This person died in 2022 at age 83. She amassed number 1 hits, chart-topping albums, and four records that sold more than two million copies each. Her consistently benign music and initial squeaky-clean image caused many to compare her to Doris Day. More than anything else, she was likable, even beloved. For years she was a prominent advocate for cancer research, starting a foundation in her name. She played Sandy in the musical “Grease” alongside John Travolta and had a massive hit in the 1980s with the song “Let’s Get Physical”. Today’s dead celebrity is Olivia Newton-John.

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Jacob Weiss. Visit our website at famousandgravy.com and also enjoy our free mobile quiz game at deadoraliveapp.com

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 38 “A Lovely Lady” (Florence Henderson) and Episode 32 “Hot Stuff” (Donna Summer). 

LINKS:

Transcript of this episode

New York Times Obituary for Olivia Newton-John

“Mystery billionaire returns auctioned Grease Jacket”

“The wild Peruvian experience that changed Olivia Newton-John’s life”

“What made Olivia Newton-John 'horrified' about ‘Let’s Get 'Physical’” and music video

Dead or Alive quiz game

Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

Famous & Gravy official website

Through obituary-driven conversation, this episode examines Olivia Newton-John's cultural resonance as part of a famous lives reframed and known for biographies from a different point of view, by examining professional highs, private struggles, and symbolic impact. This episode invites contemplation about the emotional architecture of legacy. This legacy podcast explores rethinking celebrity legacies and contributes to legacy podcast.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.