Despite the death of their patriarch, more than 100 members of George Osmond’s family filmed an episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” because they thought he would have wanted it that way.
“We talked about it and my father would want us all to be here,” Marie Osmond told Winfrey on the show, scheduled to be broadcast Friday. “He loved his family.”
George Osmond planned to travel to Chicago to tape the show before he died Tuesday at age 90 at his home in Provo, Utah, Marie Osmond told Winfrey in a transcript provided by Harpo Productions.
George Osmond had nine children, 55 grandchildren and 48 great-grandchildren. His wife, Olive, died in 2004.
“Isn’t it interesting how two people can raise a family in show business - nine children - and we still love each other,” son Donny Osmond told Winfrey.
Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay Osmond first became famous as The Osmond Brothers, a barbershop quartet singing at Disneyland and on “The Andy Williams Show.” Donny Osmond joined the group at age 6 and later hosted “The Donny and Marie Show” with his sister. The youngest son, Jimmy Osmond, is also a performer.
Marie Osmond is also a contestant on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.”