planned featuring the country group Diamond Rio and titled "More You". An additional song titled "Got Me Cuz He Gets Me" disappeared on the release date, making the total song count 10 instead of the 12 originally listed. Amazon posted a product alert stating "This track list is incorrect. While we work to update it, please refer to the digital track list." As of the release date, it was unclear whether these two tracks will become available at a later time.

Acting career

Television

In 1975, Osmond and brother Donny hosted a special variety show which was later picked up mid-season as a weekly variety show and began airing in 1976 as Donny & Marie, and ran on ABC until 1978 before it was renamed The Osmond Family Hour in 1979. Osmond's first made-for-TV movie was The Gift of Love which originally aired on ABC on December 5, 1978. The movie was loosely based on the O. Henry story "The Gift of the Magi". Her co-star in the movie was Timothy Bottoms and she received her first on-screen kiss in this movie. The following year, Osmond starred in a sitcom pilot titled Marie which did not make the new season schedule. In 1980 she had her own variety show on NBC, also titled Marie, which only ran for half a season.

Osmond had a recurring role as co-host with Jack Palance on ABC's documentary series Ripley's Believe It or Not! for two seasons (1985–1986), replacing Palance's daughter Holly. Osmond introduced and narrated segments based on the travels and discoveries of oddity-hunter Robert Ripley. Following that, the singer played her mother, Olive, in the television movie Side by Side: The True Story of the Osmond Family. She also starred in the television movie I Married Wyatt Earp.

She returned to television first in the short-lived 1995 ABC sitcom Maybe This Time and then with brother Donny in 1998 to co-host Donny and Marie, a talk/entertainment show that lasted two seasons. The film was produced by her younger brother, Jimmy Osmond.

In 2006, she was a judge on the short-lived Fox celeb reality show competition Celebrity Duets, produced by Simon Cowell. It was reported by Entertainment Tonight magazine that Osmond would join the cast of The Bold and the Beautiful, the long-running CBS daytime soap opera, but she never appeared.

Radio

In 2004, Osmond had a radio show syndicated to adult contemporary radio stations, Marie and Friends, that was canceled after 10 months.

Movies and film

In October 1978, she and Donny released their film Goin' Coconuts (originally titled "Aloha Donny & Marie"), which was not a financial success.

Broadway

During the mid-1990s Osmond had a successful run performing Broadway musicals. She appeared as the lead actress playing Anna Leonowens along with Kevin Gray (as the King of Siam) in the 1994-95 production of The King and I and in 1997, she starred in Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music (as Maria). The production sold out in many major cities and received glowing reviews from critics.

Marie and Donny produced a holiday musical called Donny & Marie – A Broadway Christmas, which was originally scheduled to play on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre from December 9 to 19, 2010. The show was then extended until December 30, 2010, and again to January 2, 2011.

The Christmas show was so successful that it was turned into a touring production, and is now a yearly event in several cities across the US.

Author

Osmond has authored three books, all of which featured in the New York Times bestsellers list.

Behind the Smile: My Journey Out

This book was published on May 1, 2001 and discusses her struggles with postpartum depression.

Might As Well Laugh About It Now

This book focuses on the milestones and missteps in Osmond's life. It was published on April 1, 2009, and was co-authored by Marcia Wilkie.

The Key Is Love

This book was published on April 2, 2013, with the subtitle My Mother's Wisdom, A Daughter's Gratitude. It focuses on the values of her mother and was co-authored by Marcia Wilkie.

Other work

CBS daytime The Talk

Main article: The Talk (TV series)

In 2013-14 Osmond was a regular fill-in on the CBS daytime show The Talk.

Donny & Marie talk show

Main article: Donny & Marie (1998 TV series)

Osmond and her brother hosted a syndicated 60-minute talk show from September 1998 to May 2000.

