English-born pop singer, raised in Australia, who charted with over two dozen hits between the early 1970s and mid-80s. Beginning with a series of easy-listening, often countrified songs such as "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" and "Have You Never Been Mellow?", Newton-John broadened her range with her appearance in the hit film adaptation of the Broadway musical "Grease" in 1978. As the demure 50s teen turned sultry rocker, she gave a likable if modest performance, and enjoyed several big song hits, including the ballad "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and the punchy duet with John Travolta, "You're the One That I Want". Although her subsequent films, "Xanadu" (1980) and "Two of a Kind" (1983, again opposite Travolta), failed with both critics and public alike, she had big hit songs from both films and enjoyed the biggest musical hit of her career in 1981 with "Physical", the highest-selling single of the 1980s. Newton-John married actor/model Matt Lattanzi in 1985. In 1992, two weeks after her father had died from the disease, she was diagnosed with cancer, subsequently undergoing a partial mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
- Born:
September 26, 1948 in Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
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Job Titles:
Singer, Actress, Songwriter
Family
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Daughter: Chloe Rose Lattanzi. Born in January 1986; father is Matt Lattanzi
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Grandfather: Max Born. Maternal grandfather
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Sister: Rona Newton-John. Was at one time married to actor Jeff Conaway
Significant Others
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Husband: John Easterling. Founder of the Jupiter, Fla.-based Amazon Herb Company; married in two secret ceremonies, an Incan spiritual ceremony held on a mountaintop outside of Peru on June 21, 2008 and a beachfront wedding in Florida s Jupiter Island on June 30, 2008
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Companion: Patrick McDermott. born c. 1956; together since c. 1996
Milestones
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1953 Moved to Australia with her family at age five
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1961 Made stage acting debut in the Melbourne production of Green Pastures
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1962 Formed a short-lived all-girl band, Sol Four, with three classmates
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1964 Won a talent contest on the Australian program, Sing, Sing, Sing and received a trip to England as the prize
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1966 First screen appearance in the Australian telefilm, Funny Things Happen Down Under
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1966 Recorded first single, Till You Say You ll Be Mine for England s Decca Records
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1970 Made frequent appearances on Cliff Richard s weekly BBC show, It s Cliff Richard
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1970 Recruited for the British group, Toomorrow; recorded an album and appeared in film vehicle named after the group
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1971 Released first solo album, If Not For You with the title track written by Bob Dylan
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1972 TV debut opposite Cliff Richard in the British TV-movie The Case
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1974 Moved to the United States
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1976 Recorded Don t Stop Believin in Nashville
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1978 Offered the lead role in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Grease ; performed several songs on the films soundtrack; nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress in a Musical
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1980 Played the lead role in the musical Xanadu ; performed several songs on the films soundtrack, including Magic
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1981 Released her most successful studio album, the double platinum Physical
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1983 Founded the Koala Blue clothing line with Pat Farrar; originally for Australian imports, but evolved into a chain of women s clothing boutiques; declared bankruptcy and closed in 1992
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1983 Re-teamed with Travolta for the critically and commercially unsuccessful Two of a Kind
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1988 After a three year hiatus, to raise her daughter, released the album The Rumour
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1990 Starred in the NBC TV-movie A Mom for Christmas
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1992 Produced six-minute video of celebrities urging President Bush to attend the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro
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1992 Released her third hits collection, Back To Basics - The Essential Collection ; shortly after the album s release, she was diagnosed with breast cancer forcing her to cancel all publicity for the album including the tour
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1994 Featured in the CBS TV-movie A Christmas Romance ; daughter Chloe appeared as her on-screen daughter
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1994 Released Gaia: One Woman s Journey , which chronicled her ordeal with breast cancer
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1996 First film in over ten years, appeared in a supporting role in the AIDS drama, It s My Party
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1998 Returned to Nashville to record Back With A Heart
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2000 Acted in Sordid Lives co-starring Beau Bridges; performed several songs on the soundtrack
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2001 Once again co-starred opposite her daughter in the Showtime movie The Wilde Girls
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2002 Released a duets album featuring mostly Australian artists
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Formed a duo with Australian singer, Pat Carroll and performed as Pat and Olivia around Europe