Happy 50th Birthday Donny Osmond (yes, 50)

Donald Clark 'Donny' Osmond (born December 9, 1957) is an American entertainer. He is a singer, musician, actor and former teen idol. He has also been a talk show and game show host, record producer, race car driver and author. He is known for being half of the brother-sister singing act Donny & Marie and a member of the "Osmond Brothers" singing group.

Osmond was born in Ogden, Utah, to Olive May 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).

After seeing the Osmond Brothers (Alan, Wayne, Merrill & Jay) perform at Disneyland as a barbershop quartet the father of Andy Williams asked the boys to audition for The Andy Williams Show. They became regulars on the show and gained popularity quickly. Donny made his debut on the show at the age of 4 singing "You Are My Sunshine". The brothers continued to perform on the show throughout the 60's along with their brother Jimmy and sister Marie.

Donny became a teen idol in the early 1970s as a solo singer, in addition to performing with his older brothers. He and David Cassidy were easily the biggest "Cover Boy" pop stars for Tiger Beat magazine in the early 70's. His solo songs "Go Away Little Girl" (1971) and "Puppy Love" (1972) vaulted him into international fame. The fame was further advanced by his appearance on the "Here's Lucy" show, where he sang "Too Young" to Lucille Ball's niece played by Eve Plumb.

In the mid '70s, he teamed up with his younger sister, Marie. After being seen co-hosting an episode of the "Mike Douglas Show", Donny & Marie were offered a show of their own, "The Donny & Marie Show." The duo recorded several albums together prior to and while starring in their own television variety series which aired on ABC between 1976 and 1979.

Donny Osmond currently hosts the British version of the game show Identity on BBC Two during the daytime. This is his second game show hosting stint in the UK; his first is Pyramid Game on Challenge starting in May 2007.

Osmond has also been tapped by CBS to host a revival of Name That Tune in 2007 or 2008.

In early 2007, Osmond released the CD Love Songs of the Seventies, featuring romantic songs from that era. Also,currently his new album Love Songs of the 70's reached the billboard charts at #27.

He also hosts a daily radio feature "Donny Osmond's 8 Track Playback"on radio stations across the country, such as KOSY/Salt Lake, CKWW/Detroit, WLQT/Dayton, WFGR/Grand Rapids, WJLT/Evansville, and many others.

Osmond married Debra Glenn on May 8 1978 at the LDS Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah. Together they have five sons: Donald Clark Osmond (b. July 31, 1979), Jeremy James Osmond (b. June 8, 1981), Brandon Michael Osmond (b. January 29, 1985), Joshua Davis Osmond (b. February 16, 1998), and Christopher Glen Osmond (b. December 12, 1990).

Donny Osmond became a first-time grandfather on August 21 2005 when his second son Jeremy married Melisa and had grandson Dylan Osmond.

Osmond, like the rest of his family, is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon).

www.donny.com

Puppy Love from 1972 (at age 15)