She wanted to be a serious actress, she loved Shakespeare. “And while her senior superlative was ‘Most Humorous,’ Sarah's parents sent her to Ward-Belmont because of the reputation of its drama department. “At Ward-Belmont, Sarah was called Ophie, which came from her middle name Ophelia,” Dr. She majored in dramatics at Nashville’s Ward-Belmont School, and she often inspired her classmates' laughter with her quick humor.
Cannon, a native of Centerville, Tennessee, and born the youngest of five girls, aspired to be an actress from a young age. Sarah Colley, later known as Minnie Pearl, received the "most humorous" superlative in the 1932 Ward-Belmont yearbook. Her story begins in small-town Tennessee and the all-girls high school and junior college in the nearby city of Nashville. Sarah's own voice is also used to help narrate the film - through audio recordings never-before-heard.” This documentary pulls her story together through a wide variety of voices from friends to peers to historians, like me. Though she was one of the most recognizable figures in the country music world, the Minnie Pearl 'brand' was respected and recognized across all genres. Sarah was authentically Minnie when she was on stage, and she used her platform to bring people together and to make them laugh. “She was a female comic and entertainer with the Grand Ole Opry, which catered to rural America. “Minnie Pearl was a first in so many ways,” Dr.
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Harpeth Hall archivist and Belmont professor Mary Ellen Pethel also contributed historical research and interviews that helped tell the full story of Mrs. Two other Harpeth Hall alumnae played significant roles in the making of the film - associate producer Jessica Turk ‘02 and production assistant Caroline Scudder ‘16. Cannon’s family and dear friends, including Bill Anderson, Garth Brooks, Brenda Lee, Reba McEntire, Tanya Tucker. The documentary features interviews with Mrs. Cannon and highlights their shared legacy of connection, empowerment, warmth, and whimsy.
The film explores the duality between the personalities of Minnie and Mrs. “Knowing that we share the legacy of Ward Belmont/Harpeth Hall with her deepens each of our stories as we continue to carry that legacy into the future.”įeaturing rare archival footage and interviews with those who knew her best, “Facing the Laughter: Minnie Pearl” is a heartfelt and entertaining tribute to a true American icon. “The trajectory of Nashville’s international role in entertainment, medicine, and education has all been influenced by the groundbreaking work of Sarah Cannon, our beloved Minnie Pearl,” Harpeth Hall alumna Amy Grant Gill ‘78 said. Cannon meant to our school community and in recognition of her indelible contributions to Nashville, Harpeth Hall proudly sponsored the making of the film. Cannon’s humble beginnings, her rise to stardom, and her lasting impact on the world of comedy and country music. Last month, Nashville Public Television premiered a documentary that celebrates the life and legacy of Ward-Belmont alumna Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon ’32 and her beloved character Minnie Pearl. For 50 years, the queen of country comedy performed as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, always greeting audiences with her signature “how-DEE!” and charming millions nationwide with her self-deprecating wit and her warm smile. A woman immediately identifiable by her brightly flowered hat and the $1.98 price tag that dangled off its straw brim, Minnie Pearl was an icon of country music radio, stage, and television.
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