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Donny & Marie (1976 TV series) facts for kids
| Donny & Marie | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Created by | Sid & Marty Krofft |
| Starring | Donny Osmond Marie Osmond |
| Composer(s) | Earl Brown Bob Rozario (music arrangements and conducting) Claude Williamson (additional arrangements) Tommy Oliver |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 78 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 45–49 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | January 23, 1976 – May 27, 1979 |
Donny & Marie was a fun American variety show that aired on ABC from January 1976 to May 1979. The show starred brother and sister pop singers Donny and Marie Osmond. Donny first became famous singing with his brothers in the group The Osmonds. Marie was one of the youngest singers to reach number one on the Billboard country music charts with her song "Paper Roses" in 1973.
The TV network ABC offered Donny and Marie their own weekly show. This happened after the siblings co-hosted a week on The Mike Douglas Show. They were also very popular for singing new versions of old songs. Donny and Marie were just 18 and 16 years old when their show started. This made them the youngest entertainers in TV history to host their own variety show!
About the Show
Donny & Marie was a show that aired on Friday nights. Each episode started with an exciting ice skating performance. Then, there were funny comedy skits. After that, Donny and Marie would sing many songs.
One of the most famous songs from the show was "I'm a Little Bit Country, I'm a Little Bit Rock and Roll." This song became a special part of the show called the "Concert Spot." In this part, Marie would sing a country song, showing her "country" side. Then, Donny would sing a rock and roll song, showing his "rock and roll" side.
Every episode ended with a big musical performance. Balloons would fall from the ceiling, matching the colors of the stage and costumes. Donny and Marie would then sing their special closing song, "May Tomorrow Be a Perfect Day." Sometimes, the show would even have short musical versions of famous movies. These included Star Wars and The Wizard of Oz. They featured some of the original movie actors and other famous guest stars.
The show was also popular in the UK. It was shown on Sunday afternoons on BBC1. In the UK, it was always called "The Osmonds."
Changes and End of the Show
The show's popularity started to go down in its last two seasons. This happened after it was announced that Donny was dating and later married Debbie Glenn. Many female fans were sad that their teen idol was no longer single. The show also aired at the same time as Wonder Woman, which was very popular.
In its final season, the show changed its format. They removed parts like the ice skaters and the country/rock-n-roll segments. Instead, they focused more on concert-style disco songs. The show was also renamed The Osmond Family Show during this time. It moved from Friday nights to Sunday nights. Donny's brothers, the Osmond Brothers, also had bigger roles in the show.
Around this time, variety shows in general were becoming less popular on TV. Donny & Marie was one of the last successful variety shows of its kind. The Osmonds' music career was also facing challenges. They felt that focusing so much on the TV show affected their music.
After Donny & Marie ended, Marie had her own solo variety show on NBC in 1980. It was called Marie and tried to follow a similar style. Donny and Marie later teamed up again in 1998. They co-hosted a talk show called Donny & Marie for two seasons. They still perform live together, including a long-term show in Las Vegas.
Cool Merchandise
Because the show was so popular, many cool items were made for fans!
- Donny & Marie dolls were released in August 1976. They even had a "TV Studio" play set to go with them.
- A Donny & Marie toy microphone came out in 1977. It could even transmit to AM radio frequencies! The toy looked like the real microphones they used on the show.
- A magazine called Tiger Beat published a Donny & Marie magazine. It focused on their personal lives and other Osmond family members. The family supported the magazine, and it included ads for other Osmond products.
Famous Guest Stars
Many famous people visited Donny and Marie on their show. Some of the well-known guests included: