Sophie Bennett
The Chicken Ranch was extremely important to Miss Mona, as it was the brothel she owned and managed. Mona, played by Dolly Parton, inherited the business from the original owner, Miss Wulla Jean, and was a respected and well-liked member of the community. The Chicken Ranch was also the setting for Mona's romantic relationship with Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd, played by Burt Reynolds, who tried to protect her and the brothel from being exposed by a TV reporter. The story of the Chicken Ranch was adapted into a Broadway musical and a film, both titled “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”, which were inspired by the real-life owner of the Chicken Ranch, Edna Milton Chadwell.
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What You'll Learn
Miss Mona's relationship with Ed Earl Dodd
In the 1982 American musical comedy film "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", Miss Mona Stangley, the owner and madam of the Chicken Ranch, a brothel outside the town of Gilbert, Texas, is in a romantic relationship with Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd. Ed Earl Dodd is the Sheriff of Lanville County, Texas, and has been in a 12-year relationship with Miss Mona, who runs the "Chicken Ranch", a brothel in his jurisdiction.
Ed Earl Dodd tries to protect Miss Mona and the Chicken Ranch from being exposed by a TV reporter named Melvin P. Thorpe. However, when Thorpe reveals on his show that "Texas has a whorehouse in it", Ed Earl is shocked and embarrassed. He visits Thorpe in his studio and threatens to physically assault him if he ever returns to Gilbert. Despite this, Thorpe and his crew sneak into the Chicken Ranch and catch the winning Aggies and State Senator Charles Wingwood, a Texas A&M University alumnus, in the act.
The next day, Ed Earl and Miss Mona have a fight, with Mona chastising him for not shielding her during the raid. Ed Earl then travels to Austin to appeal to the Governor of Texas to keep the Chicken Ranch open. However, when the polls show that a majority of Texans disapprove of the brothel, the governor orders the sheriff to close it down. At his office, Ed Earl calls Miss Mona to tell her to permanently close down the whorehouse and apologizes for their earlier fight. Miss Mona is heartbroken, but her spirits lift when she learns of Ed Earl's attempts to keep the brothel open. As she is leaving the Chicken Ranch for the last time, Ed Earl proposes marriage, and they drive away together.
In the original story, Ed Earl and Miss Mona had a one-night stand 15 years earlier, but in the film, they maintain an ongoing affair. Their relationship is marked by bickering and insults, with Miss Mona even declaring that Ed Earl is "a chickenshit sheriff in a chickenshit town". Despite this, they share a loving connection, and Ed Earl's proposal at the end of the film demonstrates his commitment to Miss Mona, regardless of her past or how it might affect his political ambitions.
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The Chicken Ranch's success
In 1905, Jessie Williams, also known as "Miss Jessie", bought a small house along the banks of the lower Colorado River and reopened the brothel. Williams maintained a good relationship with local law enforcement, ensuring that her establishment was tolerated. She excluded drunkards and admitted politicians and lawmen, creating a favourable environment for her business.
During the Great Depression, Williams was forced to lower her prices and implemented the ""poultry standard", charging one live chicken for each sexual act. This led to an abundance of chickens at the brothel, and it became known as the Chicken Ranch. Williams also sold surplus chickens and eggs to supplement her income.
In 1917, the Chicken Ranch began advertising under the direction of two sisters who worked there. They sent packages and letters to local men fighting in WWI, attracting more customers. The increase in automobile ownership also contributed to the growing traffic flow to the brothel, and new rooms were added to accommodate the increasing demand.
In the 1950s, the Ranch employed sixteen prostitutes, and each prostitute served between five and twenty customers per day. The prostitutes kept 75% of their earnings, while the remaining 25% went to Milton, who covered their living and medical expenses. The Chicken Ranch was so successful that, at its peak in the 1960s, it earned more than $500,000 per year, with the prostitutes keeping an additional $300 per week for themselves.
In conclusion, the Chicken Ranch's success was a result of a combination of historical continuity, effective marketing, relationships with local authorities, and the management and reputation cultivated by Miss Mona. The brothel thrived financially and became a well-known institution, even inspiring a Broadway musical and a film.
