I spent YEARS trying to get a copy of this TV special, thinking it was some grand and glorious tie-in with the film. Unfortunately, that's hardly the case. This seems to have been filmed at a two-day celebration of the Austin, Texas premiere of "Best Little Whorehouse." The first half hour takes place in front of the set of the Chicken Ranch house where Jerry Reed, Stuttering Mel Tillis and Dolly Parton perform songs unrelated to the film. Next is an overlong look at the Austin premiere of the movie, then a post-show banquet with Burt Reynolds emceeing and another unrelated performance by The Statler Brothers.

Aside from the glimpse of the film's premiere (which IS interesting but drags on way too long), the only other highlight for fans of the film is a handful of bloopers that didn't make it to the DVD (Reynolds fumbling to unholster his gun, Parton having trouble working a window shade, etc.) and a couple clips from the movie ("The Sidestep," "I Will Always Love You," "Sneakin' Around," "Little Bitty Pissant Country Place"). There's no behind-the-scenes glimpses, no Dom DeLuise (who they mentioned was ill), no Lois Nettleton, no Theresa Merritt, no director Collin Higgins -- and not even Marvin Zindler (aka the REAL Melvin P. Thorpe). Parton is ever-present but doesn't have a lot to say; Reynolds talks a lot without really saying "a damn thing;" Jim Nabors has little to do except play Gomer Pyle; and Charles Durning seems to only be there to grimace.

All in all, I was far more entertained by the vintage commercials than the program itself... and even those were nothing special. It's worth seeking out for the bloopers (Parton and the window shade also surfaced on one of Dick Clark's shows) or the performances if you're a fan of the artists, but overall I found it tediously disappointing.

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

The music genre features stories showcasing musical performances, music-related documentaries and recordings of live concerts and music festivals.

Prince and Apollonia Kotero in Purple Rain (1984)

Premiere of the movie "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" is celebrated with a country-music bash.

Dolly Parton, Burt Reynolds, and Jim Nabors in The Best Little Special in Texas (1982)

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise in The End (1978)

Sylvester Stallone and Dolly Parton in Rhinestone (1984)

Ah My Goddess: The Best Little Goddess House in Japan

Ah My Goddess: The Best Little Goddess House in Japan (2025)

Porter Wagoner in The Porter Wagoner Show (1961)

Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson in Stroker Ace (1983)

Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer, and Jeremy Jordan in Joyful Noise (2012)

Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, Dabney Coleman, and Lily Tomlin in 9 to 5 (1980)

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Overture

Jerry Reed in The Best Little Special in Texas (1982)

Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds in The Best Little Special in Texas (1982)

The Best Little Special in Texas

Photos14

Top Cast10

User reviews1

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed