Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights (1980): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1980, Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights is a music and tv movie film directed by Jeff Margolis, running about 48 minutes. “Olivia Newton-John's music is showcased in a 1-hour television special.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. In this variety special, Olivia shares the evening with Andy Gibb, Elton John, Ted Knight, Gene Kelly and Toni Tennille. The special included songs from Grease and the Totally Hot album as well as some other artists' covers : the Eagles, Bob Seger, Elton John and Buddy Holly. Olivia also performed a parody of the jazz/blues classic Makin' Whoopee with Gene Kelly, changing the lyrics to Makin' Movies and dealing with Olivia's dream of producing a musical. The show was aired internationally and did very well in the ratings, as did her two previous US television specials on the same network. It is to be noted that Tina Turner's appearance on Olivia's special helped her sign a contract with then Olivia's manager Roger Davies, who ultimately helped her to go back into the spotlight.

Who’s in it. Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights stars Olivia Newton-John as Self, Gene Kelly as Self, Andy Gibb as Self and Elton John as Self, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.0/10, Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights page.

If you liked it. Fans of Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights tend to enjoy Whiplash, Coco, Green Book and The Legend of 1900.