Dolly Parton is an American country singer, songwriter and actress. She has appeared in twelve theatrically released films and has made over 400 appearances on television.
Parton's first televised appearance was in 1956 on the Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour when she was 10 years old; she had previously appeared on Cas Walker's radio show. Her major television breakthrough came in 1967 when she was discovered by Porter Wagoner who had her join his weekly variety show, The Porter Wagoner Show . Parton appeared on 218 episodes of the show between 1967 and 1975 as a regular performer. Appearing on the show with Wagoner during this time is credited with helping to boost Parton to superstardom.
Following her departure from Wagoner's weekly show, Parton transitioned into a more pop-oriented musical style in 1976 and 1977. During this time Parton starred in her own variety show Dolly! , which ran for one season. Parton's popularity exploded following a string of appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson beginning in 1977, and she went on to be prominently featured in numerous television specials, including ones headlined by Mac Davis and Cher, with whom she shared manager Sandy Gallin.
In 1980 Parton made her theatrical film debut as Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5 . She wrote the film's theme song, which was nominated for an Academy Award and a Grammy. In 1982 Parton appeared in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas as Mona Stangley. She contributed two additional songs to the film's score, "Sneakin' Around" and "I Will Always Love You". The film and Parton herself were nominated for Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) and Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical), respectively. In 1984 Parton starred in Rhinestone with Sylvester Stallone. The film was panned upon its release, and is generally regarded as a commercial and critical flop. However, the soundtrack yielded two top 10 hits for Parton, "Tennessee Homesick Blues" and "God Won't Get You".
Parton starred in the Christmas television special Kenny & Dolly: A Christmas to Remember with Kenny Rogers in 1984 to promote their collaborative Christmas album Once Upon a Christmas . In 1986 Parton starred in the made-for-television film A Smoky Mountain Christmas . During the 1987–1988 television season, Parton attempted a second variety show on ABC, also titled Dolly . Like the previous series, this one also only lasted one season.
Parton starred in the 1989 film Steel Magnolias with Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine and Julia Roberts.
In 1991 Parton starred in the made-for-television film Wild Texas Wind .
Parton returned to the silver screen in 1992 with James Woods in the 1992 film Straight Talk . The film received mixed reviews, with most of the praise going to Parton and Woods' performances, while criticizing the storyline. In 1993 she made a cameo appearance in The Beverly Hillbillies .
In 1994 Parton starred in two pilot episodes for sitcoms, Heavens to Betsy, [1] [2] [3] and Mindin' My Own Business, neither of which were ordered to series. Parton starred in the made-for-television films Unlikely Angel in 1996 and Blue Valley Songbird in 1999.
In the 2000s Parton made appearances in the films Frank McKlusky, C.I. and Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous as well as television appearances on Reba and Hannah Montana .
Parton starred in the 2012 film Joyful Noise with Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer and Jeremy Jordan. She also made cameo appearances in The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom in 2011 and Hollywood to Dollywood in 2012.
In 2015 Parton and NBC produced the made-for-television film Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors featuring Parton as narrator. A sequel, Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love was produced in 2016, again featuring Parton as narrator and in a cameo appearance as the Painted Lady who inspired her signature style.
Parton and Netflix partnered together to produce a series of television films based on Parton's songs, titled Dolly Parton's Heartstrings . It was released in 2019.
