Olivia Newton-John, the beloved star of *Grease* who became one of the most successful recording artists of the 1970s, carried private battles and unresolved mysteries with her to the end of her life—including the unresolved disappearance of her longtime boyfriend, Patrick McDermott, who vanished during a fishing trip in 2005 and was never found. Newton-John’s career was defined by massive success. She delivered 15 top-10 singles, five of which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, with hits like “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)” and “Have You Never Been Mellow. ” Her fame reached another level in 1978 when she starred as Sandy in *Grease*, opposite John Travolta.
The film was made on a modest budget of about $6 million, yet it went on to earn nearly $400 million at the box office and became a cultural landmark. But the making of that film was far from glamorous behind the scenes. The production took place during a sweltering Los Angeles summer, with difficult conditions that led to injuries, infections, and intense friction among the cast and crew. Director Randal Kleiser developed a severe foot infection after walking barefoot through stagnant water in the Los Angeles River, which was filled with bacteria.
Actress Annette Charles, who played Cha-Cha, suffered from an ectopic pregnancy and required immediate surgery after filming her scenes in visible pain. The prom scene was shot in a windowless gymnasium where temperatures soared, because producers wanted full control over lighting and sound. Several extras were removed due to heat-related illness. Actor Jeff Conaway, who played Kenickie, reportedly fell while dancing and was prescribed opioids for pain relief, which sources say led to a lifelong addiction.
He later died from a reported pill overdose. Newton-John once described Conaway as having a good heart. Tensions on set were also high. Conaway clashed with Travolta over the “Greased Lightning” number, which Conaway believed was meant to be his moment as Kenickie, but Travolta wanted the scene instead.
Conaway was also told to hunch down in scenes with Travolta because he was taller than the leading man. Despite the friction, friendships endured. Newton-John introduced Conaway to her sister, Rona, and the two later married. As for Newton-John and Travolta, their relationship stayed platonic.
She later said, “I think it was good because I think it kept the tension, but we’re still great friends. ”
Newton-John’s path to stardom began far from Hollywood. She was born in Cambridge, England, and moved to Australia as a child when her father became head of a Presbyterian Church college. As a teenager, she joined a girl group called Sol Four and performed at a coffee shop owned by a relative.
After winning a talent contest that included a trip to Britain, she was reluctant to leave Australia because she would miss her boyfriend, Ian Turpie, who had co-starred with her in the TV film *Funny Things Happen Down Under*. Her early career in England had limited success, but she broke through in the United States with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “If Not for You,” which reached number 25 on the pop charts and topped the adult contemporary chart. In 1974, she won the Country Music Association’s award for Female Vocalist of the Year, beating established country stars like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Anne Murray, and Tanya Tucker. The result disappointed genre traditionalists, and a group called the Association of Country Entertainers was formed in protest, but it changed little.
Newton-John continued her career, later branching into pop hits like “Magic” and “Physical. ”
Over the course of her career, Newton-John sold an estimated 100 million albums. She also became a leading advocate for breast cancer awareness after her own diagnosis. She battled stage four breast cancer for years before her death.
Reflecting on her life, she once said, “I wouldn’t want to undo anything I’ve done that may not be good for me. They’re part of your growth. ”
John Travolta, who campaigned to have Newton-John cast as Sandy, said every young man in the 1970s dreamed of having her as a girlfriend, referring to the famous album cover featuring her in a blue shirt with big blue eyes. He described her as the best choice for the role.
Newton-John’s personal life, however, was marked by heartbreak. Her relationship with cameraman Patrick McDermott, which lasted about nine years and reportedly began after her divorce from her first husband, Matt Latanzi, ended abruptly when McDermott disappeared on June 30, 2005. He had joined a fishing trip from San Pedro Marina in California with 22 people on board, but vanished before the vessel returned to shore. His wallet and personal items were found on the boat.
A U. S. Coast Guard inquiry concluded in November 2008 that McDermott most likely drowned. But the case never fully closed.
About a year later, media investigators suggested that McDermott may have faked his death to avoid debts, including $8,000 in unpaid child support to his ex-wife. In 2016, an Australian magazine reported that it had evidence McDermott was alive, publishing photographs from U. S. media agent Coleman Ray that showed a man matching his description.
Private investigator Charlie Parker said the image was a 90 percent match, noting the widow’s peak was exact, the eyes very similar, and the ears extended down the head the same distance. There were also earlier claims that McDermott had been spotted in Mexico with a German lover. Newton-John said she never found peace with the uncertainty. “I don’t think I’ll ever find peace with it,” she admitted, adding, “I live on, and of course questions come up always about his whereabouts.
” She also said the ordeal brought her closer to McDermott’s former wife, whom she described as a wonderful person. McDermott reportedly withdrew his savings and may have changed his identity to Patrick Kim, but those details remained unconfirmed. Newton-John later married John Easterling in Peru, and they remained together until her death. In her final years, Newton-John was reportedly spending hours with a voice recorder before her passing, trying to reveal her best-kept secrets.
She was honored as Dame Olivia Newton-John in recognition of her contributions to music and charity. Though she died, the mystery of McDermott’s disappearance remained unsolved, a sorrow many believe she carried with her alongside her long battle with cancer.