7 Facts About “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas”

Learn Some Fun Facts About The Dolly Parton & Burt Reynolds Movie The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas

Two years after making her acting debut in the comedy film 9 to 5, country superstar Dolly Parton further established herself as an actress by starring in the musical comedy The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She played Miss Mona Stangley, the woman in charge of running the “Chicken Ranch” brothel in the town of Gilbert, Texas.

Miss Mona is in a relationship with Sheriff Ed Earl (Burt Reynolds), who turns a blind eye to his lover’s illegal line of work. But television personality Melvin P. Thorpe (Dom DeLuise) exposes the brothel, and chaos ensues.

With Parton in a leading role, the film appealed to country music fans. It remains a fan-favorite and is one of the most successful films of Parton’s acting career.

We’re sure you’ve seen The Best Little Whorehouse a few times yourself! But do you know everything about it and its production?

That’s why we’ve made this list…to fill you in on seven fun facts you likely didn’t know about The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Fact #1 – The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas Started As A Broadway Production

Many films have roots in Broadway. But some of y’all may be surprised to hear that The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas also originated as a Broadway production in 1978.

The film didn’t follow the musical’s plot exactly. One major difference between the two? In the stage version, Ed Earl and Miss Mona had a one-night stand 15 years prior but maintained no romantic relationship after. That’s different in the film, as Ed Earl and Mona are involved in an ongoing affair.

Fact #2 – The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas Has Real-Life Roots

The character of Melvin P. Thorpe (Dom DeLuise) is based on an actual television personality. His real-life counterpart was a newsman named Marvin Zindler. Zindler played a hand in closing the real-life Chicken Ranch brothel in Fayette County, Texas.

Zindler’s 1973 report on the brothel was published in Texas Monthly Magazine. After 70 years of operation, the report resulted in the brothel’s permanent closure.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas made it so no one would ever forget about Zindler, his report, or the Chicken Ranch.

Fact #3 – Its Title Caused A Lot Of Problems

With a title like The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, it’s understandable that the film caused a bit of a stir. But the turmoil that resulted once the film debuted was actually quite intense.

The Slough Police in the UK temporarily seized the movie because they believed it was an adult film. Once they learned the truth, the movie could appear in theaters.

The film’s title also caused some trouble in the United States, as many considered it obscene. Some print ads referred to the movie as The Best Little Cat House in Texas. Parton would sometimes call the film The Best Little Chicken House in Texas.

Fact #4 – Burt Reynolds Was Injured From Lifting Dolly Parton For A Scene In The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas

Actors sometimes suffer injuries on set. But you usually think of such things happening on the sets of action movies with lots of stunts. Well, it turns out Reynolds suffered a pretty painful injury while filming The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas…while picking up Parton!

The scene in question occurs at the end when Ed Earl lifts Miss Mona. Something went wrong when Reynolds picked Parton up, and he ended up with a double hernia. Ouch!

Fact #5 – Burt Reynolds Nearly Didn’t Get Cast As Ed Earl

Reynolds was already one of Hollywood’s leading actors at the time he was cast to play Ed Earl in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Some of his previous projects had been The Longest Yard and the Smokey and the Bandit films, which also starred country singer Jerry Reed.

Despite Reynolds’ popularity, playwright Larry King wanted someone else for the role. Once Parton joined the project, King wanted another country singer to appear in the film…Willie Nelson. He apparently met with King about the movie but never committed.

Before Reynolds was cast, country star Kris Kristofferson and actor Gene Hackman were both considered for the role.

Fact #6 – Dolly Parton Wasn’t The First Pick To Play Miss Mona

It’s hard to imagine anyone else but Parton in the role as Miss Mona. However, if King had his way, the role never would have been hers.

King recommended several actresses for the role, including Parton’s future Steel Magnolias castmate Shirley Maclaine, Dyan Cannon, Cari Glynn, and Jill Clayburgh. However, King was informed they weren’t popular enough to get people to come see the movie.

That’s when King turned to country music stars, and both Barbara Mandrell and Crystal Gayle were considered for the role before it eventually went to Parton.

Fact #7 – Dolly Parton Wrote Songs For The Film That Didn’t Make The Cut

Every country fan knows Parton’s hit “I Will Always Love You,” which appears in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. But country fans also know Parton first released the song in 1974. She re-recorded it for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Although “I Will Always Love You” wasn’t written for the movie, Parton penned some songs for it, titled “Where Stallions Run” and “A Gamble Either Way.” However, only the scene for “Where Stallions Run” made it in the movie, which was only in the rebroadcast version on ABC television.

Since they weren’t used in the film, Parton included the two songs on her 1983 album Burlap & Satin. She renamed and reworked “Where Stallions Run” for the album, which became “A Cowboy’s Ways.”

Which one of these facts about The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas surprised you the most?