Marie Osmond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marie Osmond
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Marie Osmond speaking at The Pentagon in 2017.
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| Born |
Olive Marie Osmond
October 13, 1959 Ogden, Utah, U.S.
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| Years active | 1973–present |
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Works
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| Spouse(s) |
Stephen Lyle Craig
(m. 1982; div. 1985)
(m. 2011)Brian Blosil
(m. 1986; div. 2007) |
| Children | 8 (5 adopted) |
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| Relatives | Donny Osmond (brother) |
| Family | The Osmonds |
| Musical career | |
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Olive Marie Osmond (born October 13, 1959) is an American singer, actress, television personality, author, and businesswoman. She is famous for her friendly image and long career in many different fields. Marie's music career mainly focused on country music. She had many hit songs, with four reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
In 1973, when she was 14, her song "Paper Roses" became a number-one country hit. This made her the youngest female artist to achieve this. Later, she had more number-one country songs like "Meet Me in Montana" (1985), "There's No Stopping Your Heart" (1985), and "You're Still New to Me" (1986). On television, she co-hosted Donny & Marie with her brother Donny Osmond. She also co-hosted The Talk. Marie has acted in TV movies and Broadway musicals. She has also written several books and helped start the Children's Miracle Network.
Marie is the eighth of nine children in the Osmond family. She first appeared on TV on The Andy Williams Show. At 13, she started her country music career. She also began recording with her brother Donny. This led to their own TV show, which ran until 1979. In the early 1980s, Marie continued performing with her siblings. She also tried acting and hosted her own variety show called Marie. She then returned to country music, signing with Capitol Records in 1985. From 1985 to 1990, she had three number-one songs and released several albums.
In the 1990s, Marie started her own doll collection, sold on the QVC network. She performed on Broadway in The King and I in 1994. From 1998 to 2000, she reunited with Donny for their talk show Donny & Marie. During this time, she shared her experiences with feeling very sad after having a baby. This became the topic of her book Behind the Smile: My Journey Out of Postpartum Depression. In 2004, she hosted a radio show called Marie & Friends. In 2007, she appeared on Dancing with the Stars.
Marie and Donny performed together in Las Vegas from 2008 to 2019. Their show led to an album of their duets in 2009. In 2010, she released a solo album called I Can Do This. Her country album Music Is Medicine came out in 2016. In 2021, she released a classical album called Unexpected. Marie also co-hosted The Talk from 2019 to 2020. She appeared in several Lifetime TV movies, like The Christmas Edition in 2020.
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Early Life and Family
Olive Marie Osmond was born on October 13, 1959, in Ogden, Utah. She was the eighth of nine children and the only daughter. Her parents were Olive May and George Virl Osmond. Her brothers are Virl, Tom, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, and Jimmy Osmond. She grew up as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Two of her brothers, Virl and Tom, were born deaf. Her other brothers started performing as a barbershop quartet when they were young. They became famous on The Andy Williams Show in the 1960s. Because of their success, the family moved to Los Angeles. In 1964, when Marie was four, she first appeared on The Andy Williams Show.
Marie spent most of her childhood at home with her mother and her younger brothers. She was closest to Donny, and they often played together. Marie also went with her brothers to concerts when she was young. She often helped set up stage equipment and costumes. When the family was home, they spent a lot of time singing and harmonizing.
Music Career Highlights
Starting in Country Music (1973–1979)
By 1970, Marie's brothers had formed their group, The Osmonds, and became very popular. People then suggested that Marie could have her own music career. She chose to sing country music. She felt it was a genre where women could have both a family and a career. As a young teenager, she recorded a demo tape, singing Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors."
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Don Ovens from MGM Records heard her singing and was impressed. He signed her to a solo record deal. In June 1973, Marie and her mother went to Nashville, Tennessee. There, she recorded nine songs she had already learned. One of these was "Paper Roses," which became her first song released in August 1973. This song reached number one on both the US country songs chart and the Canadian country tracks chart. It also became a hit on the US Hot 100, reaching number five. It went to number two in the United Kingdom. Marie's first album, Paper Roses, came out in September 1973 and topped the US country albums chart. At 14, she became the youngest female country artist to have a number-one debut song in the US.
In 1974, Marie's next song, "In My Little Corner of the World," became a top-40 US country hit. In 1975, her song "Who's Sorry Now" became a top-40 pop hit in the US and Canada. Two albums, named after these songs, also reached the US country chart.
Singing with Donny
By the early 1970s, Donny had also started his own music career. In 1974, he was recording "I'm Leaving It All Up to You" but had trouble with the high notes. Marie came in to sing harmony, and the song became a hit for them as a duo. It reached number four on the US Hot 100. An album with the same name sold over 500,000 copies. It also had another international top-ten song, "Morning Side of the Mountain." As a duo, Donny and Marie had five more US top 40 songs until 1978.
From 1976 to 1979, the siblings hosted their own TV variety show called Donny & Marie on ABC. The show was very popular, with about 14 million viewers. On the show, they sang and performed funny skits. They became known for a song with the line, "I'm a little bit country and I'm a little bit rock and roll." The show was known for its clean and family-friendly image. Marie continued her schooling with a tutor on set. The show was later renamed The Osmond Family Hour and ended in May 1979.
Country Comeback (1985–1995)
Marie returned to country music in the 1980s. She signed with Capitol Records. She recorded a duet with Dan Seals called "Meet Me in Montana." Released in 1985, it became Marie's second number-one song on the US country chart. It also won the Vocal Duo of the Year award. "Meet Me in Montana" was on Marie's first Capitol album, There's No Stopping Your Heart (1985). Critics liked the album, saying she was good at singing country pop. The album's title song also became a number-one hit on the US and Canadian country charts. Its third song, "Read My Lips," reached the top five in 1986.
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In 1986, Marie was nominated for Top Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music. She was also nominated for a Grammy for her duet with Dan Seals. Marie then moved to Nashville with her family to continue her country career. She toured the United States, doing many shows each year.
Capitol released Marie's next album, I Only Wanted You, in August 1986. This album also did well, reaching the top 20 of the US country albums chart. It included a duet with Paul Davis called "You're Still New to Me." This song topped the US and Canadian country charts in 1986. The album's title song reached the top 20 in 1987.
In July 1988, Marie's album All in Love was released. It reached the top 30 of the US country albums chart. Her last Capitol album was Steppin' Stone in 1989. In 1990, Curb Records released The Best of Marie Osmond, which included new songs. One new song was "Like a Hurricane," which reached number 57 on the US country songs chart. Marie later decided to change her career path to better balance her family life with touring.
Las Vegas and Recent Music (2008–Present)
After Marie's success on Dancing With the Stars, she reunited with Donny for shows in Las Vegas in July 2008. This led to an 11-year show residency at the Flamingo Las Vegas, which ended in November 2019. They performed 1730 shows, more than any other singing act in Las Vegas history. The Flamingo Showroom was even renamed the Donny & Marie Showroom. They won several "Best of Las Vegas Awards" in 2012. A new album by the duo, Donny & Marie, was released in May 2011. It reached the top 30 in the US.
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As a solo artist, Marie released Magic of Christmas in 2007. This was her first solo album in almost 20 years. It was followed by I Can Do This in 2010, which featured hymns and spiritual songs. It reached number 71 in the US. In 2016, Marie released her tenth album, Music Is Medicine. This was her first country music album since 1989. It reached number ten on the US country chart, becoming her first solo album since Paper Roses to make the top ten.
In 2021, Marie's album Unexpected was released. This album featured operatic and traditional pop music. Marie was nervous about recording music outside her usual style but decided to try something new. The album included the Prague Symphony Orchestra and a cover of "Nessun Dorma," a song she had performed on stage for years. Other songs included "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" and "On My Own." Unexpected reached number six on the US classical albums chart.
Voice and Musical Style
Marie Osmond has a soprano vocal range, meaning she can sing very high notes. Her music includes country pop, pop, classical, and opera. She has said, "Yes, I’m country; that’s what I chose to be, but it was very easy for me to sing pop because my brothers did. But as I have grown and I did Broadway and all different kinds of things, I fell in love with that style."
Acting and Television Career
Early TV Shows (1976–1986)
In 1976, Donny and Marie were offered their own TV variety show after performing on The Mike Douglas Show. The show, called Donny & Marie, started airing on ABC that same year. It was very popular, bringing in about 14 million viewers. The siblings sang and performed comedy skits. They also had guest performers and their brothers on the show.
The Donny & Marie show was known for its clean and family-friendly image. The siblings often worked 18-hour days. Marie continued her schooling with a tutor on set. She was once told by a producer to lose weight, which caused her to struggle with her health. Marie kept performing on the show, feeling responsible to her family and audience. Donny & Marie was later renamed The Osmond Family Hour and ended in May 1979.
In 1978, Donny and Marie starred in their first movie, Goin' Coconuts. The film was not a big success. Later that year, Marie appeared in the ABC television film The Gift of Love. This movie was based on the O. Henry story The Gift of the Magi.
In the late 1970s, Marie was considered for the role of Sandy in the movie Grease. Between 1980 and 1981, Marie briefly had her own variety show called Marie. In the early 1980s, Marie also acted in TV movies like I Married Wyatt Earp and Rooster. In 1984, she voiced a character in The Velveteen Rabbit. In 1982, she played her mother Olive in the TV movie Side by Side: The True Story of the Osmond Family. She then hosted the TV show Ripley's Believe It or Not! in 1985.
Broadway and Return to TV (1994–2009)
Marie returned to acting in the 1990s. She wanted a career that allowed her more time with her children. She agreed to play the lead role of Maria von Trapp in a touring production of The Sound of Music. She toured with the show across the United States from 1994 to 1995. In 1997, Marie starred as Anna Leonowens in The King and I. This was her first performance on Broadway in New York.
In the mid-1990s, Marie returned to television. In 1995, she starred as Julia Wallace in the ABC sitcom Maybe This Time. Marie played a divorced mother balancing an entertainment career. The show also featured Betty White. The show was canceled in February 1996. She was then asked to bring back the Donny & Marie TV program as a talk show. She agreed and moved to Los Angeles to film the show. In September 1998, Donny & Marie started airing during the daytime. The show taped one-hour programs six times a week. After two seasons, the talk show was canceled.
In 1999, Donny and Marie co-hosted the Miss America pageant. Marie became the first female host to announce the winner. In 2004, Marie hosted a five-hour radio show called Marie and Friends. The show included talks with guests and played current adult contemporary music. It was mainly for women.
In 2006, Marie was a judge on the TV competition Celebrity Duets. The show paired celebrities who don't usually sing with professional musicians. In August 2007, Marie was cast on Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with a professional dancer for weekly live competitions. She worked very hard and sometimes felt very tired. She continued performing on the show until being eliminated in November 2007, finishing in third place.
Recent TV Roles (2010–Present)
In the early 2010s, Marie was asked again to host her own talk show. She agreed, and in 2012, it was announced she would have a talk show on the Hallmark Channel called Marie. The show featured guests discussing social issues and giving lifestyle advice. It also included Marie performing and giving tips on cooking and fashion. The show debuted in late 2012 with Betty White as her first guest. Hallmark canceled the show after one season.
After leaving the Hallmark Channel, Marie became a regular guest co-host on the CBS daytime show The Talk. She guest-hosted 40 times. In 2019, Marie was announced as an official co-host on The Talk. She co-hosted with Sheryl Underwood, Carrie Ann Inaba, Sharon Osbourne, and Eve. In September 2020, Marie left the show after one season to focus on family and other TV opportunities.
After leaving The Talk, Marie acted in several TV movies. In 2019, she played Cassie, a Nashville singer, in the Lifetime film The Road Home for Christmas. In 2020, she co-starred in another Lifetime TV film, The Christmas Edition. In 2021, Marie co-starred in a third Lifetime TV film called A Fiancé for Christmas. The same year, Marie appeared on an episode of Fantasy Island as a fictional country singer. In 2023, she appeared on the show The Bold and the Beautiful.
Business Ventures
Children's Miracle Network
Marie was inspired to help sick children after seeing her deaf siblings struggle to learn to speak. Her parents also encouraged her to help others in need. In 1981, Marie and her brothers were hosting actor John Schneider. Both Schneider and Marie wanted to help sick children. This led them to co-found the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. This organization provides money to sick children, and donations go to hospitals across the country. Since it started, the organization has raised billions of dollars for children. Marie has met with many families through the program and is part of its yearly broadcast to raise funds.
Doll Business
Marie and her mother started collecting dolls when Marie was young. They would buy a doll as a souvenir in each city her family toured. As an adult, Marie started sculpting her own dolls in her free time. This turned into a business in 1990 called Marie Osmond Fine Porcelain Dolls. Her dolls were sold at Wal-Mart and on the QVC network. One of her most famous dolls was the Olive May doll, named after her mother. This doll set a record on QVC, selling three million dolls in less than 15 minutes. Marie has designed many different dolls. According to her official website, Marie has now "retired" from making dolls.
Nutrisystem
In the 2000s, Marie gained about 40 pounds. After her mother had a stroke, she told Marie, "Marie, don't do what I did. Take care of yourself." In 2007, Marie decided to make a change for her health after her children became worried about her weight. She found the Nutrisystem program and lost 50 pounds. She went from a size 14 to a size four. Marie then became a spokesperson for the brand. On Nutrisystem's website, Marie is listed as a "success story." She has also created a program through the company called "Complete 50" for women aged 50 and older.
