ByJennifer M Wood|Dec 19, 2020, 8:00 PM EST
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Whether you think of it as a statement on female empowerment or simply a fun workplace comedy, the 1980 hit 9 to 5—which featured Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton as a trio of secretaries who turn the tables on their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” boss (Dabney Coleman)—is a bona fide comedy classic. In honor of its 40th anniversary, here are 14 things you might not know about the Oscar-nominated film.
1. The concept for 9 to 5 began with Jane Fonda.
9 to 5 was produced by Jane Fonda’s company, IPC Films, and the idea originated from a real-life organization. “My ideas for films always come from things that I hear and perceive in my daily life,” Fonda told The Canberra Times in 1981. “In that case, a very old friend of mine had started an organization in Boston called ‘Nine To Five,’ which was an association of women office workers. I heard them talking about their work and they had some great stories. And I’ve always been attracted to those 1940s films with three female stars.”
2. 9 to 5 was originally intended to be a dram.
Though it’s ranked number 74 on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 Funniest American Movies of All Time, 9 to 5 didn’t start out as a comedy. “At first we were going to make a drama,” Fonda explained. “But any way we did it, it seemed too preachy, too much of a feminist line. I’d wanted to work with Lily [Tomlin] for some time, and it suddenly occurred to [producer] Bruce [Gilbert] and me that we should make it a comedy. It remains a ‘labor film,’ but I hope of a new kind, different from The Grapes of Wrath or Salt of the Earth. We took out a lot of stuff that was filmed, even stuff the director, Colin Higgins, thought worked but which I asked to have taken out. I’m just super-sensitive to anything that smacks of the soapbox or lecturing the audience.”
3. 9 to 5 was a black comedy before it was a broad comedy.
“I had written a very dark comedy in which the secretaries actually tried to kill the boss, although they tried to kill him in sort of funny ways,” screenwriter Patricia Resnick told Rolling Stone. “Originally, Jane had been concerned that would be too dark. I screened an old Charlie Chaplin film called Monsieur Verdoux for her. In it, Chaplin’s wife is blind and he has a child. He’s kind of a Blackbeard, he romances a series of woman through the course of the movie and murders them in order to get money and support his family. It is a comedy, but at the end they hang him. I turned to Jane at the end of the movie and tears were rolling down her cheeks—but she was concerned the women wouldn’t be sympathetic enough. I said, ‘He really killed all these women and you’re crying. I just want them to try! They won’t be successful.’ And she said OK. But then when Colin came in, he was very influenced by Warner Bros. cartoons and things like that, and so their attempts to kill him became the fantasy scenes, and he made it a much broader comedy.”
4. The lead roles in 9 to 5 were written specifically for Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton.
Just because a writer has a particular actor in mind when writing a script doesn’t mean he or she will end up playing the part. In fact, it’s a rarity. But Resnick lucked out with 9 to 5. “We had Jane for sure, because it was her idea to do the film and it was her production company,” Resnick told Rolling Stone. “It was written for Dolly and Lily, but we did not have them under contract. We really wanted them, but we did have some backup ideas in case they turned us down. For Lily, it was Carol Burnett, and for Dolly, it was Ann-Margret. But I had Dolly, Lily and Jane in my head the whole time, and we were really hoping that’s who it was going to be.”
5. Lily Tomlin initially turned down her role in 9 to 5.
Though the role of Violet Newstead was written specifically for Tomlin, the legendary actress and comedian turned down the part when it was first offered to her. “I was shooting The Incredible Shrinking Woman and I was so overworked,” Tomlin explained to the Evening Times. “I’d worked for seven months on that movie, so I was ready to just shut my eyes to anything else.” It was Tomlin’s wife, Jane Wagner, who changed her mind. “My partner Jane said to me, ‘This is the biggest mistake of your life.’ She said, ‘You’ve got to get on the phone and tell Jane Fonda you want to take back the resignation … And I am grateful that I did it. They became two of my good friends, you know.”
6. 9 to 5 was Dolly Parton’s movie debut.
When 9 to 5 premiered on December 19, 1980, Dolly Parton was already a major country music star, but she was a Hollywood newcomer. In a 1980 interview with Today, Fonda shared that when the film’s tone shifted from drama to comedy, the idea of casting Parton arose. And part of what made her perfect for the role was “her music. But particularly the songs that she writes—she’s a great songwriter—and the songs have a kind of depth and humanity that made me feel that she could act.”