Las Vegas Show Donny & Marie at Flamingo Hotel

Main article: Flamingo Las Vegas

Since 2008, the 750-seat showroom at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, has been home to Donny & Marie, a 90-minute variety show that was originally scheduled for a six-week run. The show is now in its eleventh year, with scheduled performances through November 16, 2019 according to the website ticketmaster.com. Osmond and the show earned three of the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Best of Las Vegas Awards in 2012 including "Best Show", "Best All-Around Performer" (Donny & Marie), and "Best Singer". The throwback-style Vegas showroom was updated in 2014 and renamed the Donny and Marie Showroom. The singing siblings are backed by eight dancers and a nine-piece band. Donny and Marie sing together at the beginning and end of the show, and have solo segments in between.

It was announced that the Las Vegas residency will come to an end with the last performance scheduled for November 16, 2019.

Marie talk show on Hallmark Channel

Main article: Marie (TV series)

On October 1, 2012, she debuted her new variety show Marie to 320,000 viewers on Hallmark Channel. The show went into reruns on the Reelz Channel and was later canceled.

Dancing with the Stars

Main article: Dancing with the Stars (US season 5)

On August 29, 2007, it was announced that Osmond would appear as a celebrity contestant on the fifth season of the ABC show, paired with Jonathan Roberts, 2004 US Rising Star Latin Champion. On November 27, 2007, Osmond came in third place on the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars. She fainted after her performance in the fifth week, stating, "I forgot to breathe."

Donny would go on to win the ninth season.

Dolls and embroidery

In 1991, Osmond debuted her doll line on QVC. While QVC continues to be a primary source of distribution for her dolls, Osmond also carries her line in retail stores, through Internet sales in the United States and worldwide, and direct response. Her first sculpture, a toddler doll she created and named for her mother, "Olive May," set a collectible record on QVC. Since then, Osmond has sculpted several dolls, including "Remember Me," "Baby Adora Belle," "Kissy and Huggs" and her hallmark doll "Adora Belle." In 2009, Osmond debuted her dolls on the Shopping Channel in Canada. In 2009, a 16" vinyl Fashion Doll of Marie Osmond "Grand Finale Fashion" was debuted at Osmond's 50th birthday party in Las Vegas. Osmond's doll collection has garnered numerous award nominations, including "Trendsetter of the Year" and Dolls magazine's "Awards of Excellence."

In 2006, Osmond launched an embroidery machine line, a sewing machine line and embroidery designs through Bernina. She has been featured on the cover of Designs in Machine Embroidery.

Crafting

In 2010, Osmond published a book of handcrafted project designs, Marie Osmond’s Heartfelt Giving: Sew and Quilt for Family and Friends, (Martingale & Company). The book contained step-by-step instructions for more than 20 projects, all designed by Osmond. Projects include her "Paper Roses" quilt, bags, aprons, and gifts for babies, teens, friends and pets. The book also features several childhood photos.

Osmond has a line of sewing machines with Janome and a fabric line with Quilting Treasures.

Christmas on Broadway and touring show

With the success of the 2010-11 Broadway Christmas show, both Marie and Donny took it on the road in 2012 and 2013. The 2013 show was sold out in most of the cities where it played and consisted of two 75-minute segments with a brief intermission. Many of the dancers from the Las Vegas show were also used during this tour and incorporated many of the Vegas songs and videos, while adding Christmas classics and costumes. With this successful tour, many cities inquired to be included on the 2014 schedule with Washington, D.C., Toronto and Mashantucket selected. One of the dates for the 2015 show was announced on Marie's twitter for December 12, 2015 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

Caesars Atlantic City Donny & Marie

The Vegas show was moved to Caesars Atlantic City for a residency in August 2014. The same backup dancers and band were used along with most of the Vegas wardrobe and set list with some tailoring for the New Jersey audience. The show ran August 8–21, 2014.

Children's Miracle Network

Along with actor John Schneider, Osmond co-founded the non-profit organization Children's Miracle Network in 1983. CMN is dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals in North America.

Promotional work

In 1977 Marie partnered with Kmart to sell a skin care package and a personalized fragrance targeted to young female fans. The skin care line contained a cleanser, rinse and moisturizer and the fragrance was advertised as healthy but delicate.

From 1978-1980, Marie and her brother Donny did several commercial spots for Hawaiian Punch as advertising spokespeople.

