Vale Dolly Parton: Country music icon and 9 to 5 star dies aged 80 – Dolly Parton, the country music legend, actor, songwriter and philanthropist whose screen work helped make her a global popular culture figure, has died aged 80.
The Associated Press and other international outlets reported Parton’s death on 25 August 2026. Tributes have since flowed for an entertainer whose career moved across music, film, television, theatre and philanthropy.
For TV Central readers, Parton’s legacy reaches well beyond country music. Her warmth, timing and screen presence made her a natural fit for film and television, especially in roles where wit and heart sat side by side.
A Screen Breakthrough With 9 To 5
Parton’s biggest screen role came with the 1980 workplace comedy 9 to 5, in which she starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
The film followed three office workers who fight back against a sexist boss, turning a revenge fantasy into one of the most enduring comedies of its era.
Parton played Doralee Rhodes and also wrote and performed the title song. The track became one of her signature hits and earned major awards recognition, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
9 to 5 also showed that Parton could carry her appeal into film without losing the humour and directness that made audiences feel they knew her.
From Steel Magnolias To Television
Parton continued acting after 9 to 5, including roles in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Rhinestone, Steel Magnolias, Straight Talk and Joyful Noise.
Her performance as Truvy Jones in Steel Magnolias remains one of her best-loved screen turns. The film gave Parton a place inside another ensemble classic, this time opposite Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts.
On television, Parton appeared as herself across decades of talk shows, specials and scripted comedies. She was also closely associated with projects inspired by her songs and life, including Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors and Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings.
Her TV appearances often leaned into the same qualities that made her a beloved interview subject: sharp humour, generosity, self-awareness and a refusal to let fame harden her public persona.
A Larger Entertainment Legacy
Parton wrote thousands of songs across her career and became one of country music’s defining artists. Her best-known songs include Jolene, I Will Always Love You and 9 to 5.
She was also widely admired for her business work and philanthropy, including Dollywood and the Imagination Library, which has provided books to children around the world.
Parton’s death has prompted tributes from across entertainment, with many remembering not only her music and screen roles, but also her kindness, humour and ability to cross generations.
9Gem To Air 9 To 5 Tonight
Australian viewers will be able to revisit one of Parton’s most famous screen roles tonight, with 9Gem airing 9 to 5 at 8.40pm.
The 1980 film stars Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in a revenge comedy about three women working inside a giant corporation under a chauvinist boss.
For more Channel 9 stories, visit TV Central’s Channel 9 section. More on Parton’s screen career is available through the official Dolly Parton 9 to 5 page.
