Flashback: Dolly Parton Wears Bunny Suit For Husband Carl Dean’s Birthday Surprise

Dolly Parton posing in her “Playboy” bunny suit for her husband’s birthday. (Photo credit: Dolly Parton / Facebook)

When Carl Dean Turned 79, Dolly Parton Gave Him A Memorable Present

For her husband, Carl Dean’s 79th birthday in 2021, Dolly Parton went all out. But, there’s a bit of a backstory.

Shortly after country music legend Dolly Parton turned 74, she did an interview with 60 Minutes Australiaand revealed that she wants to celebrate her next birthday by posing for Hugh Hefner’s famous magazine.

“See I did [the] Magazine years ago and I thought it’d be such a hoot if they’ll go for it — I don’t know if they will — if I could be on the cover again when I’m 75,” she said in the interview.

Parton famously posed for the cover of the magazine in 1978, but refused to be nude. Instead, she wore a black corset, black bunny ears, white bowtie, and a matching bunny tail and heels. She shared one of her images from the photoshoot in a January 2020 meme that went super viral and started an online challenge!

On January 19, 2021, she turned 75 years old, but the magazine is no longer in publication. So, Dolly Parton took matters in her own hand and did her own photoshoot…all for her husband Carl’s birthday in 2021.

“Hey! Today is July 20th, it’s my husband Carl’s birthday. And you’re probably wondering why I’m dressed like this. Well, it’s for my husband’s birthday!” she said in a video posted to her social media accounts.

She wore a very similar outfit from her original cover and hoped her husband of 55 years liked what he saw.

What Did Carl Think Of His Present?

In January 2022, Parton did a Zoom interview with Access‘ Kit Hoover about her collaboration with Duncan Hines with a line of cake mixes and frostings. Obviously they spoke about the cake mixes, but Kit was DYING to know how Carl Dean reacted to the bunny suit!

Dolly said, “Well, he did about have a heart attack. But he got a big kick out of it, ‘cuz I totally surprised him with that. ‘Cuz he was in the kitchen den, so I got dressed and I came through the door with his cake.Here I am in my Playboy suit…I thought, well I’m gonna do this and I’m gonna surprise him. So I kinda spent the mornin’ with him cookin’ and movin’ around in my little bunny suit, and he loved it.”

Sadly, Carl Dean passed away on March 3, 2025 at the age of 82. Of his passing, Parton said, “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”

They were married for nearly 60 years.
Dolly Parton announces the passing of her husband, Carl Dean. (Photo credit: Dolly Parton / Instagram)
Due to his passing, this special birthday present means so much more. It really showed the playful and loving relationship they had, even if it was extremely private.