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Donny Osmond

 
Who2 Profiles:

Donny Osmond, Singer

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  • Born: 9 December 1957
  • Birthplace: Ogden, Utah
  • Best Known As: Winner of 'Dancing With the Stars' in 2009

Name at birth: Donald Clark Osmond

Former child star Donny Osmond has made a grown-up name for himself as a cheery and persistent singer, actor, TV personality and (as of 2009) dancer. At age five, Donny joined The Osmonds, the clean-cut singing group formed by his older brothers Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay. As with Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five, Donny became the young darling who moved beyond the group. He had solo hits with "Go Away, Little Girl" (1971) and "Puppy Love" (1972) and was a regular face in Tiger Beat and other teen magazines. He and his sister Marie cemented their family-friendly, white-toothed image in Donny and Marie, a TV variety show that ran from 1976-79. During the 1980s Donny hung in there, struggling to shed his post-teenybopper image, and in 1990s he landed a six-year run as Joseph in a touring revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Osmond continued to trade on his famous name, working as a TV presenter and a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, appearing on game shows, and making a celebrity summer run as The Beast in the long-running Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast. In 2008 he and Marie took up residence at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas; in 2009 he was the champion dancer on the TV show Dancing With the Stars, defeating the singer Mya and celebrity Kelly Osbourne in the finals. Osmond published a memoir, Life Is Just What You Make It, in 1999.

Osmond married the former Debbie Glenn in 1978. They have five sons: Donald Jr. (b. 1979), Jeremy (b. 1981), Brandon (b. 1985), Christopher (b. 1990), and Joshua (b. 1998)... Osmond's siblings are, in order: George Jr. (b. 1945), Thomas (b. 1947), Alan (b. 1949), Melvin (known as Wayne, b. 1951), Merrill (b. 1953), Jay (b. 1955), Donny (b. 1957), Marie (b. 1959), and James (known as Jimmy, b. 1963). George Jr. and Thomas were born hearing-impaired, and were not part of the Osmond Brothers group.

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Quotes By:

Donny Osmond

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Quotes:

"If you're climbing the ladder of life, you go rung by rung, one step at a time. Don't look too far up, set your goals high but take one step at a time. Sometimes you don't think you're progressing until you step back and see how high you've really gone."

Gale Musician Profiles:

Donny Osmond

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Singer

Donny Osmond has seen success in many guises during his career as a singer. Beginning as a member of the Osmonds with his older brothers in the mid-1960s, he branched out to become a solo teen idol during the 1970s. With his sister, Marie Osmond, he also hosted a television variety series for three years. After a long period of fading popularity due to what David Wild in Rolling Stone called his "squeaky-clean image," Osmond grabbed the spotlight again with his 1989 album, Donny Osmond, which has yielded two hit singles—"Soldier of Love" and "Sacred Emotion."

Born Donald Clark Osmond December 9, 1957, in Ogden, Utah, to Mormon parents, the singer’s story really begins with his older brothers. Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay Osmond had already garnered some measure of fame by the time Donny was ready to join their group. They had begun performing in church; as their reputation spread, the Osmonds sang at Mormon houses of worship throughout the western United States. Eventually they won a stint crooning at Disneyland, and appeared on Andy Williams’s television variety show. Their specialty—for secular performances—was barbershop-style harmony, but a few years after Donny made the Osmonds a quintet, they won a contract with MGM Records and became pop-oriented.

With Donny as their lead singer, the Osmond Brothers scored their first big hit in 1971, the number-one single "One Bad Apple." During the same year, Donny launched his solo career with the top ten hit "Sweet and Innocent" and the even more successful "Go Away Little Girl," a remake of a song that had already been a hit twice—once for Steve Lawrence and once for the Happenings. For the remainder of the early 1970s Donny divided his musical efforts, continuing to record with his brothers, but also making several solo albums, including To You With Love, Too Young, and Alone Together. He scored chart hits with the singles "Puppy Love"—a remake of the old Paul Anka song, "Why," and "Too Young."

From 1974 to 1979, the most successful facet of Donny Osmond’s career was that involving his sister, Marie. She had come to solo success in the country music genre with the 1973 smash "Paper Roses," and had a follow-up hit, "I’m Leaving It All Up to You," with Donny the next year. They made a total of five albums together; after the first two, however, they were signed by the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to host a television variety show. Though the series proved popular enough to last three years—an impressive accomplishment during the late 1970s—Donny and the other Osmonds were having problems with their image. As Wild put it, they "were so unhip as to be anachronisms." Because of the Osmond family’s commitment to the Church of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Donny and his

siblings wished to put forth only wholesome entertainment, suitable for the entire family. This attitude was seen as old-fashioned and unrealistic by critics, and by much of the music audience. Donny (and the other singing Osmonds) always, however, managed to hold on to a small but devoted following for their records.