During the 2003 Super Bowl Osmond, along with her brother Donny appeared in a commercial for Pepsi. The Pepsi Twist advertisement was a parody of Ozzy Osbourne's son and daughter turning into the famous Osmond siblings during a dream.

As of 2013 Osmond is promoting the Nutrisystem brand of weight loss meals as part of the Slimsational Stars.

Osmond promoted a line of emergency food storage solutions for Wise Foods. She signed on in September 2013 as the company spokesperson using her likeness on the company website and TV commercials. As of 2016, there is no longer any reference to her on the company's website.

Together with her husband, Marie is promoting a product for home workout from Body Gym. She has appeared on QVC in several appearances in 2015-16.

As of January 2018 Marie became the strategic advisor and owner of MD Complete, a line of skincare regimens available online and in national retail big box stores.

Management

In 1976, Karl Engemann began managing the recording careers of Donny Osmond, Marie Osmond, The Osmond Brothers and Jimmy Osmond. In 1979 he was appointed personal manager in various career stages of all the Osmond entities, and finally just Marie Osmond. In December 2009, he parted company with Marie over a legal dispute.

Personal life

Osmond has been married three times, twice to the same man, and was engaged once.

In 1979, Marie was engaged to Jeff Crayton, an acting student, but in July of that year Marie stated that she did not want to fool around with marriage. She reasoned that it was too difficult to make a commitment and that marriage is a serious involvement. Both had their doubts about the commitment, so she ended her engagement and called off her upcoming marriage. During an episode of Watch What Happens Live in January 2019 she admits to host Andy Cohen that she briefly dated Erik Estrada. Marie also dated the singer Andy Gibb around the same time.

Osmond first married Stephen Lyle Craig, a Brigham Young University basketball player, on June 26, 1982. Their only child, Stephen James Craig, was born on April 20, 1983. The two divorced in October 1985.

On October 28, 1986, Osmond married Brian Blosil at the Jordan River Temple in Utah. Osmond and Blosil had two offspring, Rachael Lauren (b. August 19, 1989) and Matthew Richard (b. July 6, 1998). They also adopted five children:

• Jessica Marie (b. December 17, 1987)
• Michael Bryan (May 4, 1991 – February 26, 2010)
• Brandon Warren (b. November 1996)
• Brianna Patricia (b. November 19, 1997)
• Abigail Olive May (b. September 5, 2002).

On March 30, 2007, Osmond and Blosil announced they were divorcing. Both parties released a joint statement stating that neither one assigned fault for the divorce.

On May 4, 2011, Osmond remarried her first husband, Stephen Craig, in a small ceremony in the Las Vegas Nevada Temple wearing her dress from the 1982 wedding.

In 1999, Osmond said that she suffered from severe postpartum depression. She co-authored a book called Behind the Smile with Marcia Wilkie and Dr. Judith Moore which chronicles her experiences with the illness. In August 2006, several U.S. tabloids suggested that she had attempted suicide. Those reports were denied by her publicity team, which claimed she had suffered an adverse reaction to a medication she was taking.

On April 29, 2009, Osmond said that her oldest daughter, Jessica, was bisexual and had been living in Los Angeles with her partner. Osmond expressed support for her daughter and for same-sex marriage rights, and in 2010 was named Grand Marshal of the Ogden Gay Pride Parade. In 2013 Osmond said that civil rights should be for all people.

On January 23, 2010, The Nevada Ballet Theatre honored her as its 2010 "Woman of the Year" during the theaters annual B&W gala.

On February 26, 2010, Osmond's son Michael killed himself by jumping from the eighth floor of his apartment building in Los Angeles. He reportedly battled depression and addiction and had been in rehabilitation at the age of 12. An autopsy found no drugs in his system.

Osmond is a supporter of Kilmarnock Football Club in Ayrshire, Scotland. The club adopted the Fred Spielman and Janice Torre penned song "Paper Roses" as their club anthem. While on tour, Osmond, who in 1973 recorded and charted the song in the US up to #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Chart, surprised the club players in June 2014 with a meet and greet and also gave an impromptu performance at Rugby Park. In addition she signed autographs for the players and fans. In June 2016 she accepted and became an honorary member of the Kilmarnock Rotary Club.

