Background
She was born Rachel Parton on August 31, 1959 in Franklin, Tennessee, the youngest of twelve children born to Lee and Avie Parton.
She was born Rachel Parton on August 31, 1959 in Franklin, Tennessee, the youngest of twelve children born to Lee and Avie Parton.
Her celebrity siblings include entertainer Dolly Parton, as well as Randy and Stella Parton among others As a child, she enjoyed wearing make-up and imitating her favorite stars. She later recalled, "I was the only girl in the first grade that routinely powdered and rouged my face." Dennison also remembered, "I never really wanted to be in show business.
At age fifteen, she performed solo on stage for the first time.
During her first performance, as she remembers, "right off I saw this new piano man (pianist Richard Dennison) and knew he was the fella for medical " She and Dennison were married three years later. In 1982, Dennison landed her first and only acting role in the American Broadcasting Company television sitcom incarnation of 9 to 5.
9 to 5 was shot before a live studio audience and co-starred Rita Moreno and Valerie Curtin. The series had an impressive beginning in the ratings, but after a retooling (including the addition of Leah Ayres to the cast), the series was canceled by American Broadcasting Company after 33 episodes in 1983.
The sitcom proved popular in reruns, leading producers to revive it in first-run syndication in 1986.
Sally Struthers joined the cast, and the sitcom"s popularity revived, producing another 52 episodes before ending in 1988. Dennison never acted again after 9 to 5 was canceled in 1988. During the network run of the series, she and her fellow cast members appeared on an episode of Battle of the Network Stars in 1983.
Dennison"s last appearance on camera was during an episode of Bravo Profiles titled "Dolly Parton: Diamond in a Rhinestone World" in 1999.
Dennison has since retired from acting and singing.