Dolly Parton: the cinema “will always love you”
From How to Get Rid of Your Boss to Women’s Gossip via the hit Bodyguard, the country star has also made her mark on the big screen. A look back at the roles and hits that shaped Dolly Parton’s unique career in cinema.
We know Dolly Parton for her voice and her huge country hits. But the American singer, who has just passed away at the age of 80, also spent a good part of her career in front of the cameras. She has appeared in twelve theatrical films and made more than 400 television appearances.
It was also very early on the small screen that Dolly Parton took her first steps in 1956. She was only 10 years old and already appeared in The Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour. But it was during the 1960s that she really began to become known to the general public. In 1967, she joined The Porter Wagoner Showa variety show hosted by Porter Wagoner. She appeared in no fewer than 218 episodes between 1967 and 1975, an exposure that largely contributed to making her a star. After leaving the show, Parton even tried to become a host with two programs bearing her name. Until the cinema opened its doors to him.
Dolly Parton 9 to 5
In 1980, Dolly Parton landed her first major film role in How to get rid of your boss (9 to 5 in original version), alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. She plays Doralee Rhodes, a secretary who decides to rebel against her sexist boss. The film became a huge success and allowed Parton to hit the charts with the title song “Nine to Five” (in reference to the hours of Manhattan office workers), which became one of her biggest hits. The song earned him an Oscar nomination and a Grammy.
Two years later, she continued with the musical film The Chicken Cage (The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas) in which she plays opposite Burt Reynolds. She plays Mona Stangley and also pens several songs for the film, including a cover of her 1974 hit, “I Will Always Love You”, which she performs in a moving way in the final scene of the film (see excerpt below). A performance which this time earned her a Golden Globe nomination for best actress.
“I Will Always Love You”, from Dolly Parton to Whitney Houston
A few years later, in 1992, Kevin Costner himself chose the title “I Will Always Love You” for Whitney Houston, who in turn was to perform it in Bodyguard. At the time, Dolly Parton agreed but only discovered the result by overhearing the new version on the radio, while driving her car. Upset by Houston’s a cappella introduction, she says she had to stop on the side of the road to regain her composure. For her, Whitney Houston sublimated her song. Parton will receive millions of dollars in royalties thanks to this cover which has become one of the biggest hits in history, and will reinvest part of this money in an African-American neighborhood of Nashville, in homage to the community from which Whitney Houston came.
A flop with Stallone and his most prestigious role
Now established as an actress in Hollywood, Dolly Parton is being offered more and more roles. 20th Century Fox even had the good idea of associating the country star with the young Sylvester Stallone, already a superstar of Rambo And Rocky. In The Winner (Rhinestone), she plays a singer who bets with her manager that she can transform an ordinary New York taxi driver into a country star. The film was very poorly received and turned into a commercial flop, grossing barely $20 million. But Dolly still stands out thanks to the soundtrack, which notably produces the titles “Tennessee Homesick Blues” and “God Won’t Get You”.
She returns five years later to the screens in Women’s gossip (Steel Magnolias). She shares the bill with the very young Julia Roberts, but also Sally Field and Shirley MacLaine. She plays Truvy Jones, the owner of a hair salon in a small Louisiana town. A more dramatic role which confirms that she can exist in the middle of a leading Hollywood cast.
The film was undoubtedly the pinnacle of her acting career, even if Dolly Parton never really sought to become a movie star.
She will continue with Outspoken (Straight Talk) in 1992, alongside James Woods, then appeared in The Lit People of Beverly Hills in 1993. In the 1990s, she turned mainly to television, with several TV films like Wild Texas Wind, UnlikelyAngel Or Blue Valley Songbird. She also tried to launch two sitcoms, without success.
From Sandra Bullock to Miley Cyrus
In the 2000s, Dolly Parton appeared more as a prestigious guest than as a regular actress. She notably makes appearances in Miss FBI: Divinely Armedfacing Sandra Bullock then in Hannah Montanawhere she passed the torch of pop country to Miley Cyrus. She then returned to cinema in 2012 with Joyful Noisea musical comedy performed by Queen Latifah.
But over time, Dolly Parton above all found a new way to mix music, television and fiction: to tell her own story. In 2015, NBC produced Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colorsa TV movie inspired by his childhood. Parton was the narrator and the program was successful enough to spawn a sequel the following year, Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. This time she also appears on screen in a small role.
Then, in 2019, it partnered with Netflix to Dolly Parton’s Heartstringsan anthology of TV films directly inspired by his songs.
Ultimately, Dolly Parton never sought to become a full-time Hollywood actress. His career in cinema is more similar to his musical career: a few big meetings, roles that resemble him, and above all a fairly unique ability to transform Hollywood into Dollywood.
