Donny and Marie are back together on television again

Web posted on: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 3:57:19 PM EDT

From Correspondent Ron Tank

HOLLYWOOD (CNN) -- As teen-agers in the 1970s, they were America's television sweethearts. She was a little bit country. He was a little bit rock-and-roll.

Two decades have passed, and Donny and Marie Osmond still have the trademark shiny, white teeth and wholesome good looks. But while some thing are the same, other things have changed.

Now, Donny is the father of five children, Marie has six of her own, and they are the hosts of a syndicated talk show. The show, whose guests have included Jerry Springer, is meant to appeal to the whole family -- an old Osmond theme.

Donny and Marie gained fame in the 1970s with their campy variety show

"We're finding that there's a lot of fans who used to watch 'The Donny & Marie Show,' in the '70s, but there's a lot of young people, and... it's broadened," says Donny Osmond. "That's the kind of show we want to put together, something that the whole family can watch together."

'They're as cute as ever'

One recent guest was Loni Anderson, another TV star of the 1970s in "WKRP In Cincinnati."

"They look exactly the same," Anderson says. "They're as cute as ever."

How's this for another bit of '70s TV trivia? Donny and Lonnie played brother and sister in an episode of "The Love Boat."

But long before that, it was the early success of "The Osmond Brothers" singing group, in which a very young Donny performed with his older brothers, that led to that 1970s variety show that starred the brother-sister Osmonds.

Donny, Jerry and Marie sing "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" Video clip: 850k QuickTime

For an hour every week for 3 1/2 years, the duo sang and performed slapstick comedy.

'A completely different show'

The new show is an altogether different venture. And it's competing in a market that is flooded with contenders.

"It's a completely different show than what we did in the '70s," says Marie Osmond. "All you have to do is watch and you'll find out. Back then, it was pie throws and all the silly kind of comedy."

There's none of that now, unless you count the episode in which guest Jerry Springer sang.