Every year, thousands of films and television series are released in the world, an incredible number of actors are shot in them. Not everyone succeeds in becoming famous and remembered by the audience. However, British Joan Collins (films with her participation are included in the treasury of world cinema) will remember everyone. After all, this actress for many years successfully performed the role of the ruthless and vile, but surprisingly charming Alexis Colby from the cult series “Dynasty”.
The early years of the actress
The future movie and television star Joan Collins, the biography was similar to many girls of her generation who dreamed of becoming actresses. She was born in London on May 23, 1933. The girl’s father was a theater agent of Jewish origin, and her mother was a successful choreographer, which later allowed her to open her own nightclub. In the Collins family, Joan was not the only child. In addition to brother Bill, the girl had a younger sister, Jackie, who later became a popular writer and inspired Joan herself to take up a pen.
The acting talent manifested itself in the girl in early childhood, and in combination with the marvelous beauty, she allowed her to study dramatic art at one of the most prestigious universities in the UK after graduation.
In addition, the young Miss Collins managed to conclude a very profitable contract with the British film company, and already at seventeen she starred in her first film.
First successes in the cinema
Although Joan got only a minor role in the debut film, she was quickly noticed, and soon the girl began to be offered the main roles. The fragile, graceful brunette with huge eyes, despite the apparent weakness, was actually quite stubborn and had amazing ability to work.
So, in just one 1952, three films with her participation were released immediately, and in 1953 - five. And Miss Collins did not plan to slow down the pace. Despite the workload on the set, the actress managed to combine work with study, after which she received offers from the studio “Twentieth Century Fox” to act in Hollywood. Agreeing, Joan Collins signed a contract and soon became a real star in the United States.
Despite the extraordinary beauty, Joan quickly established herself as a serious and diverse actress.
Of course, the greatest success was brought to her by roles in large-scale historical productions of The Land of the Pharaohs, Queen of the Virgin, Esther and the King.
But at the same time, the girl did not refuse to try her hand at films of a different genre: the drama “Girl in a Pink Dress” based on real events, the film adaptation of the popular novel “The Lost Bus”, the light comedy film “The Opposite Sex”, the Western “Bravados” and many others.
Fashion Model Career
Collins Joan, while still a novice actress in the UK, was actively filming for various magazines. In the fifties, the genre of photography called pin-up was in fashion, and the actress's external data perfectly matched him.
Therefore, photographs of the seductive figure of the girl often appeared on the pages of many British magazines. Joan Collins was recognized as one of the most beautiful women in the United Kingdom. It is possible that her fame as a fashion model contributed to the growth of popularity as an actress.
Career in the 60-70s
After the dizzying success in the fifties, in the early sixties, the actress took a short break. She gave birth to a child and stopped acting.
Collins Joan was already married a second time, but retained her maiden name. But she did not enjoy the role of a housewife for a short time and soon returned to the profession. However, Joan quickly realized that she was missing her time. Although the actress continued to shoot, most films of that period were no longer successful with the audience.
However, at that time, the beginning of the development of the television series industry began. Realizing that in the movie as an actress, she is unlikely to have the main roles, Joan begins to appear in separate episodes. She also participated as a guest star in such popular projects as Batman, Mission Impossible, Star Trek, Starsky and Hutch and others.
In addition, in the early seventies, actress Collins Joan returns to British cinema.
Most of her works of this period are horror films. And although the roles in such films as “Empire of Ants”, “Tales from the Crypt”, and the like did not become particularly noticeable phenomena in Joan's career, they were a vivid confirmation that the actress tried herself in new genres.
The younger sister of the heroine of our story by that time also had an excellent career, but in the literary field. She had already managed to publish several very successful novels, and one of them, “The Stallion,” was just about to be filmed. Jackie helped her sister get a role in the upcoming film, and the actress did so well that she was invited the next year to shoot his sequel.
Dynasty: Triumphant Return
By the beginning of the eighties, Joan was almost fifty, and at this age, few can expect an upswing in his career. In 1981, the actress was offered a role in the small series Dynasty, which was on the verge of closure. Her heroine, the ex-wife of an oil magnate, returned to his life to reconcile with children and try to recapture her husband from his new passion. In a word, the character Collins caught a negative.
By agreeing to participate in the project, Joan at first did not build big illusions. However, the actress got accustomed to the role and gave her so many shades and new faces that the audience could not take their eyes off her heroine, and the ratings of the series began to grow, which means that the project was extended for new seasons. Other actors in the series were also quite popular, but Joan Collins, of course, made the greatest contribution to the success of this project.
Photos of her smiling face literally did not leave the pages of newspapers and magazines. She was interviewed, invited to host various ceremonies and shows, she was admired, imitated and envied.