Title | Year | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
9 to 5 | 1980 | Doralee Rhodes | [4] | |
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas | 1982 | Mona Stangley | [5] | |
Rhinestone | 1984 | Jake Farris | [6] | |
Steel Magnolias | 1989 | Truvy Jones | [7] | |
Straight Talk | 1992 | Shirlee Kenyon | [8] | |
The Beverly Hillbillies | 1993 | Herself | Cameo appearance | [9] |
Frank McKlusky, C.I. | 2002 | Edith McKlusky | [10] | |
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous | 2005 | Herself | Cameo appearance | [11] |
Gnomeo & Juliet | 2011 | Dolly Gnome | Voice role | [12] |
The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom | 2011 | Herself | Voice cameo | [13] |
Joyful Noise | 2012 | G.G. Sparrow | [14] | |
Hollywood to Dollywood | 2012 | Herself | Cameo appearance | [15] |
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square | 2020 | Angel | [16] | |
Run, Rose, Run | TBA | Also producer | [17] |
Title | Year | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour | 1956–1964 | Herself | [18] | |
The Early Morning Show | 1964 | Herself | [19] | |
The Ralph Emery Early Morning Show | 1967 | Herself | [20] | |
Music City USA | 1967 | Herself | Guest performer | [21] |
The Wilburn Brothers Show | 1967, 1973 | Herself | Guest performer | [22] [23] |
The Porter Wagoner Show | 1967–1974 | Herself | Main role | [24] |
The Kraft Music Hall | 1968–1970 | Herself | "2nd Annual Country Music Association Awards" "3rd Annual Country Music Association Awards" "4th Annual Country Music Association Awards" | [25] [26] [27] |
An Old-Time Country Christmas | 1969 | Herself | Television special | [28] |
Hee Haw | 1970, 1972, 1975 | Herself | Musical guest, 3 episodes | [29] [30] [31] |
The Nashville Sound | 1970 | Herself | Documentary | [32] |
The Mike Douglas Show | 1970 1974 1977 | Herself | Country vocalist, 1 episode Guest, 1 episode Co-host, 5 episodes | [33] [34] [35] |
The David Frost Show | 1971 | Herself | [36] | |
That Good Ole Nashville Music | 1971 | Herself | Guest performer | [37] |
The Rowan and Martin Special | 1973 | Herself | Television special | [38] |
RCA's Opening Night | 1973 | Herself | Television special | [39] |
Burt Reynolds' Late Show | 1973 | Herself | Television special | [40] |
Dinah's Place | 1974 | Herself | [41] | |
8th Annual Country Music Association Awards | 1974 | Herself | Television special; performer – nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year and Vocal Duo of the Year | [42] |
In Concert | 1975 | Herself | Performer (this episode was issued on LP in 1975) | [43] |
Sing Country 1975 | 1975 | Herself | Television special; performer | [44] |
9th Annual Country Music Association Awards | 1975 | Herself | Television special; performer – won Female Vocalist of the Year and nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year | [45] |
The Ronnie Prophet Show | 1975 | Herself | Guest performer | [46] |
Candid Camera | 1975 | Herself | 2 episodes | [47] [48] |
Grand Ole Opry 50th Anniversary | 1975 | Herself | Television special | [49] |
Dinah! | 1976 | Herself | Guest performer | [50] |
Dolly! | 1976–1977 | Herself | Host, also performer | [51] |
Festival of Entertainment | 1976 | Herself | Television special | [52] |
Sing Country 1976 | 1976 | Herself | Television special; performer | [53] |
The Mac Davis Show | 1976 | Herself | 1 episode | [54] |
The Hollywood Squares | 1976, 1978 | Herself | Panelist, 6 episodes | [55] [56] |
10th Annual Country Music Association Awards | 1976 | Herself | Television special; performer – won Female Vocalist of the Year and nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year | [57] |
The 4th Annual American Music Awards | 1977 | Herself | Television special; nominated for Favorite Country Female Artist | [58] |
The 19th Annual Grammy Awards | 1977 | Herself | Television special; nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female ("All I Can Do") | [59] |
Captain Kangaroo | 1977 | Herself | [60] | |
Mac Davis: Sounds Like Home | 1977 | Herself | Television special | [61] |
Musikladen | 1977 | Herself | [62] | |
Cher... Special | 1978 | Herself | Television special | |
50 Years of Country Music | 1978 | Herself | Television special; host | [63] |
Dolly & Carol in Nashville | 1979 | Herself / Trudy | Television special | [64] |
The Seventies: An Explosion of Country Music | 1979 | Herself | Performer; later repackaged as Country Superstars of the '70s | |
A Christmas Special... With Love, Mac Davis | 1979 | Herself | Television special | [65] |
Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters | 1980 | Herself | Episode: Pilote | |
Mac Davis 10th Anniversary Special: I Still Believe in Music | 1980 | Herself | Television special | [66] |
Lily: Sold Out | 1981 | Herself | Special | [67] |
Alvin and the Chipmunks | 1983 | Herself | Voice role; episode: "Urban Chipmunk" | |
Kenny & Dolly: A Christmas to Remember | 1984 | Herself | Television special (a "Making of" special was also released) [68] | [69] |
Kenny & Dolly: Real Love | 1985 | Herself | Television special; promotional title: Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton: Together | [70] |
The Winning Hand | 1985 | Herself | Television special | [71] |
A Smoky Mountain Christmas | 1986 | Lorna Davis | Television film | [72] |
