90s

Without Dolly Parton, One Of The Most Iconic '90s Shows Would Never Have Been Made

By Meg |

Buffy The Vampire Slayer was (and still is) one of the best shows of our generation. The supernatural drama ran for seven seasons, which honestly was not enough vampire butt-kicking time, but we'll take what we can get.

Recently, the show turned 20 years old, and people began wondering if a reunion or revival were in the works. When asked about that possibility, Buffy herself was on the fence.

"I have always believed that what was so unique about the show was the use of horrors of those formative years," Sarah Michelle Geller said. "With high school and college as a backdrop, we were able to address racism, identity, bullying, guilt, death, first love and heartbreak using the demons as metaphors for the demons we all experience. I am not sure how that translates into adulthood, although I am sure it could."

But before you get all upset that the reunion probably isn't happening, you need to take a step back and thank the person who made Buffy possible in the first place. No, it's not Joss Whedon.

It's this gal.

That's right, the next time you find yourself humming 9 to 5 in your head, be sure you say a silent prayer to the Dolly Gods for allowing us to have Buffy.

But how did she do it, you ask? Great question.

Even 20 years ago, Dolly Parton was unaware of her own wealth.

“With all my companies and all the businesses,” Parton answered, “I’m not quite sure how much I’m worth, but all told I guess it’s quite a bit.”

She's right. Today, her estimated worth is about $500 million. She can thank smart investments for that, and one of those investments brought us Buffy.

In 1986, Dolly Parton founded Sandollar, a TV and film production company, with her former manager, roommate, and business partner Sandy Gallin. A few years after they started, CEO Gail Berman was handed a screenplay for Joss Whedon's 1992 Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie.

Even Luke Perry couldn't make that movie a hit, but Berman saw the potential for the plot as a television show. When Clueless premiered in 1995, Berman noted the similarities in the movies and decided to push for a Buffy show even harder. She got in touch with Whedon, who agreed to come back to television and run the show.  

As this whole process went on, there was Dolly Parton, sitting and writing checks for Sandollar to pursue their Buffy dream. Berman and Gallin become executive producers on both Buffy, and the subsequent spin-off, Angel. Dolly Parton's name was left off the credits.

Though there is one thing connection Parton to the show: she and Buffy share a birthday.

Did you know this about Buffy?

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