Donny Osmond, an idol adored across generations
Donny Osmond has made and continues to make history in Las Vegas with his shows. With an extraordinary six-decade career full of brilliant moments, Donny shows no signs of slowing down. His love for music, the stage, performance, and entertainment knows no bounds. Here is the story of one of Vegas’ most beloved entertainers.
Donny Osmond
Donny’s childhood
Born on December 9, 1957, in Utah, Donny did not have a typical childhood because he was accustomed to the stage from an early age. His family was deeply involved in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They lived in a rural area, where Donny enjoyed playing outdoors. He had seven brothers, and together with Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, and Donny, they formed the popular vocal group the Osmond Brothers.
The beginnings of Donny’s career
The Osmond brothers rose to prominence after auditioning for The Andy Williams Show. Williams initially had reservations about including children in the program, but was encouraged by his father to give them a chance. The Osmond brothers proved to be a boon to the program, soon becoming regular guests on the show and quickly gaining popularity.
Donny’s career takes off
Donny became a teen idol in the early 1970s as a solo artist, while continuing to perform with his older brothers. Osmond appeared on the covers of the biggest teen magazines of the time, such as Tiger Beat, Flip, and 16, in the early 1970s. He began singing solo, and his first solo hit was a cover version of the song “Sweet and Innocent” recorded by Roy Orbison in 1958, which reached number 7 on the US charts in 1971. In the 1980s, his brothers turned to country music, while he continued his career in pop music, collaborating with Jeff Beck or Peter Gabriel, which resulted in hits such as “Soldier of Love,” which reached number 2 on the Billboard Top 100.
Donny and Marie
His collaboration with his sister Marie began in the 1970s. They even had their own show—The Donny and Marie Show—between 1976 and 1979 on ABC, a variety show for which they were awarded the Pop Culture Award. Between 1998 and 2000, they also had a successful talk show.
Donny and Marie performed at the MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theatre in Las Vegas for eight shows between July 17 and 23, 2008. It was their first series of shows in Las Vegas since 1979. The success of the show led to a limited six-week engagement at the 750-seat theater at the Flamingo Hotel. The show ran for 11 years, totaling 1,730 performances as of November 9, 2019. “Donny & Marie” was a 90-minute show in which the two sang together at the beginning and end of the show and performed solo segments in between. The siblings were accompanied by eight dancers and a nine-piece band. The Flamingo Theater was renovated in 2014 and renamed the Donny & Marie Showroom. After the show ended, the theater reverted to its old name. Both Osmond and the show received awards in 2012 and 2013.
Donny Osmond in Las Vegas
Donny is currently headlining his award-winning solo show at Harrah’s Las Vegas, which was voted Best New Show, Best Performer, Best Resident Headliner, and Best Production in The Las Vegas Review Journal’s Best of Las Vegas awards. Donny’s show at Harrah’s Las Vegas is an exciting and energetic musical journey through his unparalleled life as one of the world’s most recognizable entertainers. The audience enjoys a 90-minute show in which Donny performs his timeless hits, shares stories about his most memorable moments, and presents new musical pieces in a completely reinvented celebration of song and dance.
Donny the actor
Donny Osmond has played or voiced several characters throughout his career. He has appeared as a guest star in famous series such as Friends, Verdict: Murder and Hannah Montana.
In 1978, he starred alongside his sister, Marie, in the film Goin’ Coconuts. In 1982, he starred with Joan Collins and Priscilla Barnes in the film The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch. In 1998, he performed the song “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” in the Disney animated film Mulan, becoming the musical voice of the character Shang. In 1999, he played Joseph in the film version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He even starred in a Pepsi Twist commercial during the Super Bowl alongside his sister Marie, Ozzy, and Sharon Osbourne.
Donny Osmond’s staggering figures
Donny’s career is an unbroken string of records, including sales of over 100 million records, 33 gold records, a record-breaking contract as a headliner in Las Vegas, and concerts in front of millions of fans around the world. He won the famous show Dancing with the Stars in 2009 with Kym Johnson, where he averaged an audience of 37 million people per week. Osmond starred in 2,000 successful performances of the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, where he played Joseph. The show began in Toronto at the Elgin Theatre and was then relocated to Chicago. In 2006, he played Gaston in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway for four months (September-December).
Donny’s personal life
He has been married to Debbie for 47 years and has 5 children and 16 grandchildren. Together with his wife, he owns a chain of interior design stores called Donny Osmond Home.
Donny Osmond is not only a Las Vegas star but also an international star who has won the hearts of millions of fans around the world. His Vegas shows, TV and film appearances, and Broadway performances have brought him fame and recognition and made him an idol adored across generations.
Sources: donny.com, Wikipedia, imdb.com