And although the actress herself admitted that she did not have much in common with the character of her heroine, thanks to her role in the Dynasty, Joan had a reputation for a stylish and confident beast, capable of anything.
Especially contributed to this reputation for bitch story with the contract of the actress. Due to the fact that she only joined the Dynasty team in the second season, Joan did not sign a standard contract like the rest of her colleagues. And when the ratings of the series crawled up, Collins demanded an increase in her fee and threatened to leave the project in case of failure. Fearing to lose one of the main stars, the producers made concessions, and soon Joan became one of the highest paid actresses on American television.
Thanks to the success in the series "Dynasty", Collins became the idol of many ladies in their forties. After all, she demonstrated by her example that life at the age of forty was only just beginning.
One of the most extraordinary acts of that period was the shooting for Playboy magazine of practically nude Joan Collins. The photo of a fifty-year-old woman on the cover of a popular erotic magazine inspired many women of her age to live life to the fullest and not give up on themselves.
Writer's career
Collins Joan has long watched the successful career of a younger sister. And in the late eighties, when the actress was at the peak of popularity, she decided to try herself as a writer herself. In 1988, the book "Best Airtime" was published.
Unfortunately, this work was criticized by literary scholars. However, due to the personal popularity of the author, readers instantly sold out all the copies. Although peculiar, but still the success of the first book inspired the actress to continue working in this direction. It is noteworthy that still love affairs and autobiographical novels continue to come out of the pen of Joan Collins.
Social Activities Joan Collins
The biography, personal life and writing career of the famous actress were more than successful. Therefore, Joan was able to afford to devote time to social life. Even at the time of the success of Dynasty, she began to actively engage in charity work. For this, in 2015, Queen Elizabeth awarded Joan of the Order of the British Empire.
After the closing of the Dynasty series in 1989, Collins decided to participate in theatrical productions. After a successful debut on Broadway, the actress began to actively play on stage and go on theater tours.
At the same time, Joan continues to act in films, although mainly as a guest star and in supporting roles (“Winter's Tale”, “Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas”, etc.). She remains even now quite in demand and more often than other colleagues of her age appears on the screen.
Among other things, Joan Collins tried herself as a producer in five television projects of the 80-90s. In two of them, the actress also starred. These were the series "Monte Carlo" and "Sins."
Five marriages
Like an acting career, Joan Collins's personal life knew both ups and downs. The actress was married 5 times, not counting minor novels. From these marriages, she had three children - two daughters and one son.
Joan's first husband was Maxwell Reed, a famous British actor. However, the couple soon broke up.
Later, the actress admitted that her husband not only pumped her with drugs and raped her on a first date, but also tried to force her to provide sexual services for money.
Taught by bitter experience, the second time Joan ventured to marry only after almost 10 years - in 1963. Her new chosen one was Anthony Newley. The marriage lasted eight years, during which Joan gave birth to two children.
Unlike his first husband, Anthony was a wonderful husband, but due to the difference in views on the relationship, the couple had to leave. After a divorce from Newly, Joan was not alone for long, just a year later she became the wife of Ron Kass.
In this union, the actress gave birth to a daughter, but due to her husband's drug addiction, five years after her marriage, Collins left him. Despite this, they remained in a good relationship, and during the illness, Cassa Collins supported him until his death.
In 1983, Joan met Peter Holm - a pop singer from Sweden. And two years later, the couple married legally. However, the couple lived together for only thirteen months, after which they divorced.
This gap was the most unpleasant for the actress, as her husband tried to sue her a decent amount of money. In the end, she had to pay, but much less than the greedy ex-husband requested.
After a sad experience, the actress for a long time did not dare to bind herself again by marriage. But in 2002, Joan again decided to go down the aisle.
Her chosen one was the modest theater manager Percy Gibson, more than three decades younger than Collins herself. Fans of the actress sincerely hope that in this marriage she will finally find the long-awaited and well-deserved happiness.
Joan Collins Awards and Achievements
The filmography of the actress has more than one hundred and fifty roles in film and television. Unfortunately, most of them were not appreciated by critics. The largest number of awards Joan brought the series "Dynasty" - 7 prestigious awards in various categories (including the Golden Globe). In addition, Collins was nominated for the Saturn Award for her participation in the movie Empire of Ants. The star could not avoid the Golden Raspberry nomination for the Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.
In addition to the fact that the actress has her own star on the legendary Walk of Fame, Joan Collins was also awarded the Order of the British Empire last year, so now she should be addressed only as "Lady Joan."
Despite the fact that Collins does not have many prestigious awards, her greatest achievement is faithful audience love.
Joan Collins is a woman of amazing fate. In both personal and professional terms, she was able to achieve a lot. And although fate often threw her trials, the actress endured them all with honor and dignity. Despite his advanced age, Joan continues to live a full life and delight his fans with new works.