7. Dolly Parton memorized the entire 9 to 5 script.
In the same interview with Today, Parton admitted that the closest she had come to a movie set before shooting 9 to 5 was taking the Universal Studios tour. So when she got the script for the film, she assumed that she had to memorize every word of every character’s part. “I memorized it,” said Parton. “I just assumed that you had to. My part and [Lily’s] part and [Jane’s] part and Dabney’s part. But I just knew the script back and forth and every week I would read it … I would practice.”
8. Dolly Parton would only agree to star in 9 to 5 if she could write the theme song.
Parton may have been a Hollywood newcomer, but she was savvy. She agreed to take the part in 9 to 5, but only if she could write the theme song as well. Fonda agreed, and Parton wrote the song while the movie was filming. In 1981, she earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for “9 to 5.”
9. Dolly Parton’s fingernails made a cameo in the 9 to 5 song.
During a 2009 appearance on The View, Parton shared that she composed the song using her fingernails, which to the singer-songwriter sounded like a typewriter. In the final version of the song, you can hear her acrylic fingernails as part of the percussion section.
Parton’s fingernails also became part of her defense when she was sued by Neil and Janice Goldberg in 1983, who claimed that the singer copied their 1976 song, “Money World.” “I worked on the song at my hotel,” Parton testified in 1985. “On the set, I’d rub my fingernails together like this,” she continued, demonstrating her composing technique.
10. Sheena Easton had a song called “9 to 5” come out at the same time.
In the spring of 1980, seven months before the debut of 9 to 5, Sheena Easton released a song titled “9 to 5” in the U.K. By the time the song made its way to American radio listeners in February of 1981, its title had been changed to “Morning Train (Nine to Five)” in order to avoid any confusion with Parton’s song. The song was Easton’s biggest hit.
11. 9 to 5 was the second highest-grossing film of 1980.
The workplace comedy was a hit with audiences, earning more than $100 million at the box office—a grand total that made it the second biggest hit of 1980 (only The Empire Strikes Back made more).
12. The studio wanted a 9 to 5 sequel.
Considering its popularity with audiences, it’s hardly surprising that studio heads were interested in prepping a sequel. For years, the proposed follow-up was on the table. “We tried for a long time for a sequel,” Tomlin told Buzz Worthy in 2012. “There were two or three scripts but they weren’t what we wanted.”
“People would love to see the three of them together again,” Resnick told Rolling Stone. “For years there was talk of a sequel or a remake, but as Dolly always says, ‘It’s 9 to 5, not 95!’ Doing a remake with them, that ship has probably sailed.”
13. There was a 9 to 5 sitcom.
Though it wasn’t nearly as popular as the film, 9 to 5 was adapted for the small screen with a sitcom that ran from 1982 to 1988. It didn’t feature any of the original actresses, but Dolly Parton’s younger sister, Rachel Dennison, played Doralee (Parton’s character in the film).
14. 9 to 5 was also turned into a Broadway musical.
On April 7, 2009—nearly 30 years after the film’s release—9 to 5 made its debut as a Broadway musical. Allison Janney played Tomlin’s part, Stephanie J. Block took over for Fonda, and Megan Hilty filled Parton’s shoes. The show closed five months later.
This story has been updated for 2020.
110 Thanksgiving Jokes That Are Surprisingly Easy to Digest
The turkey might be overcooked, but these Thanksgiving puns and dad jokes are anything but dry.
ByNitya Rao|Nov 7, 2026, 7:00 PM EST
Studies show that 10 to 15 minutes of laughing can burn up to 40 calories. On Thanksgiving, after a spread filled with golden-brown turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, and unlimited pumpkin pie, you’ll definitely want to double that dose and pass it down the table.
While you can usually count on your zany uncle to supply a few unexpected chuckles midway through the meal, why leave your holiday humor to chance? Prepping a few Thanksgiving jokes alongside your stuffing is the best defense against a dead-silent dinner table. After all, who doesn’t love a bit of playful holiday humor between passes of the platter?
Why did the turkey pass on the pumpkin pie? He was stuffed.
What happens when potatoes drink too much? They get mashed.
If either of those carved out a smile, you’re in for a real feast! Whether you’re looking to break an awkward silence before politics come up or simply want to entertain the kids’ table, here are more than 100 hilarious Thanksgiving jokes, puns, and dad jokes guaranteed to give your core a workout.
