Tomorrow Looks Bright For Olivia Newton-John
By Andy Gray.
YOU’VE probably seen her on Cliff Richard’s TV shows recently, the dishy blonde singer with the aristocratic name of Olivia Newton-John. And you’ve probably heard her sing her first solo chart entry, “If Not For You,” on the show.
What you might not be aware of is that she was also one-fourth of the Toomorrow group, formed for the film of the same name and dissolved because the whole expensive venture was a terrifying flop.
But Olivia, or Livvy, as she’s known to close friends, wasn’t downhearted. After all, she has the backing of a most influential fiancee, Bruce Welch, with whom she has been seen round the pop scene for almost four years.
She is very friendly and some of the intelligence of her dad, who is an ex-Head of Kings College, Cambridge, and vice-Chancellor of two Australian Universities, and her grandad on her mother’s side, a Nobel prizewinner for being in the team that split the atom, has brushed off on her, But perhaps her great asset is her smile, large, dazzling and sincere, because she really loves life.
Her singing on TV is still a little shaky, but was so was Cliff’s at one time. She could become as famous as Cliff in time, and as good a performer.
She was born in Cambridge, then went to live in Australia at the age of five, and got interested in show busirless by winning a contest to find a girl who looked like Hayley Mills. She was 14 then.
She and three other girls formed a vocal group called the Sol Four, then she went solo, entered another talent contest a girl who looked like Hayley Mills. She was 14 then. She and three other girls formed a vocal group called the Sol Four, then she went solo, entered another talent contest and won. Her prize was a trip to England. She deferred the prize when she broke into TV at 15 in Melbourne.
Her father wanted her to go to University, but Olivia decided to follow the lead of her elder sister Rona. who became an actress.
She went on entertaining for a time and then, with her mother as chaperone, took her prize and came to London.
Here she met Pat Carroll, a friend from Australia, and they formed a song-and-song-and-dance double act, until Pat had to go back to Australia. Soon after, Olivia was chosen for Toomorrow. And now, tomorrow looks very bright for her.