She's A Little Bit Country, He's A Little Bit Rock & Roll, But What Was Really Going On Behind The Scenes?

Donny and Marie Osmond were the siblings that we all longed to be like. Why couldn't we get along with our brothers and sisters like they did? What was it about this singing and dancing family that just seemed weirdly delightful?  

The show only ran for three years, but in that time, they managed to gain an enormous audience. They had both already seen some success in the business, with Donny singing with his brothers in their band The Osmonds, and Marie breaking out on her own topping the charts with "Paper Roses."

But when 18-year-old Donny and his 16-year-old sister Marie joined forces, they made a bigger name for themselves than they could have expected. Their variety show featured famous guests, musical performances, and comedy skits.

Eventually the show's popularity faded and they had to reformat it to The Osmond Family, bringing in the rest of the family to guest star. But there was a lot going on behind the scenes that people didn't know...

1. Marie accused Groucho Marx of inappropriate conduct

Marie called out the famous actor for "pinching her" when she was young. She called him a "dirty old man" but it left a lasting impression on her for her whole life.

2. Marie was forced to lose weight

She was only fifteen years old and 103 pounds when the producers told her she was "obese, disgusting, and a disgrace to her family." This caused her to try and lose weight, dropping down to 97 pounds.

3. Donny would create video montages for the show

He loved technology, so even though he was busy performing on stage he would also help out with the audio and computer systems behind the scenes. He was responsible for some of the montages seen on the show and claims he is "a total nerd."

4. The production schedules were intense

The Osmonds didn't have it easy. Just because they were young stars that didn't mean they were allowed to do whatever they want. The teens were forced into working 20 hour days so that they could learn new dance routines, rehearse new scripts, and perfect new songs. Somehow they managed to keep those signature smiles on their faces while they did it.

They had some other quirks and issues over the years...

5. Donny was sensitive about his name

Apparently Donny really hated it when people spelled his name as "Donnie" so the crew would play pranks on him by switching the name on his dressing room.

6. They had issues working together again after several years apart

While they still remained close as a family, they spent several years working on their solo careers. When they finally got back together they had to bring in a mediator to help them learn how to work together again. “I’m dealing with somebody who is in control of her own career now,” Donny said about his sister, so they had to bring in director Barry Leather, to help them with their Vegas show.

7. Donny's weird eating habits

Marie revealed one of Donny's weirder habits. “Donny licks the salt off pretzels before he eats them," she said. That's a pretty bizarre choice.

The brother and sister duo have been performing together for decades and it's nice to see that they still enjoying it even after all these years!