Funny Thanksgiving Jokes
1. Who delivers the best Thanksgiving sides?
Yam-azon.
2. Why do so many people eat potatoes on Thanksgiving?
Because they’ve got a-peel.
3. What do you call a wisecracking Butterball?
A fresh turkey.
4. What did one pumpkin pie say to the other?
“You wanna piece of me?”
5. In what state did the pilgrims arrive?
Exhaustion.
6. What do you call a sad cranberry?
A blueberry.
7. What do you get when you cross a Thanksgiving centerpiece with a trumpet?
A horn-ucopia.
8. How do potatoes cross the sea?
On gravy boats.
9. What smells the best at a Thanksgiving dinner?
Your nose.
10. Why did the Brussels sprout cross the street?
It spotted a fork in the distance.
11. What did the butter say when it won the race?
“I’m on a roll!”
12. What do sweet potatoes wear to bed?
Yammies.
13. What did the gravy say when it got promoted at work?
“I’m moving up in the food chain!”
14. Why did the roll go to the doctor?
It was feeling crummy.
15. What’s the difference between a Thanksgiving turkey and a bad joke?
One gets dressed, and the other gets roasted.
16. What did the shocked pumpkin say to the squash?
“Oh my gourd!”
17. What do you call a male turkey’s idea of a practical joke?
Tomfoolery.
18. What happens when potatoes drink too much?
They get mashed.
19. Who can be both naked and dressed at the same time?
A turkey.
Thanksgiving Turkey Jokes
20. What do you call a track-star turkey?
Fast food.
21. What’s a turkey’s favorite dessert?
Apple gobbler.
22. What does a turkey say to a search engine?
Google, google, google!
23. Why did the turkey bring a microphone to the dinner table?
He wanted to host a roast.
24. What’s the best way to stuff a turkey?
Serve him lots of mac and cheese and pie.
25. Where do you find a turkey with no legs?
Exactly where you left it.
26. Why did the turkey get sent to the dean’s office?
He used fowl language.
27. What kind of turkey is always running late?
A slow-cooked one.
28. What do you get when you cross a turkey with a ghost?
A poultry-geist.
29. Why did the turkey get bumped to first class on his flight?
He was a frequent flyer.
30. What did one turkey say to the other turkey at the pub?
“Let’s get basted.”
31. What do you call a turkey the day after Thanksgiving?
A lucky duck.
32. Why did the turkey pass on the pumpkin pie?
He was stuffed.
33. What did the Thanksgiving turkey say to the Christmas ham?
Nice to meat you.
34. What do turkeys give thanks for on Thanksgiving?
Vegans.
35. Did you hear about the turkey who lost his left wing?
He’s all right now.
36. What type of key has legs and can’t open doors?
A tur-key.
37. Why did the turkey get kicked out of family game night?
He was accused of fowl play.
38. Why did the turkey cross the road?
To prove it wasn’t chicken.
39. What’s the best song to play while cooking a turkey?
“All About That Baste.”
40. What’s the most musical part of a turkey?
The drumstick.
41. How did the turkey get home in time for Thanksgiving?
He took the gravy train.
42. What’s a turkey’s favorite part of a golf game?
The birdie.
43. What do turkeys use to serve wine?
A gob-let.
44. What champagne do male turkeys like to drink?
Tom Perignon.
45. What does a turkey with a bum leg say?
“Wobble, wobble.”
46. Why don’t turkeys fly on airplanes?
They prefer to wing it.
47. Did you hear about the turkey dance?
It was a Butterball.
48. Why did the Butterball stay in the freezer until Thanksgiving morning?
He wanted to keep a cool head under pressure.
49. What do you call a turkey who never has your back?
A fair-feather friend.
50. Did you hear about the turkey who had a fever?
He had a temperature of 350.
51. What do you call a badly behaved Thanksgiving bird?
A grounded turkey.
52. What do you call a turkey on Friday morning?
A sandwich.
53. Where does a turkey do its holiday shopping?
The HoneyBaked Ham shop.
54. What do you call a turkey who’s bad at bowling?
A gutterball.
55. What was the turkey looking for at the toy store?
Gobbleheads.
56. What does a turkey use to tell the future?
A crystal butterball.
57. Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?
The outside.
