She's The Girl Travolta Wanted
I’VE just met one of the hottest properties on the music scene today.
She’s thinner than I thought, sweeter than I thought and she’s not bad looking either. Her toothpaste advert smile was never far away and if you haven’t guessed who it is by now, then I’ll give you a one-word clue - “Grease.”
Superstar Olivia Newton-John has just completed the last leg of a world tour and I travelled down to Manchester to talk to the girl who projects the clean-living, charming, sugary-sweet, girl-next-door image.
The last year has been a hectic one for her. Immediately after completing a concert tour of America, she began shooting on her first major film, “Grease,” co-starring with John Travolta.
Between them they have dominated the singles and album charts in the last five months and the film has broken box-office records around the world.
So how did she land the role of Sandy in “Grease?”
“I met the producer at a dinner party in Los Angeles one night and he told me that John Travolta had suggested me for the part. I had never met John, but he’d seen me on TV a few times and thought I would fit the bill.”
I suppose that’s the Travolta version of “You’re The One That I Want.”
Said Olivia: “The film was a lot of fun to make and I may do another next year. I have a few scripts to read through when I get home.”
How did the Cambridge-born girl get along with superstar Travolta?
“Very well,” she answered predictably (she never has a bad word to say about anyone). He’s not at all like the flashy, outgoing character he played in ‘Grease’ or ‘Saturday Night Fever.’ He’s really a little shy off stage.”
The steady love of Olivia’s life is her manager, Lee Kramer. He was responsible for the day-to-day running of the just-ended tour.
Olivia, as you’d expect, get the five-superstar treatment. She travels in a private jet of her own and the rest of her band, road crew and light team follow in another. The whole trip is geared up to promote her new album, “Totally Hot.”
But their travels didn’t include Scotland. Said Livvy: “I just couldn’t make it this time. But I will certainly come north on my next tour.”
She stays in the millionaire area of Malibu, California. “My parents still live in Melbourne, Australia,” she said, “but Malibu is my home now.”
Home resembles a scene from “All Creatures Great and Small.”
“I have two cats, four dogs and six horses. When I was young I thought of be coming a vet,” she said.
Her love of animals is one of her greatest priorities to day. She is actively involved with animal care and preservation of endangered species.
To protest her concern of the killing of dolphans by Japanese fishermen, Olivia cancelled a concert tour there and did not schedule it until the government had assured her that steps were being taken to rectify the situation.
The concert was a lack-lustre affair that resembled Sing Along Olivia at times, with the audience joining in on her hits.
She had a super ten-piece backing band who, it must be said, played more as individuals at times.