Donny And Marie Show - The Greatest Costume Moments

She was a little bit country. He was a little bit rockswitch lyrics! That's right! And what kind of dramatic
and roll. Together, they were a whole lot of ridiculous.turn events would it be without ridiculous costumes.
And somehow, through the magic of over-the-topBoth Donny and Marie sport matching silver outfits.
musical numbers, phenomenal guest stars, andDonny has a faux-western theme going on, while
painfully kitschy acting skills, Donny and MarieMarie looks like she just got back from touring with
Osmond captured the attention and hearts of theDavid Bowie. Marie also has an enormous new hairdo
entire nation. While The Donny and Marie Show ofor, as Donny refers to it, a "hair don't."
the late seventies only lasted a handful of seasons,Donny and Marie didn't stop at matching scarves and
their outrageous prime-time antics have made asilver jumpsuits, though. In one episode, Donny
lasting impression on TV viewers of any generation.portrays a superhero character known as Captain
The Donny & Marie Show was created by SIdPurple, wearing an oversized purple muscle suit and
and Marty Krofft, the famed creators of other suchwig and, as his mild-mannered alter-ego, a flannel suit.
offbeat television programs as H.R. Pufnstuf and LandNot to be outdone, Marie suits up herself as Gnidder
of the Lost. It aired from January 1976 to May 1979Neleh (Helen Redding spelled backward) in an equally
as a weekly on ABC and featured such famouscampy red-orange mini-skirt and wig.
guest stars as Redd Fox, Lucile Ball, Betty White,Star Wars being the cultural phenomenon that it was,
Jerry Lewis, and Milton Berle. The format usuallyit only made sense that Donny and Marie would have
consisted of an elaborate opening act followed by ato do a parody of it. Donny plays Luke and Marie
series of comedy sketches and an even moreplays Leia with such guest stars as Redd Fox, Kris
elaborate closing musical number. But for all theKristofferson, Paul Lynde, and a few of the Osmond
campy scripts and synchronized dance routines, thebrothers. The costumes were polished, Osmond-style
real stars of the Donny & Marie Show were,variations of the originals; unfortunately, C-3PO ends
without a doubt, the costumes.up stealing the show.
The 1977 Christmas special episode is a greatThe best costumes of the entire series, however,
example of Donny and Marie's ability to balancebelong to the famous Wizard of Oz episode. Marie
cutesy-poo costumes on that thin line betweenplays Dorothy in a red checkered dress and pigtails,
adorable and nauseating. Donny kept it simple;Donny is a Willy Wonka-esque Wizard in a
dressing in a matching white knit sweater and slacksyellow-green, curly wig and sparkling fez hat, and Paul
combo with a red, white and green striped scarf, heLynde is a downright terrifying Wicked Witch of the
wasn't afraid to say to the world, "Hi! I'm DonnyWest in full green face paint, black gown and
Osmond! I taste like spearmint!" Marie made boldergruesome fingernails. Additional victims...err, guests...of
choices in her winter finest with what looks to be athis episode include Lucille Ball as the Tin Man, Paul
one-piece body suit but, upon closer inspection, turnsWilliams as the Cowardly Lion and Ray Bolger as the
out to be a sweater and stretch pants that are justScarecrow. The entire production is technicolor
slightly different shades of green. What makes thisbizarre; the epitome of classic Donny and Marie.
episode so memorable costume-wise is the fact thatWhile the show did indeed host a laundry list of
the entire Osmond family was featured --Mother,Hollywood greats, the real stars weren't the people
Father, the small army of twenty-eight that is theon the stage but the clothes on the people. From
rest of their immediate family-- and they all match.platform shoes and bellbottoms to capes and ice
I'm not sure who was in charge of coordinatingskates, Donny and Marie weren't afraid to let their
outfits for that episode, but my hat certainly is off.clothes pick up where their own talent left off. And
Another interesting costume extravaganza was thewhile some may find The Donny & Marie Show
episode in which Marie celebrated her 18th birthday.silly and outdated, one thing is for sure; there hasn't
In this episode, Marie and Donny sing their familiarbeen anything like it on television since.
weekly number, "I'm A Little BIt Country, I'm A LittleWardrobe-wise, that is.
Bit Rock-and-Roll", but this time -- gasp! -- they