'Coat of Many Colors' Actor Ricky Schroder: 'I Cursed God' After Wife's Miscarriage
This snapshot of Dolly's life reveals how faith was the glue that kept her family together through both good and bad times.
"For years I have wanted to make a movie based on a song that tells a true story from my childhood and also shows my family in a good light.," Dolly told CP and other media outlets in a letter she penned ahead of Monday's press event for the film.
"I am very proud of my family and wanted to show how love and faith can carry us through any hardships in life. And believe me, we've had plenty of them," Dolly continued. "Also, I don't know about you, but for a long time I've been missing shows that are family and faith-based. Not since 'The Walton's' and 'Little House on the Prairie' have I seen much about family and their struggles to overcome."
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During his interview with CP, Schroder admitted that he, like the Parton family, is a Christian, but emphasized that he's not as vocal about his faith. The actor said he's currently reading through the New Testament and disclosed that his favorite passages is when Jesus told the disciples to pray in private.
"I don't really talk about it except for with maybe my wife and kids here and there," he said of his faith.
"I am a Christian. I dont go to Bible study, I don't proselytize, I don't do any of that but I am definitely a believer."
Although she wasn't on set during the filming of "Coat of Many Colors" (due to her packed schedule), Dolly chose every one of the lead actors along with her co-producer Sam Haskell, who openly shared with CP that there was something really special about the actors and crew.
The cast of 20, which includes Jennifer Nettles ("Sugarland"), and rising star Alyvia Alyn Lind (who portrays Dolly), will forever immortalize the Parton family with this NBC special and both Haskell and Schroder believe that they did the family justice.
"I was very flattered when she (Dolly) said I had qualities that her father had, because she loved her father very much," Schroder shared.
Not being on set didn't stop Dolly from being hands on. She watched scenes daily and left handwritten notes of appreciation for the actors. Schroder, who has had an illustrious career ("Silver Spoons," "The Lonesome Dove series" and "NYPD Blue"), enjoyed being stretched by the complexity of playing a real person in a specific time period.
He said of Lee, "His ark of not having faith and then finding it was really interesting to me."
Although he was married to a preacher's daughter who had an unrelenting faith, Lee stubbornly refused to surrender to God until the end.
"Women appear to have more of a spiritual connection, they have children — they have life that's created within them," the father of four theorized. "Because they see life and creation within them, I think it's easier for them to take a leap of faith."
"He wasn't a believer, so that was a fun journey to go on as Lee Parton. From a guy that stood outside smoking cigarettes who wouldn't go, to a guy that basically hit his knees and just submitted in the end because he wanted his wife, he wanted his kids, and went on complete faith," Schroder concluded.
The NBC TV movie "Coat of Many Colors" airs at 9 p.m. EST Dec. 10. For more information visit nbc.com
