When Marie was just 15 years old, she was under a lot of pressure to stay slim. She and her brother were offered a TV show, but executives pressured Marie to lose weight or the show would be canceled. For some reason, her brother’s weight was never an issue or a factor on which that show depended.
Sadly, back then there was a lot less awareness as to how damaging such requests can be. Especially for someone her age — a young teen with a changing body. Rumor has it that producers called her names, so she ended up losing the weight they wanted after all.
Secrets Galore
Some of the family's problems stemmed from their different levels of attention and exposure — spending too much or not enough time under the klieg lights. Others were bullied by executives and managers, despite being the talents that made the money those executives were relying on to provide for their families.
Remarkably, for a family that spent so much time in the public eye, there is so much that their audience did not know about — a treasure trove of secrets yet to be unearthed. This family is puzzling and we are sure there are still many secrets no one has managed to discover.
Meeting Groucho Marx
While the Donny & Marie show was on the air, it was famous for bringing in great celebrity guests. Although this helped the ratings, behind the scenes, things weren’t always so good for Marie. Surprising, when you think about the fact that at least fifty percent of the show was carried on her shoulders.
She recalls one such instance when Groucho Marx was a guest on the show but she doesn't exactly have good memories of the comedian. Mostly him pinching her where he definitely shouldn't have. She said that Groucho Marx shouldn't be working around women until he fixes his manners.
Donny, the Nerd
Being a talented entertainer usually means that you don't really have to develop any other talents or interests. Not Donny, though. He had a keen interest in technology and has also developed some tools useful for his shows. Donny Osmond was a super-smart technology connoisseur. This particular Osmond designed a secret video control room in the Flamingo in Las Vegas along with other audio and computer systems backstage.
Donny also sequenced all of the montages when he wasn’t on stage. Donny said, “It’s my little world in here.” He confessed he is a “total nerd,” particularly when it comes to Mac products.
Behind the Smile of Marie
In a confession that will shock the ages, Marie Osmond revealed that she had been holding onto a terrible secret behind her pretty eyes and naïve appearance. In her tell-all book, “Behind the Smile,” she tells the tale of her childhood.
The stories involve gruesome details of her childhood experiences. Sadly, some parts of her childhood shouldn't be part of anyone's life, not even as an adult. Marie refuses to expose who was the person who was responsible for her misery, only clearing her family and friends of any wrongdoing. It's good to know she had a support system to hold her up during these hard times.