Marie Osmond
Olive Marie Osmond was born 13 October 1959 in Ogden, Utah. She is an American singer, film screenwriter, actress, doll designer, and the only girl born to the late George Virl Osmond Sr. and Olive May Osmond. Her brothers are Virl, Tom, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, and Jimmy. Virl and Tom were both born deaf, and brothers Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay comprised the original Osmond Brothers. She and her eight siblings all studied Karate under Chuck Norris.
Marie made her national television debut on the Andy Williams Show at the age of 3. Since then, she has “proven to be a resilient talent with a magnetic presence known across generations,” performing now for almost five decades which is a rare feat for a woman in the entertainment business.
She garnered success as a solo country music artist in the 1970’s and 1980s. She is perhaps best known for her cover of the country pop ballad “Paper Roses” which she recorded at the age of 12 and made history as the youngest female artist to have her debut record go to #1 on the charts along with a Grammy nomination.
Marie also had an additional historical “first” when she became the youngest-ever host of a national television variety show, The Donny & Marie Show (1976-1981), along with her singer brother, Donny Osmond. The show was dubbed into 17 languages.
She is also known for her national radio show Marie and Friends (2012) which was #1 in the markets, and The Talk (2010). On film, Marie starred in Goin’ Coconuts with Donny (1978), The Gift of Love (1979), Side by Side (1982) – she played the role of her mother, and I Married Wyatt Earp (1983). She turned down the starring role in the movie Grease (1978) on “moral grounds.”
Among her 27 albums and numerous gold records, another highlight of her career was winning Country Music Association’s Vocal Duo of the Year award for “Meet Me in Montana.” According to the official Osmond website, whether Marie is “performing live for the 2002 Olympics or being in the number one Super Bowl 2003 commercial, Marie constantly evolves her talents such as starring on Broadway in shows like The Sound of Music and The King and I, which garnered rave reviews.” She also appeared in The Muppets’ “She Drives Me Crazy” music video.
Marie is also an accomplished author. In October 1999, she disclosed her treatment for a severe bout of postpartum depression, following the birth of her 7th child, Matthew, on 6 July 1999. Imdb.com reports, “She became so despondent that she left her husband and kids planning never to return. Osmond said she basically gave the baby, and credit card, to her babysitter, got in her car and drove off believing her kids would be better off without her. She reconsidered later when her husband reached out to her by cell phone.” In 2001, she became the first-ever celebrity to write publicly about her experience with Postpartum Depression. Her book, Behind the Smile, became a New York Times bestseller. Her next book, Might as Well Laugh About it Now, published in April 2009, was on the New York Times bestseller list for eight weeks.
She is also a thriving business person and entrepreneur. In 1991, she launched the “Marie Osmond Fine Porcelain Collector Dolls” line on QVC and at Disney theme parks. It has become QVC’s top-selling doll line, has been nominated for Trendsetter of the Year in the collectibles industry, and has moved into the retail and direct response markets. In 1993, she began sculpting some her dolls and received three Dolls of Excellence award nominations during the 1997 International Toy Fair. In 1998, she celebrated the sale of her 1,000,000th doll on QVC.
Marie Osmond is the co-founder/co-host, with John Schneider, of a project of The Osmond Foundation, the Children’s Miracle Network, which has raised more than 1.8 billion dollars since 1983 for medical treatment, research, and assistance, benefiting children’s hospitals throughout the U.S. and Canada. In 1989, she was presented with the Roy Acuff Award in recognition for her work on behalf of children.
Marie is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She remarried her first husband Steve Craig on 4 May 2011, and she has eight children. She is also a spokesperson for the American Heart Association, having lost her grandmother, mother, and father to heart disease. And her latest CD Music is Medicine was released 15 April 2016.
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Marie Osmond – Music is Medicine That Heals the Soul
Olive Marie Osmond (Marie), like her musically inclined brothers – Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, and Jimmy – has had five decades of experience in the entertainment business. Her two oldest brothers, Virl and Tom, were both born deaf but have joined their talented...
LDS Musicians and Singers Join Hearts and Voices in Interfaith Redeemer Concert
On Saturday afternoon and evening, 9 July 2016, famed LDS music artists Marie Osmond, David Archuleta, Alex Boyé, The Nashville Tribute Band, accompanied by the 60-member Nampa Interfaith Choir, joined hearts and voices for two non-denominational concerts celebrating...