Olivia Newton-John: country star, dance icon, cancer fighter

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Olivia Newton-John was a singer, actress and songwriter.

She became famous for her role in the musical film »Grease«.

At her side: John Travolta.

In the past 30 years, she has also become known for her commitment to fighting breast cancer.

Olivia Newton-John died on August 8th at the age of 73.

Photo: Photos International/Getty Images

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As a schoolgirl, she founded a girls' band in her native Australia.

A talent competition brought the 15-year-old back to the country of her birth Great Britain.

She devoted herself to country pop.

In 1966 she recorded her first record there with Pat Carroll: Pat & Olivia at a photo shoot in London.

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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Newton-John had a prominent ancestor: she was the granddaughter of the German mathematician and physicist Max Born (1882-1970), who was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Physics for fundamental contributions to quantum mechanics.

He had fled Nazi terror and acquired English citizenship in 1939.

Born's daughter Irene emigrated to Australia with her husband, a German teacher, so Olivia Newton-John grew up there.

Photo: akg-images / picture-alliance / akg-images

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Her career took off in the early 1970s.

She has worked with Cliff Richard, with whom she hosted the 1971 Disc and Music Echo Valentine Awards show.

In Richard's support act, she also appeared in Germany for the first time in 1971, in Frankfurt am Main.

With "Banks of Ohio" she had her first hit in Germany, where the song was also released in a version she sang with almost no accent as "Down on the river, which is called Ohio".

Photo: PA/picture alliance/empics

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Newton-John poses with rock 'n' roll singer Bill Haley at the 1974 MCA Awards, where she won Singer of the Year.

During this time there were also discussions as to whether she was more of a country or pop musician.

Angry purists formed a club to bring country back to its roots - and away from Newton-John.

Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images

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At the 1976 American Music Awards, Newton-John was honored as best female singer - in the photo she can be seen with Glen Campbell and Aretha Franklin (from left).

Photo: ABC Photo Archives / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

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Her final breakthrough came in 1978 with the musical adaptation »Grease«.

As "Sandy" she became the dream couple of the late 70s with John Travolta aka "Danny".

Her duets "You're the One That I Want" and "Summer Nights" became hits, but Newton-John also had great success with her solo "Hopelessly Devoted to You."

Photo: Richard Davis/Getty Images

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»Grease« tells a high school love story set in the 1950s.

The film set standards, not only did young people all over the world smear liters of pomade in their hair...

Photo: Paramount Pictures / dpa

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… from then on, Newton-John always had to dance everywhere, like here in 1980 with Gene Kelly on the ABC show »Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights«.

Photo: Walt Disney Television Photo Archives/ABC

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After all, Olivia Newton-John was nominated for the Oscar with her »Grease« song »Hopelessly Devoted to You«, here she is at the award ceremony in 1978 with Henry Mancini, John Tunic and Johnny Green (from left).

Photo: ABC Photo Archives / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

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After "Grease" she was back in front of the camera in 1980 for the fantasy musical "Xanadu" on roller skates to disco sounds with the hit songs "Xanadu", "Magic" and "Suddenly".

A year later, Newton-John released their most successful album »Physical«.

In her singing career she sold about a hundred million records and won four Grammys.

Photo: Keystone/Getty Images

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In 1992, Olivia Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she also artistically processed her struggle with the disease and dealing with the mastectomy.

In 2017 she canceled concerts because of back pain, then it was clear: the cancer had returned, she had to undergo radiation therapy.

Photo: Ross Gilmore/Redferns

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Newton-John was involved in the fight against cancer, here she participates in the fundraiser »Wellness Walk and Research Run« in Melboune in 2019 with her husband John Easterling and their daughter Chloe Lattanzi.

Photo: Ellen Smith / picture alliance/dpa/AAP

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In 2019, Olivia Newton-John auctioned Grease outfits and other memorabilia to raise money for her Melbourne Cancer Center.

Newton-John died in California on August 8, 2022 surrounded by her family.

Photo: Michelle Day / picture alliance/dpa/Julien's Auctions

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