Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights (1980) (TV)

User Rating:

9.8/10   

Director:

Jeff Margolis

Release Date:

14 April 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Music

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | TV Special | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Olivia Newton-John	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Karen Carpenter	...	Herself
Dick Clark	...	Himself
Chantal Contouri	...	Herself
Andy Gibb	...	Himself
Elton John	...	Himself
Gene Kelly	...	Himself
Ted Knight	...	Himself
Peaches	...	Herself
Cliff Richard	...	Himself
Toni Tennille	...	Herself
Tina Turner	...	Herself

Also Known As:

Hollywood Nights (USA)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Jackson Productions

Trivia:

Olivia Newton-John was still in the process of recording and looping the soundtrack to Xanadu (1980) when she finished production on this special.

Quotes:

Performer: Fan magazines have started this great rumor that I'm Miss Goody Two-Shoes from Australia. Now, that's a laugh. I'm really Miss Goody Two-Shoes from England!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra: Live at the Sydney Opera House (2007) (TV)

GREAT! One of the best Variety Specials ever!

Where to start on this one? I adore this special and still watch it at least once a year. Virtually all of the music is performed live, so even the most familiar big hits are markedly different on this one. (This show was actually the last Special shown on ABC's Oscar Night before the Barbara Walters Interview Specials took over the spot for good in 1980.) The performances are uniformly excellent and include: Olivia and Andy Gibb singing live on stage at an Ice Skating Rink. It is cold there because you can see their breath when they exhale. To promote "Xanadu", Olivia teams up with legendary Gene Kelly for a song and dance number and then is joined by Cliff Richards for a breathtaking live version of "Suddenly" on a sound stage. She also is part of a one-time only female singer super group the "Heartaches" that includes Tina Turner and Karen Carpenter (They sing the Eagles "Heartache Tonight", hence their name). But the absolute highlight of the show features Elton John at the piano with a solo performance of his beautiful "Little Jeannie" before Olivia joins him to sing the vocal on his "Candle in the Wind" as he plays piano. What a show, from a consummate performer with some truly special guests! Don't know if there will ever be a DVD of this, but if there is, buy it immediately, you will not be disappointed...