Robert Greenblatt Reminisces On Long Friendship With ‘9 To 5’ Collaborator (And Stage Partner) Dolly Parton: “God Broke The Mold After Creating Her”
Robert Greenblatt has remembered his 23-year friendship with Dolly Parton following her death aged 80, describing her as an unusually generous, hard-working and widely loved artist. He recalled their partnership on the Broadway musical adaptation of *9 to 5*, as well as their memorable 2015 NBC upfront appearance, when he accompanied her on piano during “I Will Always Love You”.
Greenblatt said he first proposed adapting *9 to 5* in 2003 and, after an introduction by Melissa Etheridge, Parton quickly agreed to write the score. Working with writer Patricia Resnick and director Joe Mantello, Parton reportedly wrote around two dozen songs, often producing new material overnight; the show began its pre-Broadway run in Los Angeles in 2008, though its complex stage automation caused delays in rehearsal.
- Greenblatt praised Parton as a beloved friend and exceptional artist.
- Their friendship began with the Broadway adaptation of *9 to 5*.
- Parton reportedly wrote dozens of songs for the musical.
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Dolly Parton was an American singer-songwriter and actor whose career spanned country music, film and theatre. Robert Greenblatt is a television and theatre executive who worked with her on the stage musical based on the 1980 film 9 to 5.
The musical brought together Parton’s songs with a story adapted for the stage by Patricia Resnick, who also wrote the film. Parton’s work with Greenblatt was part of a long professional friendship, and their 2015 performance together recalled her best-known songwriting to a television audience.