Olivia Newton-John, singer and actress, useless at 73

 Though she had little appearing expertise (and turned 29 throughout filming), Newton-John gave an indelible efficiency as Sandy, a sweet-natured Australian switch pupil who romances Travolta's alpha greaser Danny at a Southern California highschool within the Fifties.

Their onscreen chemistry as mismatched lovebirds who endure final-act makeovers to win every others' hearts -- she ditches her frilly clothes for heels, leather-based, spandex and a cigarette -- anchored the film and impressed repeat viewings by legions of followers.

Newton-John sang on three of the film's largest hits: the duets "You are The One That I Need" and "Summer season Nights" with Travolta, and her swoony solo ballad, "Hopelessly Devoted To You."

Newton-John recorded her first single in England in 1966 and scored a couple of worldwide hits, however she remained largely unknown to US audiences till 1973, when "Let Be There" grew to become a top-10 hit on each the grownup up to date and the nation charts.

 A collection of No. 1 easy-listening hits adopted, together with "I Truthfully Love You," "Have You By no means Been Mellow" and "Please Mr. Please."

Then got here "Grease," which was 1978's top-grossing film and have become an everlasting cultural phenomenon.

The film gave Newton-John a possibility to alter her squeaky-clean picture. The quilt of her subsequent album, "Completely Sizzling," featured the singer in black leather-based, whereas its songs had an edgier, extra up to date pop sound.

Her singing success

 In 1981, she took her new, sexier persona a step additional with "Bodily," a dance quantity with such suggestive lyrics as, "There's nothing left to speak about until it is horizontally." Banned by a number of radio stations, it grew to become her largest hit, spending 10 weeks atop the Billboard Sizzling 100.

She additionally appeared in a number of extra big-budget films, together with the musical fantasy "Xanadu" with Hollywood legend Gene Kelly in his last display function. The movie bombed, however its soundtrack offered effectively and spawned "Magic," a No. 1 hit.

In 1983 she teamed with Travolta once more for "Two of a Form," a romantic comedy-fantasy, however it did not recapture their "Grease" spark.

Over a prolonged profession Newton-John gained 4 Grammy Awards and offered greater than 100 million albums.

"I've had many lives in music. I've had nation when after I began, then I crossed over into pop," she informed Muricas News. "I had 'Xanadu' and 'Grease,' many songs in between. I really feel very grateful. I've such a big repertoire to select from."

Overcoming tragedy

However Newton-John additionally confronted her share of troubles and tragedy. Her breast most cancers diagnoses compelled her to postpone and cancel a number of excursions.

"It's extremely onerous to stay with that," she informed Muricas News's Larry King in 2006. "It is most likely the toughest factor I've ever skilled, and I have been by way of quite a lot of issues." Though her profession profile dimmed in her later years, Newton-John by no means stopped recording and performing. Amongst her highlights had been visitor appearances on "Glee," a long-running "Summer season Nights" residency on the Flamingo Las Vegas and a dance-club hit, "You Should Consider," recorded with daughter Chloe.

 "I like to sing, it is all I understand how to do," she informed Muricas News in 2017. "That is all I've ever completed since I used to be 15, so it is my life. I really feel very grateful that I can nonetheless do it and folks nonetheless come to see me."