58. Where does a turkey go on vacation in November?
Turkey.
59. What do turkeys have in common with the White House?
They both have wings.
60. What do you call a bunch of turkeys rocking out?
A Wood-flock.
Pilgrim Jokes
61. Why did the Pilgrim go to the pool?
To get a puri-tan.
62. What kind of music did the Pilgrims listen to on the Mayflower?
Plymouth Rock.
63. Why did the Pilgrims cross the Atlantic?
To get to the other side.
64. What did the Pilgrims use to bake Thanksgiving desserts?
May-flour.
65. What was the Pilgrim’s favorite subject in school?
His-story.
66. Why did the Pilgrim love gardening?
He was good at planting roots.
67. What’s a Pilgrim’s favorite dance?
The Turkey Trot.
68. What event was held on the Mayflower the day after Thanksgiving?
A Black Friday sail.
69. How do Pilgrims break a bad habit?
They stop cold turkey.
70. What do pilgrims learn in school?
Pilgrammar.
71. Why don’t Pilgrims tell secrets in the cornfield?
There are too many ears around.
72. Why don’t Pilgrims sue?
Because they like to settle.
73. Where do Pilgrims learn to surf?
Boarding school.
74. What did the Pilgrim wear to Thanksgiving dinner?
A har-vest.
75. Why are Pilgrim libraries so tall?
They have many stories.
76. Why do Pilgrims’ pants keep falling down?
Because they wear their belt buckles on their hats.
77. What’s a Pilgrim’s favorite flower?
Mayflower.
78. What is a Pilgrim’s favorite type of sweet?
Plymouth Rock candy.
79. If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
Pilgrims.
80. What made the Pilgrims on the Mayflower high?
Sea weed.
81. What do you call a pretty Pilgrim?
A Puri-ten.
Thanksgiving Food Jokes and Puns
82. Why did the stuffing cross the road?
To get to the other sides.
83. What do you get when you drop a pumpkin?
Squash.
84. Why did the cranberry blush?
It saw the turkey dressing.
85. Which movie character makes the worst mashed potatoes?
Forest Lump.
86. Which food can you expect to be a troublemaker at the Thanksgiving table?
The deviled eggs.
87. Why was the Thanksgiving soup so expensive?
It had 24 carrots.
88. Why didn’t the chef season the turkey?
She ran out of thyme.
89. Where do chemistry majors sit on Thanksgiving?
At the periodic table.
90. What do you call a handsome yam?
A hot potato.
91. What did the baker say to the pumpkin?
“I only have pies for you.”
92. What did the salt say to the pepper on Thanksgiving?
“Season’s greetings!”
93. Why did the dinner roll get promoted?
It really rose to the occasion.
94. What do you call a potato on Thanksgiving break?
A couch potato.
95. What did the gravy say to the mashed potatoes?
“I’ve got you covered.”
Thanksgiving Pumpkin and Pie Jokes
96. Why did the apple pie cry?
It got its peelings hurt.
97. What is a pumpkin’s favorite sport?
Squash.
98. How many bakers does it take to make a pie?
3.14.
99. What is the quietest dessert?
Key Mime Pie.
100. What do math teachers eat on Thanksgiving?
Pumpkin pi.
101. What famous poet and playwright was known for his yummy pies?
Bakespeare.
102. What do wrestlers have for dessert?
Grapple pie.
103. What does pumpkin pie say in a fight?
“You want a piece of me?”
104. Why did the pumpkin pie go to the dentist?
It needed a filling.
Thanksgiving Knock-Knock Jokes
105. Knock, knock! Who’s there? Taylor.
Taylor who?
Taylor to pass the yams!
106. Knock, knock! Who’s there? Norma Lee.
Norma Lee who?
Norma Lee I don’t eat this much.
107. Knock, knock! Who’s there? Harry.
Harry who?
Harry up and pass those sides—I’m starved!
108. Knock, knock! Who’s there? Arthur.
Arthur who?
Arthur any more cranberries?
109. Knock, knock! Who’s there? Anita.
Anita who?
Anita bigger pair of pants after all that food!
110. Knock, knock! Who’s there? Tanks.
Tanks who?
Tanksgiving is here!
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100 Short Jokes That Will Leave You in Stitches
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50 Riddles With Answers for a Serious Mental Workout
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The Hardest Riddles for Adults: Can You Solve These Mind-Bending Puzzles?