Joan Collins Biography (1933-)

Full name, Joan Henrietta Collins; born May 23 (some sources say May 21), 1933 (some sources say 1931 or 1935), in London, England; immigrated to the United States, 1938; daughter of Joseph William (an agent) and Elsa (maiden name,Bessant) Collins (a dance teacher); sister of Jackie Collins (an author); married Maxwell Reed (an actor), May 24, 1952 (divorced, 1956); married AnthonyNewley (an actor, singer, director, and composer), May 27, 1963 (divorced, 1970); married Ronald S. Kass (a film producer), March, 1972 (divorced, 1983);married Peter Holm, November 3, 1985 (divorced August 25, 1987); married Percy Gibson (a theatre manager), February 17, 2002; children: (second marriage)Tara Cynara (a news anchor and musician), Alexander Anthony "Sacha" (an artist); (third marriage) Katyana Kennedy "Katie." Addresses: Agent: PeterCharlesworth, Second Floor, 68 Old Brompton Rd., London W4 1QQ, England; Jeffrey Lane and Associates, 9200 Sunset Blvd., Suite 402, Los Angeles, CA 90069; Cunningham/Escott/Dipene & Associates, 10635 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite140, Los Angeles, CA 90025.; Publicist: Stella Wilson Publicity, 130 CalabriaRd., Highbury, London N5 1HT, England.; Contact: c/o Curtis Brown & Associates, Haymarket House, 28/29 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4SP, England.

Nationality
British
Gender
Female
Occupation
Actress, writer, producer, costume designer
Birth Details
May 23, 1933
London, United Kingdom

