Donny and Marie
Sid and Marty Krofft (of H.R. Pufnstuf fame) originally
produced this teenage variety hour from everybody's favourite Mormon
brother and sister act.
 16 year-old Marie was a little bit country - 18
year-old Donny was a (very) little bit rock & roll and the show
sometimes featured the other (older) Osmonds doing occasional back-up
vocals.
The format was the usual mix of comedy and songs, with a liberal
sprinkling of the Osmond's teenybopper hits.
The comedy often made fun
of Donny's toothy, super-wholesome appearance - as when his brothers
ganged up on him and dumped him into a giant nine-foot whipped cream pie
in one 1976 broadcast.
Despite his youth, Donny was a show business veteran by the time this
program premiered, having made his TV debut at the age of four singing You
Are My Sunshine on The Andy Williams Show. In order to keep
up the clan's youthful appearance, Merrill introduced another Osmond -
his six month old son Travis - to the cast on an early telecast.
Although not credited as a regular, Paul Lynde appeared as a guest
star on many of the Donny And Marie episodes. Other guest stars
included Kate Smith, Andy Williams, Bob Hope, Chuck Norris and Lee
"Six Million Dollar" Majors.
The second season brought changes, as a new production team took over
in an attempt to give the show a more 'adult' look. Much was made of
Marie's stunning new wardrobe, designed by Bob Mackie (Cher's former
designer) and her 18th birthday party was telecast in October.
 Donny and Marie remained a homey affair at heart though. Tired
of the tinsel and glitter of Hollywood, the entire Osmond clan packed up
and moved back to their hometown of Orem, Utah, in late 1977.
All subsequent telecasts originated from the elaborate studio
facility built there by the Osmonds at a cost of $2.5 million, to house
their various TV and film activities.
The first episode taped in Orem was the 1977 Christmas show, which
starred Paul Lynde, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and 28 (!) members of
the Osmond family.
Midway through their final season, Donny turned 21 (and to prove it,
had his wife Debbie on the show). In January 1979 the series moved to
Sunday night and was re-titled The Osmond Family Show.
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