In , Newton-John starred in the musical film Grease , which was the highest-grossing musical film at the time and whose soundtrack remains one of the world's best-selling albums. It features two major hit duets with co-star John Travolta : " You're the One That I Want "—which is one of the best-selling singles of all time —and " Summer Nights ".
Her signature solo recordings include the Record of the Year Grammy winner " I Honestly Love You " and " Physical " — Billboard ' s highest-ranking Hot single of the s. Newton-John, who had breast cancer three times, was an advocate and sponsor for breast cancer research. Her mother was born and raised in Germany to a German Jewish academic family who came to the UK in to escape the Nazi regime. She was also descended from an unspecified Spanish monarch.
Newton-John was the youngest of three children, following her brother Hugh — , a medical doctor, and her sister Rona — , an actress who was married to restaurateur Brian Goldsmith [ 23 ] and was later married to Newton-John's Grease co-star Jeff Conaway from until their divorce in She also had a half-brother, Toby, and a half-sister, Sarah, both of whom were born of her father's second marriage.
Newton-John went to primary school with Daryl Braithwaite , who also followed a singing career. Newton-John originally wanted to become a veterinarian but then chose to focus on performance after doubting her ability to pass science exams. Show , where she met her future duet partner, singer Pat Carroll , and her future music producer, John Farrar.
Carroll and Farrar later married. In , she entered and won a talent contest on the television program Sing, Sing, Sing , hosted by s Australian icon Johnny O'Keefe. She was initially reluctant to use her prize, a trip to Great Britain, but travelled there nearly a year later after her mother encouraged her to broaden her horizons. She repeatedly booked trips back to Australia that her mother cancelled. The two formed a duo called Pat and Olivia and toured nightclubs in Europe. In one incident, they were booked at Paul Raymond's Revue in Soho , London, and were unaware that it was a strip club until they began to perform onstage dressed primly in frilly high-collared dresses.
