• Thursday 1st September 1977

Today is the SPECIAL day ! We left for KTLA Studios at 1030am, arriving around 1115am, very excited, Aydin was not on duty at the time. We bought a ‘thank you’ card for him. We walked in coach by coach passing Donny & Marie parking lots but no cars were there ! We think the green car that we saw Jay & Marie in was there.

We then walked by Studio 6 and through an entrance, up the stairs & Angela finished the first row of seating & I started the second row. Everyone piled in filling nearly all the seats. The studio seated approx 200-250 people. The Assistant Producer spoke to us, telling us about studio regulations. He asked if we knew a certain person standing in the wings on the far side from me, it was Marie. She came out to talk looking very nice with a much shorter hair cut. She asked if we had any questions, I think we were shocked about seeing an Osmond ! She then had to get ready – to put her pigtails on as she put it ! Next appeared Mr. George Osmond (Dad) and he spoke very softly. He was great, introducing his friend, Uncle Larry. Then the lovely, fantastic guy himself, DONNY. My knees went like jelly ! He looked gorgeous. ‘D’ was wearing pale green trousers with matching dark coloured & light green shirt, he also asked if we had any questions ? Just so he would look our way I shouted out “are you wearing your purple socks ?”. He was, of course ! Some girls in the next block reached out to him, he said ok, & he went to see them, they kissed his hand ! He then had to go & get ready too. He mentioned Jay & Wayne might be along, Jay having gained a few years ! He was right, behind a beard & short patchy trousers was Jay, a bit different from when we met him last time ! They both greeted us, Jay found it hard to talk through beard & it started to fall off ! They both left as first scene was in 5 mins. Merrill also appeared to say hello, looking gorgeous in black trousers & grey jumper. Rosie shouted out if he could come to see us & being the nice, lovely person he is, he came over. He asked how long are the episodes of ‘Donny & Marie Show’ in England, I told him about half hour. The first sketch was a ‘hill billy’ scene. Donny came out in a red & white spotted shirt under a black jumpsuit wearing yellow boots. His shirt did not do up so a hairy chest was on view most of the time !! Marie looked good too. She had black shorts & a shirt the same as ‘D’ with long pigtails with a red set of ribbons. https://youtu.be/qRhk7ETYExY (sry no longer available on this Link) The Ice Angels’ had black shorts & red shirts with blonde wigs. I watched ‘D’ most of the time, he was fab. Donny & Marie’s part was to run out of a hut, singing and going to the swing at the side of the hut. They had to do it time after time. A funny part was when they pulled Jay from under the hut playing a banjo, his tooth was blacked out & he looked dumb ! At one point ‘D’ was sitting on the step of the hut talking to Paul Lynde during a break, I noticed his trouser leg was gradually going up & he still had purple socks on ! They started filming again & got it right this time. Every now & then Donny would wander off by himself to back of set & back again all smiles. He seemed very shy. I’m not surprised with nearly every pair of eyes in the studio on him & his every movement. Donny really dreams alot, it might have been mostly concentration. The next scene was really great. It involved D & M and their guests. ‘D’ had cream trousers & a peach jumper & hat. Marie had a checked dress on with another curly wig. After this scene was the finale. The floor was covered with squares of plastic ‘glass’. Marie had a silver dress on & ‘D’ had a lovely cream jumpsuit with silver jacket & silver bowler hat. Marie bought on their guest Paul Lynde. After several practises they decided to ‘take’. Many incidents happened but it gave the atmosphere a very cheerful, happy feeling. At the end Donny & Marie sang ‘May tomorrow be a perfect day’, they joked around & taped it twice, both times they added different things ! Donny & Marie then left to get changed. I boarded our coach & brushed my hair & put presents on my chair. Then we saw them coming – Donny, Marie, Jay, Mr Osmond. No sign of Merrill, Mary, Travis, Justin & Wayne. Coach A had them first ! Then appeared Jay, no autographs allowed !

Marie followed on behind. Ang gave her a present,

Marie took a scrapbook of letters, “is it for all the Osmonds” she asked & I said yes. Donny was next,

he went to the back first, everyone had their picture taken with him. I gave him his jumper, I was stunned for words ! “Thank you” he said with a great grin, Ang gave hers too, “It’s like christmas”. My turn for a photo with him,

we had arms around each other !! wow I shall never forget that ! Donny was sweating a bit and as I had bare arms and I put my arm under & around his waist I got a bit wet ! But it was lovely! I wish I didn’t have to wash my arm ! Donny then had to leave with arms full of presents. It was time to go & boy oh boy what a day! I had an audio recording machine playing all the time they were on the coach ! Nice to keep ! That’s another blog, Click here to have a listen ! On the way out we asked Ron to ask the driver if he would stop to hand in our thank you card to Aydin, the driver beeped & an officer came out, Ang & I banged on window as we saw Aydin in the guardhouse. At first he just looked & then was given the card & looked up again & saw us. He waved & blew a kiss ! He was great. Wow, what a day ! We travelled back stunned ! Judy, Angela’s penpal had come to see the Show & she offered to take us to the Osmonds Westwood Apartments, which was exciting. A brilliant day !

Goodnight Everybody XXX

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