Behind every iconic ‘80s movie, there’s a behind-the-scenes story you were never supposed to hear — and this one stars Dolly Parton, Burt Reynolds, and a hospital bed.
While filming the 1982 rom-com The Best Little Wh**house in Texas*, Dolly’s signature sass (and maybe one too many tight corsets) reportedly left her co-star doubled over — quite literally. It turns out that during one of the final scenes, Burt had to scoop Dolly up into his arms for a romantic moment. Seemed simple enough… until he groaned with every take.
They shot the scene several times, and each time, poor Burt sounded like he was lifting a boulder — not country music’s queen. As Dolly later put it in her memoir Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business:
“I was a real porker at the time, probably the heaviest I have ever been. Naturally, being the movies, they had to shoot the scene a few times, and each time Burt groaned a little louder.”
Turns out, those groans weren’t just for dramatic effect. Just a week after filming wrapped, Burt was hospitalized for a double hernia. Yes — two hernias, thanks (at least partly) to carrying Dolly Parton.
But don’t worry, Dolly handled it the only way she knows how: with a punchline.
“So if anybody ever asks me if I broke Burt Reynolds’ heart, I have to say honestly that the damage was a little further south.”
https://www.tiktok.com/@cultclassicalist/video/7505534238909861162
Absolutely classic.
Dolly also joked that maybe Burt should’ve hit the gym a little more, but she admitted he’d been dealing with some issues beforehand. Still, the timing — and her sense of humor — turned a painful mishap into a legendary Hollywood tale.
A Friendship Full of Sass, Rumors, and Respect ❤️
Dolly and Burt’s chemistry wasn’t just on screen — they became close friends off set, too. So close, in fact, that fans were convinced the two were having an affair. Dolly always denied the rumors, famously quipping:
“Burt and I are too much alike to be involved. We both wear wigs and high heels, and we both have a roll around the middle.”
Burt, however, wasn’t thrilled with her shutting down the romance speculation. He worried it would ruin the fantasy for moviegoers.
“You’re destroying the magic,” he told her. “How are people going to think of us as an item for the sake of this movie if we go around bad-mouthing each other?”
Dolly defended her remarks as light-hearted fun, and eventually, Burt came around. In fact, she later caught him using the same joke on a talk show.
She once described their bond as “sweeter than a love affair,” and decades later, their playful energy and genuine affection still shine through every story.
A Hollywood Injury Worth Laughing About (Eventually)
Only Dolly Parton could turn accidentally hospitalizing a Hollywood heartthrob into a comedy routine. She didn’t break his heart — just gave him two hernias and one unforgettable memory. And over 40 years later, we’re still laughing.
Watch the infamous scene — and see why Burt might’ve needed a chiropractor… or a stunt double.
