“Mrs. Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time,” her husband, John Easterling, wrote , in a statement. on the singer’s verified Instagram account. “Olivia has been a symbol of triumph and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer.”
The singer revealed in September 2018 that she was being treated for cancer at the base of her spine. It was her third cancer diagnosis, following bouts with breast cancer in the early 1990s and in 2017. Thanks to a string of country and soft-rock hits, Newton-John was already a popular singer in the late 1990s. seventy But her co-starring role opposite John Travolta in 1978’s “Grease,” arguably the most popular movie musical of all time, elevated her to a new level of stardom.
Despite having little acting experience (and turning 29 during filming), Newton-John gave an indelible performance as Sandy, a sweet-natured Australian transfer student who romances Travolta’s alpha greaser Danny. at a Southern California high school in the 1950s.
Their onscreen chemistry as mismatched lovers who undergo final-act makeovers to win each other’s hearts — ditching their ruffled dresses for heels, leather, spandex and a cigarette– anchored the film and inspired repeat viewings from legions of fans.
“I don’t think anyone would have imagined that a movie would last almost 40 years and still be popular and people would still talk to me about it all the time and love it,” Newton-John told CNN in 2017. It’s just one of those movies. I am very lucky to have been a part of it. It has given pleasure to many people.”
Newton-John sang three of the film’s biggest hits: the duets “You’re The One That I Want” and “Summer Nights” with Travolta, and her solo ballad, “Hopelessly Devoted To You.”
Born in Cambridge, England in 1948, Newton-John moved with his family to Melbourne, Australia when he was five years old. After winning a talent competition on a television show, “Sing, Sing, Sing”, as a teenager, she formed a girl group and began appearing on weekly pop music shows in Australia.
Newton-John recorded her first single in England in 1966 and scored a few international hits, but remained largely unknown to American audiences until 1973, when “Let Me Be There” became a of the top 10 hits both in adult contemporary and in the country. graphics
A string of easy-listening #1 hits followed, including “I Honestly Love You,” “Have You Never Been Mellow,” and “Please Mr. Please.”
Then came “Grease,” which was the highest-grossing film of 1978 and became an enduring cultural phenomenon.
The film gave Newton-John a chance to change his clean-cut image. The cover of her next album, Totally Hot, featured the singer in black leather, while her songs had a bolder, more contemporary pop sound.
His singing success
In 1981, she stepped up to her new, sexier persona with “Physical,” a dance number with lyrics as suggestive as “There’s nothing to talk about unless it’s horizontal.” Banned by several radio stations, it became his biggest hit, spending 10 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
He also appeared in several more big-budget films, including the musical fantasy “Xanadu” with Hollywood legend Gene Kelly in his final screen role. The film bombed, but its soundtrack sold well and spawned “Magic,” a No. 1 hit.
In 1983, he teamed up with Travolta again for “Two of a Kind,” a romantic comedy-fantasy, but failed to recapture his “Grease” spark.
During a long career, Newton-John won four Grammy Awards and sold more than 100 million albums.
“I’ve had a lot of lives in music. I had country when I started, then I went into pop,” he told CNN. “I had ‘Xanadu’ and ‘Grease,’ a lot of songs in between. I feel so grateful. I have such a huge repertoire to choose from.”
Overcoming tragedy
But Newton-John also faced his share of problems and tragedies. Her breast cancer diagnoses forced her to postpone and cancel several tours.
And in 2005, Newton-John’s then-boyfriend, Patrick McDermott, disappeared at sea while on a fishing trip off the coast of California. It was never found, an unsolved mystery that haunted the singer for years.
“It’s very hard to live with,” he told CNN’s Larry King in 2006. “It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever lived through, and I’ve been through a lot.” Although his career profile dimmed in his later years, Newton-John never stopped recording and performing. Among her guest appearances on “Glee,” a long-running “Summer Nights” residency at the Flamingo Las Vegas and a dance club hit, “You Have to Believe,” recorded with daughter Chloe.
“I love singing, it’s all I know how to do,” she told CNN in 2017. “That’s all I’ve done since I was 15, so it’s my life. I feel so grateful that I can still do- and people still come to see me.”