In 1980 the Osmond Brothers stopped recording for two years; when they came back together, Donny did not join them. Instead, he concentrated on the production aspect of the music industry, and one of his more noteworthy accomplishments in this area was directing a television special for pop and jazz artist Grover Washington, Jr. He also starred in a revival of the Broadway musical "Little Johnny Jones," but the problem of his wholesome reputation followed him to the stage. Osmond told Wild: "The show was great—we had to stop it twice on opening night for standing ovations. Then the reviews came out. All they could talk about was my image." The show was thus shortlived.

But according to Wild, the experience brought home to Osmond just how big an obstacle he had to overcome to regain success. Nevertheless, he remained determined, and fought hard for another chance at recording. He was almost chosen as the lead singer for a fledgling group called Air Play, and he made a cameo appearance in a video for fellow musician Jeff Beck. But Osmond credits rock star Peter Gabriel with helping him back to the charts. Not only did he allow Osmond to use his recording studio in Bath, England, but "he gave me credibility," Osmond admitted to Wild. Osmond also took on a new look in hopes of defeating his image problem, featuring a stubbly beard, jeans, and leather jacket, which led many critics to make comparisons with pop artist George Michael. Osmond denies Michael’s influence.

All of Osmond’s efforts have paid off, however, for his 1989 album Donny Osmond is a resounding success. The first single, "Soldier of Love," which Wild described as "an infectious…dance-rock number," reached the number two position on the charts. He scored a followup hit with the love ballad "Sacred Emotion." Another cut from the album, "Secret Touch," was inspired by Osmond’s courtship of his wife; he says that he had to date her in secret for three years because of the constant attention he received as a teen idol. Osmond is thrilled by the airplay that his 1989 hits have received. "This is the first time radio people are playing my record[s] because they want to," he commented to Wild. "Back in the Seventies, they played ’em because they had to."

Selected discography

Solo LPs
The Donny Osmond Album, MGM, 1971.
To You With Love, MGM, 1971.
Portrait of Donny, MGM, 1972.
Too Young, MGM, 1972.
Alone Together, MGM, 1973.
Disco Train, Polygram, 1976.
Donald Clark Osmond, Polygram, 1977.
Donny Osmond (includes "Soldier of Love," "Sacred Emotion," and "Secret Touch"), Capitol, 1989.

LPs; with the Osmond Brothers
The Osmonds, MGM, 1971.
Homemade, MGM, 1971.
Phase III, MGM, 1972.
Crazy Horses, MGM, 1972.

The Plan, MGM, 1973.
Around the World Live in Concert, MGM, 1976.
Osmonds’ Christmas Album, Polygram, 1976.
Brainstorm, Polygram, 1976.
Osmonds’ Greatest Hits, Polygram, 1977.
Steppin’ Out, Mercury, 1978.

LPs; with Marie Osmond
I’m Leaving It All Up to You, MGM, 1974.
Make the World Go Away, MGM, c 1975.
New Season, Polygram, 1976.
Winning Combination, Polygram, 1978.
Goin’ Coconuts, Polygram, 1978.

Sources
Books
Daly, Marsha, Osmonds: A Family Biography, St. Martin’s, 1983. Dunn, Paul H., The Osmonds, Avon, 1977.

Periodicals
Rolling Stone, August 10, 1989.
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:

Donny Osmond

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  • Genres: Rock

Biography

Donny Osmond has been in show business from an age when most children are still becoming accustomed to getting on the school bus in the morning, and in a career that's spanned six decades, he's made a name for himself in nearly every field of contemporary entertainment, most notably music, but also theater, film, radio, and television, and shown that it's possible to grow and mature as a performer while holding on to the wholesome, family-friendly reputation that's always been part of his public persona.

Donald Clark Osmond was born on December 9, 1957; he was the seventh of nine children born to George and Olive Osmond, a devout Mormon couple from Ogden, Utah. George Osmond earned his living selling real estate and insurance, but he loved to sing, and when his sons developed an enthusiasm for music, he helped them form a barbershop quartet. The vocal group began performing regularly in Utah, and they landed an audition to appear on The Lawrence Welk Show. Welk turned the Osmond Brothers down, but while they were in California, George took the boys to Disneyland, and they began harmonizing with a strolling barbershop quartet during their visit. The Osmond Brothers were good enough to attract the attention of park management, and later Walt Disney himself, and were chosen to perform on a television special, Disneyland After Dark, in 1962. That appearance led to a regular spot on The Andy Williams Show, beginning later that same year. In 1963, Donny joined his older brothers Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay in the singing group, and they were regulars on the Williams show until 1969; they were also frequent guests on Jerry Lewis' comedy-variety hour, which ran from 1967 to 1969.