Osmond is a member of the Republican party. However, she has stated that she is not a political person.

In February 2016, Osmond and her brother, Donny were characterized at the Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas. The figures are dressed in costumes the siblings donated from their Las Vegas show.

Discography

Main article: Marie Osmond discography

• 1973: Paper Roses
• 1974: In My Little Corner of the World
• 1975: Who's Sorry Now
• 1977: This is the Way That I Feel
• 1985: There's No Stopping Your Heart
• 1986: I Only Wanted You
• 1988: All in Love
• 1989: Steppin' Stone
• 2010: I Can Do This
• 2016: Music Is Medicine

Filmography

Film and television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1975	Hugo the Hippo	Singing Voice	Animated film
1976	Donny & Marie Osmond 1976 Christmas Show	Herself	TV special
1976–1979	Donny & Marie (1976 TV series)	Herself / Host / Various Characters	78 episodes
1977	Donny & Marie Osmond 1977 Christmas Show	Herself	TV special
1978	Goin' Coconuts	Marie	Feature film
	The Gift of Love	Beth Atherton	TV film
	Donny & Marie 1978 Christmas Show	Herself	TV special
1979	Marie (TV pilot)	Marie Owens	TV pilot episode
	Donny & Marie 1979 Christmas Special	Herself	TV special
1980	Marie (1980 TV series)	Herself / Host / Various Characters	6 episodes
	The Osmond Family Christmas Special	Herself	TV special
1981	The Osmond Family Holiday Special	Herself	TV special
1982	Side by Side: The True Story of the Osmond Family	Olive Osmond	TV film
	Rooster	Sister Mae Davis	TV film pilot
	The Love Boat	Maria Rosselli	Episodes: "The Arrangement" (Parts 1 & 2)
1983	I Married Wyatt Earp	Josephine 'Josie' Marcus	TV film
1984	The Velveteen Rabbit	Velveteen Rabbit / Fairy Princess (voice)	TV special
	Rose Petal Place	Rose Petal (voice)	TV special
1985	Rose Petal Place: Real Friends
	Ripley's Believe It or Not!	Co-Host
1986	Marie Osmond's Merry Christmas	Herself	TV special
1995–1996	Maybe This Time	Julia Wallace	18 episodes
1996	Almost Perfect	Herself	Episode: "Heaven's Helper"
1998	Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night	The Queen (voice)	Direct-to-video film
1998–2000	Donny & Marie (1998 TV series)	Host	32 episodes
1999	Diagnosis: Murder	Herself	Episode: "The Mouth That Roared"
	O' Christmas Tree	Star (voice)	Direct-to-video film
2000	Movie Stars	Herself	Episode: "Video Gurl"
2007	Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 5)	Contestant	20 episodes (Third Place)
2012	Ladies and Gentlemen... Marie Osmond	Herself	TV special
2012–2013	Marie (talk show)	Herself / Host	150 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Nominated work	Result
1973	Grammy Awards	Best New Artist	Marie Osmond	Nominated
		Best Country Vocal Performance, Female	Paper Roses	Nominated
1985	Academy of Country Music Awards	Top Vocal Duet	Dan Seals and Marie Osmond	Nominated
	Grammy Awards	Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal	Meet Me in Montana (with Dan Seals)	Nominated
1986	Academy of Country Music Awards	Top Female Vocalist	Marie Osmond	Nominated
		Video of the Year	I Only Wanted You	Nominated
		Top Vocal Duet	Dan Seals and Marie Osmond	Nominated
	Country Music Association Awards	Vocal Duo of the Year		Won
1987				Nominated

External links

• Marie Osmond Official Website
• Marie Osmond on Facebook
• Marie Osmond at IMDb
• Marie Osmond at the Internet Broadway Database
• Marie Osmond Getting Divorced – People magazine, March 30, 2007
• BBC News, Marie Osmond sings Paper Roses for Kilmarnock fans, 1 February 2013