Writing Career
Marie Osmond has written four books, and three of them have been on The New York Times Best Seller list. Her first book was Behind the Smile: My Journey Out of Postpartum Depression (2001). It was co-written with Marcia Wilkie and Marie's doctor, Dr. Judith Moore. The book described how Marie felt very sad and struggled after giving birth to her son Matthew in the late 1990s. She hoped that by sharing her story, she would encourage other women to get help for their mental health. Marie was one of the first celebrities to speak openly about this topic.
Marie and Marcia Wilkie then wrote a second book in 2009 called Might as Well Laugh About It Now. This book shared fun and important memories from her life. Marie said she wanted to write about things that were meaningful to her. The book was described as both "funny" and "moving."
Marie wrote two more books in the 2010s. In 2010, she wrote Marie Osmond's Heartfelt Giving: Sew and Quilt for Family and Friends. This "how-to" book gave step-by-step instructions for crafts using a sewing machine. In 2013, Marie's third book, The Key Is Love, was released. This book included stories from her personal life, many of which were about her mother. Marie also talked about the loss of her son in this book.
Personal Life
Marriages and Children
Marie Osmond has been married three times, including twice to the same person. In 1982, she married her first husband, Stephen Lyle Craig. Their first child, Stephen James Craig, was born in 1983. The couple divorced in 1985.
In 1986, she married record producer Brian Blosil. Marie and Brian had seven children, five of whom were adopted. Their two biological children are Rachael and Matthew. Their five adopted children are Jessica, Michael, Brandon, Brianna, and Abigail. After 21 years of marriage, the couple divorced in 2007.
After her second divorce, Marie said she "never wanted to be married again." However, she and her first husband, Steve Craig, reunited after their son arranged a meeting. They dated secretly for two years before telling others. Marie said she didn't want anyone to get hurt if it didn't work out. The couple remarried on May 4, 2011, in a private ceremony. Marie wore her original wedding dress from 1982. She told People magazine, "The thing about a second marriage is that you realize things you thought were so important aren't. I love being with my husband. He is the sweetest man I know."
Marie's daughter, Jessica, identifies as a lesbian. Marie has commented, "I know how I love my children and I know God loves all of his children as a father. I pray for everyone to use their lives to be happy and feel accomplished."
In March 2020, Marie stated that she plans to leave her money to charity when she passes away. She believes it would be better for her children to earn their own money.
Personal Challenges
In 1999, Marie spoke publicly about her struggles with feeling very sad after giving birth to her son Matthew. She talked about these challenges in detail in her 2001 book Behind the Smile. She explained that it felt "much darker" than the usual "baby blues." Marie started having panic attacks, feeling very tired, and experiencing neck pain. She also had thoughts of harming herself. She sought help and found that both medicine and mind-body therapy helped her feel better. After discussing her experiences on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Marie received many messages from people who had similar struggles.
Marie also shared in her 2001 book that she had experienced difficult events in her youth. She believed these experiences later contributed to her struggles with sadness after childbirth. She also revealed that these childhood experiences led to her having body image concerns.
In August 2006, some news reports suggested she had tried to harm herself. Her team denied this, saying she had a bad reaction to a medication.
On February 26, 2010, Marie's adopted son Michael passed away. He had struggled with sadness and had been bullied. Marie later shared that she missed a phone call from him shortly before his death because she was on stage in Las Vegas. Marie returned to work two weeks after his passing. She said, "The stage is my safe place. It doesn't scare me like it scares people. And I knew if I didn't get back onstage I may never get back onstage."
Discography
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Solo Studio Albums
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Donny and Marie Studio Albums
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Filmography
- Films
- Hugo the Hippo (1975)
- The Gift of Love (1978)
- Goin' Coconuts (1978)
- The Velveteen Rabbit (1984)
- Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night (1998)
- O Christmas Tree (1999)
Books
- Behind the Smile: My Journey Out of Postpartum Depression (2001) (with Marcia Wilkie and Dr. Judith Moore)
- Might as Well Laugh About It Now (2009) (with Marcia Wilkie)
- Marie Osmond's Heartfelt Giving: Sew and Quilt for Family and Friends (2010)
- The Key Is Love: My Mother's Wisdom, A Daughter's Gratitude (2013) (with Marcia Wilkie)
Awards and Nominations
Marie Osmond has received many awards and nominations. These include honors from the Academy of Country Music, Country Music Association, Grammy Awards, and Daytime Emmy Awards.
See also
In Spanish: Marie Osmond para niños