As the Osmond Brothers grew older and the face of popular music continued to change, the boys wanted their act to have a more contemporary appeal, and they retooled themselves as a polished pop/rock combo, with the brothers playing instruments as well as singing. Mike Curb signed the group, now called the Osmonds, to MGM Records, and they went to Muscle Shoals, Alabama to record with producer Rick Hall, whose credits ran the gamut from Wilson Pickett and Etta James to Tommy Row and Paul Anka. Hall's first single with the Osmonds, 1971's "One Bad Apple," became a number one hit, and it was the first in a long string of chart successes for the group. The Osmonds appeared regularly in teen magazines such as 16 and Tiger Beat, thanks to the appeal of their well-crafted records and dynamic live shows, and Donny was often singled out as teen heart-throb material for his well-scrubbed good looks. MGM wasted no time in capitalizing on this, and Donny's first solo single, "Sweet and Innocent," was released in 1971. It rose to number seven on the Billboard pop charts, and the follow-up, "Go Away, Little Girl," went all the way to number one. Donny continued to enjoy solo hits, as well as performing and recording with the Osmonds, who became more ambitious in the recording studio, dipping their toes into harder rock on 1972's Crazy Horses, and crafting a spiritually oriented concept album with 1973's The Plan. In 1973, the lone Osmond sister, Marie, made her recoding debut, scoring a hit single with a cover of "Paper Roses." By the mid-'70s, the Osmonds' popularity was beginning to fade in the notoriously fickle world of teen pop, but in 1976, Donny and his sister Marie became the hosts of a weekly television variety show, with the other Osmond siblings making frequent appearances over the course of the show's run. Donny & Marie was a hit in the ratings, and in 1978, Donny & Marie even starred in a movie, Goin' Coconuts, but viewership began to decline during the third year, and in 1979, midway through its fourth season, the series went off the air.

In the '80s, Donny's career hit a dry spell, particularly after a Broadway revival of George M. Cohen's Little Johnny Jones, with Osmond in the lead, closed after a single performance in 1982. Osmond set out to once again reshape his image into something sleeker and hipper, and he made cameo appearances in Jeff Beck's 1985 music video for "Ambitious," as well as Luis Cardenas' 1986 clip for "Runaway." In 1989, Donny recorded a new album after Peter Gabriel, who met Osmond at a charity event, offered him use of his Real World recording studio in Bath, England. The new album, simply titled Donny Osmond, was a solid, dance-friendly contemporary pop recording, but Osmond's management and record label feared his bubblegum history might work against the album, and they struck upon a novel promotional gimmick. The album's first single, "Soldier of Love," was released to radio as a new song from a "mystery artist," and it gained airplay as listeners wondered whom the singer might be. The gambit worked -- "Soldier of Love" became a major hit, and the album followed it into the upper reaches of the charts.

Osmond released another contemporary pop album, Eyes Don't Lie, in 1990 which, while not as successful as its immediate predecessor, fared well on the charts. In 1992, Osmond returned to the musical stage, starring as Joseph in the Toronto production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; the show was a critical and popular success, with Osmond racking up over 2,000 performances between 1992 and 1997, and in 1999, when Webber created a film version of the musical for television broadcast and home video release, Osmond once again played Joseph in a cast that also included Richard Attenborough and Joan Collins. In 1998, Osmond provided the singing voice of Shang in the Disney animated feature Mulan, and in the fall of the same year, he and his sister Marie returned to television, starring in a daytime talk show that ran until the spring of 2000. Donny also returned to the recording studio to cut a holiday-themed album, Christmas at Home, and in 1999, published an autobiography, Life Is Just What You Make It, in which he openly discussed the ups and downs of his career, the burden of his public image, and his struggle with panic disorder.

In 2001, Osmond released This Is the Moment, an album dominated by songs from Broadway shows, and followed it in 2002 with Somewhere in Time, a collection of love songs which featured a new version of "Puppy Love" (a hit for Donny in 1972), and "No One Has to Be Alone," which Osmond recorded for the animated feature The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water. In 2002, Osmond became the new host of the long-running television game show Pyramid, and in 2004, he returned to pop music with the album What I Meant to Say, his first collection dominated by original material since Eyes Don't Lie; it included the single "Breeze on By," which rose to the Top Ten of the British pop charts. In 2006, Osmond appeared as Gaston in the Broadway production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, earning enthusiastic reviews, and in 2007, he became a guest commentator on Entertainment Tonight, just in time to cover his sister Marie's stint on the fifth season of Dancing With The Stars, in which she finished in third place. Marie's run on Dancing with the Stars prompted her and Donny to begin performing together again, and in 2008, they launched a revue at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, while Donny made a surprise return to the big screen in the Martin Lawrence comedy College Road Trip. In the fall of 2009, Donny took his own turn on Dancing with the Stars, and won the grand prize; he followed that up with an eclectic new album, 2010's The Entertainer, which included new interpretations of his earlier hits and pop standards, as well as a handful of new tunes. In 2010, Donny became the host of a syndicated radio show, The Donny Osmond Show, described as "a lifestyle-oriented music radio show," which was broadcast in both the United States and the United Kingdom. And in 2011, Donny & Marie reunited in the recording studio for their first album together since 1978, simply titled Donny & Marie. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Donny Osmond

