‘Coat of Many Colors’ Movie to Be Based on Dolly Parton’s Childhood

A movie based on Dolly Parton’s upbringing will be the first project in a new partnership between the singer and NBC. Coat of Many Colors is named after the famous Parton song from 1971. It will air during the 2015-16 television season.

While Parton is executive producer of the movie, it’s not clear if she'll appear. When the deal was struck in January, both sides said she’d act in some of the future movies based on her life and music, but did not specify which or how many.

“I am so excited to be involved with my friend Bob Greenblatt, who produced the Broadway version of '9 to 5: The Musical' with me, and my longtime friend and former agent Sam Haskell,” Parton said in January. “We want to create projects for NBC that are both fun and inspirational with a family audience in mind.”

Parton made a surprise appearance at NBC Upfronts in New York City this morning to talk about the project. Haskell is from Magnolia Hill Entertainment.

The song “Coat of Many Colors” is about a girl whose mother stitches together a coat from rags given to her. Along the way she tells the Biblical story of Joseph and his coat, but when the young girl goes to school, she’s mocked by her classmates. Parton wrote the song about her own mother and a coat she was given when she was young. Today, that coat hangs at the Chasing Rainbows Museum at Dollywood.

See Dolly Parton + More as Kids