Dolly | 1987–1988 | Herself | Host, also performer | |
Bob Hope's Jolly Christmas Show | 1988 | Herself | Television special | |
Saturday Night Live | 1989 | Herself / various | Host, also musical guest | |
Kenny, Dolly and Willie: Something Inside So Strong | 1989 | Herself | Television special | [73] |
Designing Women | 1990 | Herself | 2 episodes | [74] |
Dolly Parton: Christmas at Home | 1990 | Herself | Television special | |
Babes | 1991 | Herself | Episode: "Hello Dolly" | |
Wild Texas Wind | 1991 | Thiola "Big T" Rayfield | Television film | [75] |
Heavens to Betsy | 1994 | Betsy Baxter | Unaired TV pilot | [1] [2] [3] |
Mindin' My Own Business | 1994 | Catering business owner | Unaired TV pilot | [76] |
Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story | 1995 | Herself | Television film; cameo appearance | [ citation needed ] |
Naomi & Wynonna: Love Can Build a Bridge | 1995 | Herself | Television film | |
Unlikely Angel | 1996 | Ruby Diamond | Television film | [77] |
Dolly Parton: Treasures | 1996 | Self | Television special | [78] |
The Magic School Bus | 1996 | Katrina Eloise "Murph" Murphy | Episode: "The Family Holiday Special" | [79] |
Get to the Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story | 1997 | Herself | Television film; cameo appearance | [ citation needed ] |
The Simpsons | 1999 | Herself | Voice role; episode: "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday" | |
Jackie's Back | 1999 | Herself | Television film; cameo appearance | [ citation needed ] |
Blue Valley Songbird | 1999 | Leanna Taylor | Television film | [80] |
Bette | 2000 | Herself | Episode: "Halloween" | |
Reba | 2005 | Dolly Majors | "Reba's Rules of Real Estate" | [81] |
Hannah Montana | 2006–2007, 2010 | Aunt Dolly | 3 episodes | [82] [83] [84] |
17 Kids and Counting | 2009 | Herself |
| [85] [86] |
Dolly Celebrates 25 Years of Dollywood | 2010 | Herself | [87] | |
Strictly Come Dancing | 2011 | Singer | "Launch Show"; [88] singing "Together You and I" | |
The Bachelorette | 2012 | Herself | 1 episode | |
A Country Christmas Story | 2013 | Herself | Television film | [89] |
Kenny & Dolly: An Intimate Conversation | 2013 | Herself | [90] | |
Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors | 2015 | Herself | Television film; narrator; also executive producer | [91] |
Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love | 2016 | Herself / The Painted Lady | Television film; narrator; also executive producer | [92] |
Dolly & Friends: The Making of a Soundtrack | 2018 | Herself | Television special; making of the Dumplin' soundtrack album | [93] |
Country Music | 2019 | Herself | Directed by Ken Burns; interviewed in all eight episodes | [94] |
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings | 2019 | Various roles | 8 episodes | [95] |
Christmas at Dollywood | 2019 | Herself | Television film (Hallmark) | [96] |
CMT Giants: Kenny Rogers | 2020 | Herself | Performer (performed: "Sweet Music Man") | |
Biography: Dolly Parton | 2020 | Herself | Aired as Dolly Parton: Here I Am in the UK and on Netflix | |
Biography: Kenny Rogers | 2020 | Herself | ||
A Holly Dolly Christmas | 2020 | Herself | Television special (CBS) | |
Grace & Frankie | 2022 | Agnes | Episode: "The Beginning" | |
The Orville | 2022 | Hologram of herself | Episode: "Midnight Blue" | [97] |
Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas | 2022 | Herself | Television film; also executive producer | |
Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party | 2022 | Herself | Television special (NBC) | |
Call Me Kat | 2023 | Herself | Episode: "Call Me Philliam" |
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She is known for her decades-long career in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album debut in 1967 with Hello, I'm Dolly, which led to success during the remainder of the 1960s, before her sales and chart peak came during the 1970s and continued into the 1980s. Some of Parton's albums in the 1990s did not sell as well, but she achieved commercial success again in the new millennium and has released albums on various independent labels since 2000, including her own label, Dolly Records.
Dollywood is a theme park that is jointly owned by Herschend Family Entertainment and country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton through her entertainment company, Dolly Parton Productions. It is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains. Hosting nearly 3 million guests in a typical season from mid-March to the Christmas holidays, Dollywood is the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee. It has won many international awards.
Kenneth Ray Rogers Sr. was an American singer and songwriter. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted more than 120 hit singles across various genres, topping the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the United States alone. He sold more than 100 million records worldwide during his lifetime, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. His fame and career spanned multiple genres: jazz, folk, pop, rock, and country. He remade his career and was one of the most successful cross-over artists of all time.
Porter Wayne Wagoner was an American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour.
Dolly is an American variety show starring Dolly Parton broadcast in first-run syndication from September 13, 1976, to March 7, 1977.
Stella Mae Parton is an American country singer and songwriter widely known for a series of country singles that charted during the mid-to-late-1970s, her biggest hit being "I Want to Hold You in My Dreams Tonight" in 1975. She is the younger sister of the singer and songwriter Dolly Parton and the older sister of the singer Randy Parton and former actress Rachel Dennison.
Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) is a privately owned themed-entertainment company that operates several theme parks and tourist attractions within the United States, and as of 2021, one aquarium in Vancouver, Canada.
Once Upon a Christmas is a collaborative studio album by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It was released on October 29, 1984, by RCA Nashville. The album was produced by Rogers with David Foster. It was Rogers' second Christmas album, following 1981's Christmas, and Parton's first. The album's release was accompanied by a CBS television special, Kenny & Dolly: A Christmas to Remember. The album was certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA in 1989.
Just Between You and Me is the first collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on January 15, 1968, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and spawned one single, "The Last Thing on My Mind", which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
"Coat of Many Colors" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Dolly Parton. It was released in September 1971 as the second single and title track from the album Coat of Many Colors.
Those Were the Days is the forty-first solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on October 11, 2005, by Sugar Hill Records and Blue Eye Records. The album is a collection of covers of 1960s and 1970s folk and pop songs performed in a bluegrass style, some featuring the artists who originally recorded them. Parton supported the album with The Vintage Tour from August through December 2005.
The Chasing RainbowsMuseum was a museum based on the country music singer Dolly Parton. It is located in the Dollywood theme park, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States.
The singles discography of American country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton includes over 200 singles and touches on eight decades. Parton has released 198 singles as a lead artist, 49 as a featured artist, six promotional single and 68 music videos. Parton also released 21 singles with Porter Wagoner from 1968 to 1980, bringing her total number of singles to 243.
Hollywood to Dollywood is an American documentary film that played at 60 film festivals in the U.S., Canada, Scotland, and Australia in 2011 and 2012. Directed by John Lavin, the film follows the cross-country journey of identical twins Gary and Larry Lane to deliver to Dolly Parton a screenplay they wrote, which includes a role for her. Hollywood to Dollywood has won 24 film festival awards and includes 17 Parton songs, two of which were previously unreleased. The film had a one-week theatrical release in New York beginning August 31, 2012, followed a week later in Los Angeles.
Alyvia Alyn Lind is an American actress. She played the roles of Faith Newman on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless from 2011 to 2021, 9-year-old Dolly Parton in the made-for-television movies Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors and Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love, Angelica Green in the 2019 Netflix series Daybreak, and Lexy Cross in the 2021 SyFy/USA Network horror television series Chucky.
Pure & Simple is the forty-fifth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released worldwide on August 19, 2016 by Dolly Records and RCA Nashville. “Pure & Simple“ is Dolly Parton's seventh #1 country album. It is her first #1 country album in 25 years.
Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love is a 2016 American made-for-television drama film based on a true story by Dolly Parton, written by Pamela K. Long and directed by Stephen Herek. The film is a sequel to Coat of Many Colors and premiered on NBC on November 30, 2016.
A Holly Dolly Christmas is the forty-seventh solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on October 2, 2020, by Parton's Butterfly Records in partnership with 12-Tone Music Group. The album was produced by Kent Wells, with Parton serving as executive producer. It is Parton's third Christmas album, following 1984's Once Upon a Christmas with Kenny Rogers and 1990's Home for Christmas. The album features guest appearances by Michael Bublé, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon, Willie Nelson, and Parton's brother Randy. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, becoming Parton's eighth album to top the chart. The album also peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart and number 16 on the Billboard 200. The album was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
William Earl "Bill" Owens was an American country music songwriter. He was the uncle of Dolly Parton. Over the course of his career, he wrote or co-wrote more than 800 songs, including “Put It Off Until Tomorrow," which he co-wrote with Parton. The song won the 1966 BMI Song of the Year award.
Parton is now fixing to star in "Heavens to Betsy," created by David Babcock ("Herman's Head") and inspired by a song Parton wrote.
Dolly Parton's TV sitcom "Heavens to Betsy" won't air after all because of creative problems. The show, which was to star Parton as a Las Vegas lounge singer, was being produced for CBS....
Dolly Parton's TV sitcom "Heavens to Betsy" won't air after all because of creative problems. The show, which was to star Parton as a Las Vegas lounge singer, was being produced for CBS....