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Donny Osmond
Background information
Birth name Donald Clark Osmond
Born December 9, 1957 (1957-12-09) (age 54)
Origin Ogden, Utah, U.S.
Genres Vocal, pop, rock, R&B, bubblegum, blue-eyed soul, comedy, musical theatre
Occupations Singer, songwriter, musician, actor, television host, dancer, radio personality, author
Years active 1961–present
Labels Universal
Associated acts Marie Osmond, The Osmonds, Dweezil Zappa
Website Official website

Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, musician, actor, dancer, radio personality, and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk and game show host, record producer and author. In the mid 1960s, he and four of his elder brothers gained fame as the Osmond Brothers on the long running variety program, The Andy Williams Show. Donny went solo in the early 1970s covering such hits as "Go Away Little Girl" and "Puppy Love".

For over thirty five years, he and younger sister Marie have gained fame as Donny & Marie, partly due to the success of their 1976–79 self-titled variety series, which aired on ABC. The duo also did a 1998–2000 talk show and have been headlining in Las Vegas since 2008. Between a highly successful teen career in the 1970s, and his rebirth in the 1990s, Osmond's career was stymied during the 1980s by what some have perceived as his "boy scout" image. Osmond stated on the May 1, 2009 Larry King Live show that longtime friend Michael Jackson suggested he change his name to boost his image. Osmond's agent even suggested that spreading false rumors about drug arrest charges might recharge his career. Osmond felt such allegations would have familial ramifications, and couldn't reconcile how lying to create a nefarious drug image could be explained to his children, nieces and nephews. In 1989, Osmond had two big-selling recordings, the first of which, "Soldier of Love", was initially credited to a "mystery artist" by some radio stations.

From 1992 to 1997 Osmond played Joseph in the Toronto production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Creator Andrew Lloyd Webber, impressed by Osmond's talents and the show's successful six year run, chose him for the 1999 film version.

In 2009, Osmond won the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars.

Contents

Early life

Osmond was born in Ogden, Utah, the seventh son of Olive May Osmond (née Davis) and George Virl Osmond. He is the brother of Alan, Jay, Jimmy, Merrill, Wayne, Marie, Tom, and Virl Osmond. Alan, Jay, Merrill, Wayne, and Donny were members of the popular singing group The Osmonds (also known as The Osmond Brothers, which later included tracks with youngest brother Jimmy as well). Donny was raised as a Mormon in Utah along with his siblings. Osmond later traced his family ancestry back to Merthyr Tydfil in Wales; his journey was documented in a BBC Wales program, Donny Osmond Coming Home.[1] On the BBC's The One Show a plaque was unveiled in the town commemorating 'the ancestors of Donny Osmond'.

Music career

Teen idol: 1971–1978

The father of Andy Williams saw the Osmond Brothers (Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay) perform on a Disneyland televised special as a barbershop quartet. In short order, the group was invited to audition for The Andy Williams Show. They soon became regulars on the show and gained popularity quickly. Donny made his debut on the show at the age of 5 singing "You Are My Sunshine". The brothers continued to perform on the show throughout the 1960s along with a few visits from their sister Marie. In the early 1970s, the Osmonds, via recording and virtually constant touring, sold over 80 million records in a single 12-month period, making the most successful, and fatigued, of the early Seventies touring groups.

Donny became a teen idol in the early 1970s as a solo singer, while continuing to sing with his older brothers. He, Bobby Sherman, and David Cassidy were the biggest "Cover Boy" pop stars for Tiger Beat magazine in the early 1970s.[2] He had his first solo hit with "Sweet and Innocent", which peaked at #7 in the U.S. in 1971. His solo songs "Go Away Little Girl" (1971) (#1 in the U.S.), "Puppy Love" (U.S. #3), and "Hey Girl/I Knew You When" (U.S. #9) (1972) vaulted him into international fame. The fame was further advanced by his appearance on the Here's Lucy show, where he sang "Too Young" to Lucille Ball's niece, played by Eve Plumb, and sang with Lucie Arnaz ("I'll Never Fall in Love Again").

