Topic: Donny Osmond

Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, musician, actor and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk show and game show host, record producer, race car driver, and author. In the mid 1960s, he and his four elder brothers gained fame as the "Osmond Brothers" on the long running variety program, the "Andy Williams Show". Donnie went solo in the early 1970s covering such hits as "Go Away Little Girl" and "Puppy Love". In 1978 he became known for being half of the brother-sister singing duet Donny & Marie, with a four year variety series of their own on ABC. Between a highly successful teen career in the 1970s and a rebirth in the 1990s, the singer/ actor's career was stymied in the 1980s, by what some have called a "boy scout image". Osmond stated on the May 1, 2009 "Larry King Live" show, that Michael Jackson once suggested that Osmond change his name. Osmond's agent even suggested that spreading false rumors about drug arrest charges might boost his career. In 1989, Osmond had two chart-topping recordings, the first of which was being credited to a "mystery artist". From 1992-1997 he played Joseph in the Toronto production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Creator Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, impressed by Osmond's talents and the show's long run, chose Osmond to do the 1999 film version (which also starred Sir Richard Attenborough as Jacob). On November 24, 2009, two weeks shy of his 52nd birthday, Osmond was crowned Dancing with the Stars season nine champion.

Osmond was born in Ogden, Utah, the seventh son of Olive May Osmond (née Davis) and George Virl Osmond. He is the brother of Alan, Jay, Jimmy, Merrill, Wayne, Marie, Tom, and Virl Osmond. Alan, Jay, Merrill, Wayne, and Donny were members of the popular singing group The Osmonds (also known as The Osmond Brothers, which later included tracks with youngest brother Jimmy as well). Donny was raised as a Mormon in Utah along with his siblings. Osmond later traced his family ancestry back to Merthyr Tydfil in Wales; his journey was documented in a BBC Wales program, Donny Osmond Coming Home. On the BBC's The One Show with Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley, a plaque was unveiled in the town saying roughly: 'This plaque commemorates the ancestors of Donny Osmond."

The father of Andy Williams saw the Osmond Brothers (Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay) perform at Disneyland as a barbershop quartet. In short order, the group was invited to audition for The Andy Williams Show. They soon became regulars on the show and gained popularity quickly. Donny made his debut on the show at the age of 5 singing "You Are My Sunshine". The brothers continued to perform on the show throughout the 1960s along with a few visits from their sister Marie.