Olivia's relationship with her manager/boyfriend, Lee Kramer, wasn't turning into a picnic either. After XANADU, she dropped him and hired one of Kramer's old assistants, Roger Davies, who had just started to manage Tina Turner at the start of her major comeback in the mid-eighties.
Her next film was a reunion with her Grease co-star, John Travolta. Entitled 'TWO OF A KIND', it was a romantic/fantasy/comedy that turned out to be a bigger dud than XANADU. The only real interest in this flick is the cheap thrill of hearing Olivia curse! Yeeeee, doggie!! And, like XANADU, it spawned two more hits for Olivia; 'Twist Of Fate' and ('Livin' In) Desperate Times'.
From here, Olivia released two more LP's ('Soul Kiss' and 'Rumor') and videos, marries Latanzi, has a baby girl and establishes a clothing chain store called 'KOALA BLUE' ('Koala' meaning 'Korner Of Australia, Los Angeles') that specialized in clothing and fashionable accessories from the country in name. Unfortunately, the company over-expanded into the franchise business causing the stores to fall apart and despair, leaving investors almost broke and upset. Check People Magazine, August 19, 1991 for the gory details.
'Blue' turning 'Bleak Red' was just the starting gun of the troubles for poor Olivia. Soon afterwards, she discovered she had breast cancer, her father had died from cancer (both of which happened on the same day), was dropped from her new label just after one original album, had a miscarriage and divorced Matt...almost in that order!
She has bounced back since then. She has recorded many albums that have gone to the Top 10 in Australia and, despite talks of retirement, continues to tour. In 2004, she released a 'Indigo: Women Of Song', where she cover songs by Astrud Giterto, Julie London, Nina Simone and, her friend, Karen Carpenter. 2005 marked the release of her latest and largest greatest hits package the 2-CD 'OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN: GOLD', which includes the Xanadu B-side rarity 'Fool/Country', and another new CD, 'Stronger Than Before'.
After a series of illness related from a couple of strokes, Gene passed away February 2, 1996, leaving a permeate mark in American culture.
It was during the mid-80's that Michael and his wife moved to Organ to raise their children away from Los Angeles.
Looking back on Xanadu, as well as The Warriors, Beck remarked to Whitney Matheson from USA Today, "To be involved with movies that become kind of cult classics ....I've been very fortunate."
Currently, he's working on a book.
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