Comeback: 1989–1990

In the 1980s, Osmond re-invented himself as a solo vocal artist and abandoned the earlier television show image crafted to appeal to young viewers. He made an unlikely appearance as one of several celebrities and unknowns auditioning to sing for guitarist Jeff Beck in the video for Beck's 1985 single "Ambitious", followed in 1986 by an equally unlikely cameo in the animated Luis Cardenas music video "Runaway".[3] He spent several years as a performer, before hiring the services of music and entertainment guru Steven Machat, who got Osmond together with Peter Gabriel to see whether Machat and Gabriel could turn the TV Osmond's image into a contemporary young pop act. They succeeded with the hit song Soldier of Love, returning Osmond to the US charts in 1989 with the Billboard Hot 100 #2 song "Soldier of Love" and its top twenty follow-up "Sacred Emotion". The campaign to market "Soldier Of Love" received considerable airplay with the singer being presented as a "mystery artist", before his identity was later revealed.[4] Launching an extensive tour in support of the Eyes Don't Lie record, he enlisted Earth Wind & Fire and Kenny Loggins guitarist Dick Smith along with keyboardist Marc Jackson.

Donny was often reluctant to perform his earliest songs, in particular "Go Away Little Girl", but was convinced to sing the song live for KLOS-FM's Mark & Brian Christmas Show on December 21, 1990.

Current music career: 1991–2010

Osmond was the guest vocalist on Dweezil Zappa's star-studded version of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" which appeared on Zappa's 1991 album Confessions. The song also included guitar solos from Zakk Wylde, Steve Lukather, Warren DeMartini, Nuno Bettencourt, and Tim Pierce. Osmond sang "No One Has To Be Alone", but the song was heard at the end of the film The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water. He also sang "I'll Make a Man Out of You" for Disney's Mulan[5]

In the 2000s, he released a Christmas album, an album of his favorite Broadway songs, and a compilation of popular love songs. In 2004, he returned to the UK Top 10 for the first time as a solo artist since 1973, with the George Benson-sampling "Breeze On By", co-written with former teen idol Gary Barlow, from the 1990s UK boy band Take That, reaching number 8.

In early 2011 he is scheduled to record a new album with legendary producer Todd Rundgren.

Donny & Marie in Las Vegas

Following Marie's stint on Dancing with the Stars in 2007, the pair teamed up for a limited engagement in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. Beginning September 2008, Donny and Marie began playing the 750-seat showroom at the Flamingo Hotel. "Donny & Marie" is a 90-minute show. 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.

Film, radio and television

Hosting

Donny & Marie

In the mid 1970s, he and Marie co-hosted The Mike Douglas Show for a week, and were later offered a show of their own, The Donny & Marie Show, a television variety series which aired on ABC between 1976 and 1979.

Donny and Marie also co-hosted a talk show together 20 years later. Though ratings were high[citation needed] and they were nominated for an award[citation needed] as best talk show, the series was canceled. In a 1999 episode featuring Jefferson Starship promoting their album Windows of Heaven, the hosts performed a rendition of "Volunteers" live with the band.

Other hosting opportunities

Osmond went on to host Pyramid, a syndicated version of the Dick Clark-hosted television game show that ran two seasons in the US from 2002–2004, and a British version of Pyramid on Challenge in 2007.

Osmond returned to ABC as host of The Great American Dream Vote, a prime-time reality/game show that debuted in March 2007. After earning lackluster ratings in its first two episodes, the program was cancelled.[6]

Osmond hosted the British version of the game show Identity on BBC Two during the daytime.

On April 11, 2008, Osmond also hosted the 2008 Miss USA pageant along with his sister Marie from Las Vegas.

Osmond appeared on Entertainment Tonight as a commentator covering the ABC show Dancing with the Stars during his sister Marie's run as a contestant on the 5th season of the American version of the popular show in Fall of 2007. He was seen at week 7 of the competition in tears in the audience watching Marie do a rumba after his and Marie's father died.

Radio

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In January 2010 it was announced that Osmond would host his own syndicated radio show in a deal with McVay Syndication and Citadel Media. Versions of The Donny Osmond Show now air across America, Canada, Australia and the UK.

The show is already rating #1 in numerous markets and is currently one of the fastest growing radio propositions.

The UK edition of the show is co-produced by London-based radio production & syndication company Blue Revolution. Through this partnership the first UK network to carry The Donny Osmond Show is Celador-owned The Breeze, which has outlets in Portsmouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Winchester, Bridgwater & West Somerset, Bristol, Bath and Warminster. As of January 2012, The Donny Osmond Show is no longer broadcasting on The Breeze.

Another UK radio station is now carrying The Donny Osmond Show. 96.2 The Revolution in Manchester runs their own custom version of the program between 10 am and 1 pm (GMT/BST).

Music

Osmond's name was used in the lyrics of Alice Coopers song "Department of Youth" near the end. Cooper asks the kids doing the background vocals "who gave them the power", where the kids reply "Donny Osmond".

Musical theatre

His first foray into Broadway musical theatre was the lead role in a revival of the 1904 George M. Cohan show Little Johnny Jones. Osmond replaced another former teen idol, David Cassidy, who left the show while it was on its pre-Broadway tour.[7] After 29 previews and only 1 performance, the show closed on March 21, 1982.[8]

Osmond found success in musical theatre through much of the 1990s when he starred in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for over 2,000 performances. During his performances for the musical, he suffered from Social Anxiety Disorder, which caused him to feel light-headed and extremely nervous during his performances.[9] In 1997, Osmond left his starring role in the tour to participate with his family in the cast of the Hill Cumorah Pageant.[10][11]

He returned to Broadway on September 19, 2006, in the role of Gaston in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. He was scheduled to perform for nine weeks but due to popular demand he extended his run through December 24. Liz Smith of the New York Post wrote "I am here to tell you he is charmingly campy, good-looking and grand as the villain "Gaston", patterned after our old friend Elvis and noting "Donny is divine". On July 29, 2007, Osmond played Gaston again for the final performance of Beauty and the Beast.[12]

Donny and his sister Marie recently starred in a new holiday production called Donny & Marie – A Broadway Christmas, which was originally scheduled to play on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre from December 9 – 19, 2010. The show was then extended till December 30, 2010 and again till January 2, 2011.[13][14][15] Donny & Marie-Christmas in Chicago is scheduled to play the Ford Center/Oriental Theatre in Chicago, Illinois from December 6, 2011 – December 24, 2011. It will be similar to the 2010 Broadway shows.

Film

In the animated television series Johnny Bravo, Osmond voiced himself as a recurring character. He has also done guest spots on numerous other television shows such as Friends, Diagnosis: Murder, and Hannah Montana. He also appeared in a Pepsi Twist commercial during the Super Bowl with his sister, Marie, and Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. In 1982, he co-starred with Priscilla Barnes and Joan Collins in the television movie The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch for Aaron Spelling.

In 1998, Donny Osmond was chosen to be the singing voice of Shang in Walt Disney's Mulan. He sang "I'll Make a Man Out of You".

Also in 1999, he starred in the movie version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Andrew Lloyd Webber's request who said, "to me there is no better selection". In addition to playing the role of Joseph.

Osmond remarked in an interview recently that with his movie appearance on College Road Trip and upcoming appearances on two Disney Channel shows that he would coming about full circle since he and his family were discovered by Walt Disney.

Osmond appears in the music video of "Weird Al" Yankovic's song "White & Nerdy". The song is a parody of Chamillionaire's "Ridin'"; Osmond's role is analogous to that of Krayzie Bone's role in the original video. Yankovic asked Osmond to appear because "if you have to have a white and nerdy icon in your video, like who else do you go for?"[16]

Dancing with the Stars

Osmond and professional Kym Johnson were paired for the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars; he participated in the show to prove he was a better dancer than his sister. It was very difficult for him to manage to get to rehearsals and host his show in Las Vegas with sister Marie. For the first week, the two were assigned to dance a Foxtrot and a 30-second Salsa. His Foxtrot was said to be "too theatrical" and was scored 20/30 from the judges. He however managed to maintain a good score when his Salsa scored 10 points and was safe that week. He danced a Jive the following week which was guest judged by Baz Luhrman. He scored 25 and was scored 2nd place, called first to be safe. That following week he danced a Rumba and scored 21. After his comments he "attacked" openly homosexual judge Bruno Tonioli, first kissing him, before embracing him and tipping him back in a mock-passionate move after Bruno called Donny's dance "a bit airy fairy". The following week introduced 4 new dances including the Charleston which he danced and scored 24. That following week, the two danced an Argentine Tango which scored 29/30, the highest scored dance to date until it was beaten by then leader topping scorer and future runner-up Mýa and her 70s-themed Samba. He had also received that week's encore. Following that week, Osmond and Johnson danced a train-station themed Jitterbug and was scored a 24. He then danced a Mambo against all couples and was eliminated 6th receiving 7 points for a total of 31/40. The following week, he danced a Quickstep which he quotes "was one of the worst moments of my life" and scored 24 and a Team Tango along with Joanna Krupa and Kelly Osbourne and received 28/30 and the encore. In the 8th week of competition, Osmond was required to dance a Ballroom and decade-themed Latin dance. His Ballroom Viennese Waltz received 26 but his 1980s themed Paso Doble received 24 being quoted by judge Len Goodman as "the most scariest, bizarre Paso Doble we've ever seen" being awarded last place on the judges' leaderboard for the first time. Following that week, he danced a Tango and got advice from past runner-up Gilles Marini. He got tangled in Johnson's dress and received 21 and saying the cause was that "I saw Marie". He then danced a samba to a song originally recorded by his brothers and himself called "One Bad Apple", receiving 26 and a Jitterbug scored 27. He once again was scored last place. For the finals week, he danced a Cha-Cha-Cha (27), a Megamix dance alongside Mya and Kelly Osbourne (28), the only perfect-scoring Freestyle (30) and a repeat of his Argentine Tango (30) and won the competition. As he accepted his trophy, he hugged fellow finalist Mya and grabbed his wife, Debbie on stage.

