Marie Osmond, born Olive Marie Osmond on October 13, 1959, in Ogden, Utah, is an American singer, actress, television personality, author, and businesswoman.
Raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she is the only daughter in a family of nine children.
Known for her girl-next-door charm, Marie has built a decades-long career across music, television, Broadway, and philanthropy.
Her close association with her family, particularly her brothers, has been a cornerstone of her public persona, with her career often intertwined with the Osmond family’s legacy.
Siblings
Marie is the eighth of nine children born to George Virl Osmond Sr. and Olive May Osmond.
Her eight brothers, Virl, Tom, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, and Jimmy, have each contributed to the Osmond family’s prominence in entertainment, though their roles and levels of involvement vary.
Virl and Tom, the eldest siblings, were born with severe hearing impairments, which limited their participation in the family’s musical performances.
Despite this, they played supportive roles, with Virl working as a film producer and Tom occasionally appearing on stage.
Alan, Wayne, Merrill, and Jay formed the core of The Osmond Brothers, a barbershop quartet that evolved into the pop and rock group The Osmonds, achieving fame in the 1960s and 1970s with hits like “One Bad Apple” and “Crazy Horses.”
Donny, the seventh child, joined the group later, boosting their popularity as a teen idol, and went on to have a successful solo career.
Jimmy, the youngest, also pursued a solo music career, earning recognition as the youngest performer to have a number-one single in the UK with “Long Haired Lover from Liverpool.”
Marie, the only sister, rarely performed with The Osmonds but carved her own path as a solo artist and as part of the iconic Donny & Marie duo.
Career
Osmond’s career began at age three when she debuted on The Andy Williams Show as the “youngest Osmond brother,” a humorous introduction reflecting her early integration into the family’s entertainment ventures.
Unlike her brothers, she did not regularly perform with The Osmonds, instead launching a solo career at age 12 with her 1973 cover of “Paper Roses,” which became a number-one country hit and reached the top five on the Billboard pop chart, making her the youngest female artist to achieve a number-one country single.
This success marked her as a country music prodigy.
In 1974, she began recording duets with Donny, including hits like “I’m Leaving It All Up to You” and “Morning Side of the Mountain,” which solidified their status as a dynamic sibling act.
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Their popularity led to the creation of Donny & Marie, a variety show that aired on ABC from 1976 to 1979, drawing 14 million viewers with its family-friendly blend of music, comedy, and guest stars.
The show, later retitled The Osmond Family Hour, showcased Marie’s versatility and cemented her “a little bit country” persona alongside Donny’s “little bit rock and roll” image.
In the 1980s, Marie refocused on country music, signing with Capitol Records and releasing albums like There’s No Stopping Your Heart (1985), which produced three number-one country singles: “Meet Me in Montana,” “There’s No Stopping Your Heart,” and “You’re Still New to Me.”
She also ventured into acting, starring in television films like The Gift of Love (1978) and making her Broadway debut in The King and I in 1994.
In the 1990s, she launched a successful doll collection with QVC, becoming one of the top doll designers globally.
Marie’s television career expanded with hosting roles on The Talk and a syndicated Donny & Marie talk show (1998–2000).
From 2008 to 2019, she and Donny headlined an 11-year Las Vegas residency at the Flamingo, performing 1,730 shows and earning accolades like “Best Show” from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Her 2021 album Unexpected, featuring opera and multilingual recordings, debuted at number one on Billboard’s Classical Crossover Albums chart, showcasing her continued vocal evolution.
Beyond entertainment, Marie has been a spokesperson for NutriSystem for 17 years and co-founded the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, raising nearly 9 billion dollars for pediatric care.
Accolades
Osmond’s music career boasts four number-one country singles, including “Paper Roses” (1973), which also earned a gold record, as did her album of the same name.
As part of the Donny & Marie duo, she received the 2015 TV Land Pop Culture Award for their impact on American pop culture.
The Las Vegas residency garnered three Las Vegas Review-Journal Best of Las Vegas Awards in 2012, including “Best Show” and “Best All-Around Performer,” with Marie and Donny jointly recognized as “Best Singer” in 2013.
Her work as a doll designer earned multiple “Dolls of Excellence” and “Doll of the Year” awards.
As an author, Marie has three New York Times bestsellers, including Behind the Smile, which raised awareness about postpartum depression.
Her philanthropic efforts were recognized with the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service, the highest civilian honor from the U.S. Department of Defense, awarded for her work with the USO and Bob Hope.
Additionally, she was the first celebrity to have a Barbie doll created in her likeness by Mattel, a testament to her cultural influence.
The Las Vegas Strip honored her and Donny with a Key to the Strip in 2019 and a Star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars, acknowledging their record-breaking residency.
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