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The Texas Aggies tradition
The portrayal of Aggies being present when the Chicken Ranch was raided by a television crew is also considered inaccurate by Green. However, the Aggies' association with the Chicken Ranch was significant enough to be included in the film "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." In the film, the Aggies are depicted celebrating their victory in the annual football rivalry between the University of Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies on Thanksgiving Day. The winning school, arranged by the alumni association, traditionally visits the Chicken Ranch as part of their celebration.
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The 'poultry standard'
The poultry standard was a system implemented by Miss Jessie Williams, the owner of the Chicken Ranch, during the Great Depression. Due to the financial crisis, Williams was forced to lower her prices, and as the Depression continued, the number of customers dwindled. Williams struggled to make ends meet for her employees, so she came up with the idea of charging one live chicken for each sexual act. This resulted in an explosion of chickens at the brothel, and it soon became known as the Chicken Ranch. Williams also sold surplus chickens and eggs to supplement her income.
The Chicken Ranch, located in La Grange, Texas, was reportedly the oldest continuously operating brothel in the nation when it closed in 1973. It was originally opened in 1844 by a widow known as Mrs. Swine and featured three young women from New Orleans, Louisiana. The brothel operated in a hotel near a saloon, with the women using the hotel lobby for entertainment and renting a room upstairs for business. After more than a decade of success, the brothel closed during the Civil War when Swine and one of her prostitutes were forced to leave town.
In 1905, Jessie Williams, or Miss Jessie, bought a small house along the banks of the lower Colorado River and reopened the brothel. Williams maintained a good relationship with local law enforcement, excluding drunkards and admitting politicians and lawmen, ensuring her business was tolerated. In 1917, the Chicken Ranch began advertising under the direction of two sisters who worked in the house. Prostitutes sent packages and letters to local men fighting in WWI, and the increase in automobile ownership also boosted traffic to the brothel. New rooms were added to meet the growing demand.
In the 1950s, the Chicken Ranch employed sixteen prostitutes, and at its peak in the 1960s, it earned more than $500,000 per year. Each prostitute served between five and twenty customers per day, charging $15 for fifteen minutes. They gave 75% of their earnings to Williams, who paid for their living and medical expenses. After Williams' death in 1961, the brothel was purchased by Edna Milton, who officially renamed it Edna's Fashionable Ranch Boarding House. Milton maintained many of Williams' rules and contributed to local civic causes, becoming one of La Grange's largest philanthropists.
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The closing of the Chicken Ranch
The Chicken Ranch, a brothel located in Texas, was the setting for the 1982 film "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. The film is based on the true story of the brothel's last madam, Edna Milton Chadwell, also known as Miss Edna, and her relationship with Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd. In the film, Miss Mona Stangley, the character inspired by Chadwell and played by Parton, owns and operates the Chicken Ranch.
In reality, the Chicken Ranch, which was reportedly the oldest continuously operating brothel in the nation, was closed in August 1973 following an exposé by KTRK consumer reporter Marvin Zindler. Zindler's investigation inspired the character of Melvin P. Thorpe in the film. The real-life Chicken Ranch had a long history, reportedly dating back to 1844 when it was run by a widow known as "Mrs. Swine". However, the land where the brothel stood was purchased by Jessie Williams in 1917, and it became known as the Chicken Ranch during the Great Depression when customers began paying with chickens due to lowered prices.
In the film's narrative, the closure of the Chicken Ranch also serves as a plot device to explore the relationship between Miss Mona and Ed Earl. After being ordered to close the brothel, Ed Earl proposes marriage to Miss Mona, even though this could endanger his political ambitions. Miss Mona initially turns him down but eventually accepts, and the film ends on a happy note with the couple driving away together.
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Frequently asked questions
The Chicken Ranch was a brothel that had been operating outside of Gilbert, Texas, since 1910. It was originally owned by Miss Wulla Jean, who passed it on to Mona Stangley, who inherited the business and became the madam.
Miss Mona Stangley was the owner and madam of the Chicken Ranch. She was in a romantic relationship with Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd, who tried to protect her and the Chicken Ranch from being exposed by a TV reporter. She was played by Dolly Parton in the film adaptation.
The Chicken Ranch was exposed by a self-righteous television personality, Melvin P. Thorpe, who accused Ed Earl Dodd of corruption. This sparked a public outcry and put pressure on the Governor to shut down the Chicken Ranch. The brothel was closed down in 1973 by the Texas Rangers.