Week Dance & Song Carrie Ann's
Score		 Len/Baz's
Score		 Bruno's
Score		 Result
1 Foxtrot/"All That Jazz" 7 6 7 N/A
1 Salsa Relay/"Get Busy" Awarded 10 Points Safe
2 Jive/"Secret Agent Man" 8 9 8 Safe
3 Rumba/"Endless Love" 7 7 7 Safe
4 Charleston/"Put a Lid on It" 8 8 8 Safe
5 Argentine Tango/"Tango a Pugliese" 10 9 10 Safe
5 Hustle Group Dance/"Do the Hustle" N/A N/A N/A N/A
6 Jitterbug/"Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" 8 8 8 Safe
6 Mambo Marathon/"Ran Kan Kan" Awarded 7 Points Safe
7 Quickstep/"Sing, Sing, Sing" 8 8 8 Safe
7 Team Tango/"You Give Love a Bad Name" 9 9 10 Safe
8 Viennese Waltz/"You Don't Know Me" 9 8 9 Safe
8 1980s Paso Doble/"You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" 8 8 8 Safe
9 Tango/"Black and Gold" 7 7 7 Safe
9 Samba/"One Bad Apple" 8 9 9 Safe
9 Jitterbug/"Jump Shout Boogie" 9 9 9 Safe
10 Cha-Cha-Cha/"September" 9 9 9 Winner
10 Megamix/"You and Me", "Whenever, Wherever", "Maniac" Awarded 28 Points Winner
10 Freestyle/"Back in Business" 10 10 10 Winner
10 Argentine Tango/"Tango a Pugliese" Awarded 30 Points Winner

Other projects

Donny and Marie were part of a Pepsi Twist commercial in 2006 with the Osbourne family. Osmond appeared in the North American version commercial for the PlayStation 2 video game Buzz! the Mega Quiz.

In 2007 Donny took part in the BBC Wales programme Coming Home about his Welsh family history.

Donny and Marie began a six month run as the new headlining act at the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas, on September 9, 2008. On October 27, 2008, the Flamingo announced that Donny and Marie's contract had been extended until October 2010. Then on July 30, 2009, Donny & Marie made an announcement on NBC's Today Show that they had again extended their contract to go until October 2012.

On December 15, 2009, he appeared on The Paul O'Grady Show, along with his sister, Marie, being interviewed by the Channel 4 resident dinner lady, Susan.

Image struggle

Osmond states that he has had a tremendous public image struggle since Donny & Marie ended in 1979.[17] He has been described as 'unhip',[18] as a 'boy scout', and has been the butt of innumerable jokes, including appearing in the video "White & Nerdy" at the request of his friend, Yankovic, since he was 'the whitest guy [he] could think of'. His image has seemed such a liability that one professional publicist even suggested that Osmond purposefully get arrested for drug possession in order to change his image.[19] In March 2010, Osmond criticized Lady Gaga and Beyoncé for using profanity and sex in their Telephone video.[20]

Personal life

Osmond married Debra Glenn (born in Billings, Montana on February 26, 1959) on May 8, 1978, in the Salt Lake Temple at age 20. Together they have five sons: Donald Clark Osmond, Jr. (b. July 31, 1979), Jeremy James Osmond (b. June 8, 1981), Brandon Michael Osmond (b. January 29, 1985), Christopher Glenn Osmond (b. December 12, 1990), and Joshua Davis Osmond (b. February 16, 1998).[21]

Osmond became a grandfather on August 21, 2005, when his second son Jeremy and daughter-in-law Melisa (married 2002) had a son, Dylan James Osmond. His granddaughter Emery Anne was born on February 25, 2008. Osmond's third son Brandon married Shelby Hansen in 2008. Their son, Daxton Michael was born on June 18, 2010. Donny's eldest son, Donald Jr married Jessica Nelson on October 1, 2010, in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

Like the rest of his family, he is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In retrospect, he has written, "It would have been nice to be able to have served a regular full-time mission, but when I was of that age, my career was such that everyone, including my parents and the leaders of the church, thought that I could do a lot of good in the world by continuing being in the public eye, by living an exemplary life and sharing my beliefs in every way that I could".[22] He continues sharing his beliefs in an extensive letters-and-comments portion of his website.[23]

In the aftermath of Proposition 8 in California, which received large Mormon support, Osmond stated that he opposes same-sex marriage but that he condemns homophobia. He believes that homosexual and lesbian Mormons should be accepted in the church if they remain celibate.[24]

He stated on his website:

We all determine for ourselves what is right and what is not right for our own lives and how we live God's commandments. I am not a judge and I will never judge anyone for the decisions they make unless they are causing harm to another individual. I love my friends, including my homosexual friends. We are all God's children. It is their choice, not mine on how they conduct their lives and choose to live the commandments according to the dictates of their own conscience.[25]

Discography

Main article: Donny Osmond discography

References

  1. ^ Donny Osmond Coming Home from the BBC
  2. ^ Osmond as teen idol
  3. ^ Luis Cardenas Runaway Video with Donny Osmond as the Angry Neighbor on YouTube
  4. ^ Gold, Tayna. I hated being me, says former teen idol Donny Osmond. Daily Mail. Oct 5, 2007. Accessed Nov 21, 2007. "In 1988, after nearly ten years of playing high school halls, and waiting, Donny's promoter released Soldier Of Love as a mystery song – they played the song without revealing Donny as the singer."
  5. ^ Mulan
  6. ^ ABC dumps Donny Osmond-hosted TV show, by Steve Gorman, Mar 30, 2007, Reuters
  7. ^ Cassidy, David; Deffaa, Chip (1994). C'mon, Get Happy ... Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus. New York: Warner Books. p. 221. ISBN 0-446-39531-5. 
  8. ^ Little Johnny Jones (1982 revival) at IBDB
  9. ^ Donny Osmond Joins ADAA Board as Honorary Member from the Anxiety Disorders Association of America website
  10. ^ "Donny Osmond Sheds Dreamcoat To Star in Mormon Pageant July 11-19". Playbill. 12 July 1997. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/34552-Donny-Osmond-Sheds-Dreamcoat-To-Star-in-Mormon-Pageant-July-11-19. Retrieved 23 January 2012. 
  11. ^ "Mormon spirit moves Osmond". New York Daily News. 9 July 1997. http://articles.nydailynews.com/1997-07-09/entertainment/18057116_1_mormons-donny-osmond-possessing. Retrieved 23 January 2012. 
  12. ^ Osmond Will Play Final Performance in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast
  13. ^ DONNY & MARIE – A BROADWAY CHRISTMAS to play Broadway's Marriott Marquis Theatre this December
  14. ^ Donny & Marie's A Broadway Christmas Will Get Extra Performances
  15. ^ Donny & Marie's A Broadway Christmas Gets One Extra Performance on Jan. 2
  16. ^ The Weird Al Yankovic interview, by Robert Berry, September 27, 2006, retrocrush.com
  17. ^ "Donny Osmond: We suffer for his art". Salon.com. September 21, 1999. http://www.salon.com/people/feature/1999/09/21/osmond/index.html. Retrieved May 23, 2009 
  18. ^ "Donny Osmond: The Kid Re-invents Himself". Music Connection. June 26, 1989. http://www.cathynel.com/osmond/article/Reinvents/donny__re-invents_himself.htm. Retrieved May 23, 2009 [dead link]
  19. ^ "Donny Osmond". BBC News. December 6. In 1984 Osmond asked Michael Jackson for some career advise, and was told by Jackson to change his name, as it was considered too wholesome. 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/4054629.stm. Retrieved May 23, 2009 
  20. ^ "Donny Osmond vs. Lady Gaga – Telephone Video Too Much for Parent". National Ledger. Mar 26, 2010. http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272631017.shtml. Retrieved Mar 31, 2010. 
  21. ^ Biography for Donny Osmond. Imdb.com. Retrieved April 9, 2008.
  22. ^ Did You Ever Serve A Mission. donny.com. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  23. ^ My Beliefs. donny.com. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  24. ^ Mormon stars face backlash after homosexual marriage ban. By Guy Adams. The Independent. Published November 9, 2008.
  25. ^ Johnson, Ted (December 2, 2008). "Donny Osmond Wades into Prop 8 Debate". Variety.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Donny Osmond
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Shawn Johnson & Mark Ballas		 Dancing with the Stars (US) winner
Season 9 (Fall 2009 with Kym Johnson)		 Succeeded by
Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough
Media offices
Preceded by
John Davidson		 Host of Pyramid
2002–2004		 Succeeded by
None; end of series

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Donny Osmond Live (2003 Music Film)
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