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • Alexis Carrington Colby, Dynasty, ABC, 1981-1989
  • Panelist, To Tell the Truth, NBC, 1990
  • Christina Hobson, Pacific Palisades, 1997
  • Alexandra Spaulding Thorpe Walls von Halkien #3, The Guiding Light(also known as Guiding Light), CBS, 2002
  • Miniseries
  • Avril Devereaux, Arthur Hailey's "The Moneychangers" (also known as The Moneychangers), NBC, 1976
  • Helene Junot, Sins, CBS, 1986
  • Alexis, Dynasty: The Reunion (also known as Dynasty: The Miniseries), ABC, 1991
  • Movies
  • Carole Bradley, Drive Hard, Drive Fast, NBC, 1973
  • Kay Dillon, The Making of a Male Model, ABC, 1983
  • Cartier Rand/Marilyn Hallifax, The Cartier Affair, NBC, 1984
  • Pam Dugan, Her Life As a Man, NBC, 1984
  • Katrina Petrovna, Monte Carlo, CBS, 1986
  • Lady Edwina Hogbottom, Annie: A Royal Adventure!, 1995
  • Lady Camilla Ashley, Two Harts in 3/4 Time (also known as Hartto Hart: Two Harts in Three-Quarters Time), 1995
  • Arianna Stanton, Sweet Deception (also known as Sweet Lies), Fox Family, 1998
  • Addie Holden, These Old Broads, ABC, 2001
  • Pilots
  • Racine, Paper Dolls, ABC, 1982
  • Annie McCulloch, The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch, ABC, 1982
  • Specials
  • The Bob Hope Show, NBC, 1959
  • The Bob Hope Show, NBC, 1962
  • The Bob Hope Show, NBC, 1966
  • Lorraine Sheldon, "The Man Who Came to Dinner," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1972
  • Steve Martin--Comedy Is Not Pretty, NBC, 1980
  • ABC team contestant, Battle of the Network Stars XII, ABC, 1982
  • Bob Hope's Women I Love--Beautiful But Funny, NBC, 1982
  • Night of 100 Stars, 1982
  • Blondes vs. Brunettes, ABC, 1984
  • The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Joan Collins, NBC, 1984
  • All-Star Party for Lucille Ball, CBS, 1984
  • ABC All-Star Spectacular, ABC, 1985
  • The Night of 100 Stars II, ABC, 1985
  • On Top All Over the World, syndicated, 1985
  • Hollywood Christmas Parade, syndicated, 1987
  • Secrets Women Never Share, NBC, 1987
  • All-Star Party for Joan Collins, CBS, 1987
  • The 75th Anniversary of Beverly Hills, ABC, 1989
  • Night of 100 Stars III, NBC, 1990
  • Mama's Back, 1993
  • Herself, Whicker's Miss World, 1993
  • Joan Collins: Actress, Author, Defendant, Court TV, 1996
  • Roseanne: Tabloids, Trash & Truth, ABC, 1996
  • Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond, UPN, 1996
  • Host, Hidden Hollywood: Treasure From the 20th Century Fox Vaults,AMC, 1997
  • Joan Collins: A Personal Dynasty, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
  • Oscar Levant: Brilliant Shadow, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
  • An All-Star Party for Aaron Spelling, ABC, 1998
  • Paparazzi, E! Entertainment Television, 1998
  • Herself, Celebrity Profile: Diahann Carroll, E! Entertainment Television, 1999
  • Host, Hidden Hollywood II: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vault, AMC, 1999
  • The Mod Squad: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2000
  • George Hamilton: Playing the Movie Star, A&E, 2000
  • (In archive footage) The 100 Greatest TV Ads, Channel 4, 2000
  • (In archive footage) Elizabeth Taylor: England's Other Elizabeth,2000
  • Herself, Elizabeth Taylor: A Musical Celebration, 2000
  • Mrs. Potiphar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, PBS,2000
  • (Uncredited) Cleopatra (1959 screen test footage), Cleopatra: The FilmThat Changed Hollywood, AMC, 2001
  • Narrator, Hidden Hollywood III: Return to the 20th Century Fox Vaults, AMC, 2001
  • Herself, Dynasty: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2001
  • Herself, Liza Minelli: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2002
  • (In archive footage) Alexis Carrington Colby, When Shoulderpads Ruledthe World, BBC, 2002
  • Herself, Intimate Portrait: Joan Collins, Lifetime, 2003
  • Also appeared in "Struggle for a Mind," The Human Jungle.
  • Awards Presentations
  • The 37th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards, ABC, 1985
  • The 38th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards, NBC, 1986
  • The 39th Annual Emmy Awards, 1987
  • Host, The Golden Globe Awards, 1989
  • The 47th Annual Golden Globe Awards, TBS, 1990
  • The 45th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1991
  • The 17th Annual People's Choice Awards, CBS, 1991
  • The Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards 2002, ITV, 2002
  • Episodic
  • The Perry Como Show, 1955
  • The Ed Sullivan Show, 1957
  • Herself, Toast of the Town, 1957
  • What's My Line?, 1959, 1962, 1965
  • "Struggle for the Mind," The Human Jungle, 1964
  • Herself, Password, 1965
  • "The Borders of Barbarism," Run for Your Life, NBC, 1966
  • Baroness Bibi de Chasseur/Rosy Shlagenheimer, "The Galatea Affair," The Man from U.N.C.L.E., NBC, 1966
  • Lorelei Circe/the Siren, "The Wail of the Siren," Batman, ABC, 1967
  • Lorelei Circe/the Siren, "Ring around the Riddler," Batman, ABC, 1967
  • Edith Keeler, "The City on the Edge of Forever," Star Trek, NBC, 1967
  • Lorna Marie Marshall, "The Lady from Wichita," The Virginian, NBC,1967
  • Nicole Vedette, "Nicole," Mission Impossible, ABC, 1969
  • Sidonie, "Five Miles to Midnight," The Persuaders, ABC, 1972
  • Lady Daisy Frawley, "The Adventure of Auld Lang Syne," Ellery Queen, NBC, 1975
  • Jackie Simon, "Stung from Beyond," Switch, CBS, 1975
  • Kara, "Mission of the Darians," Space 1999, syndicated, 1976
  • "The Pawn Shop," Police Woman, NBC, 1976
  • Lynn Stiles, "Pay or Die," Baretta, ABC, 1976
  • Andrew, Gibbsville, 1976
  • Lorelei Frank, "The Trick Book," Police Woman, NBC, 1976
  • Queen Halyana, "Turnabout," Fantastic Journey, NBC, 1977
  • Eve Di Falco, "The Kansas City Kid," Future Cop, 1977
  • Janice, "Starsky and Hutch on Playboy Island," Starsky and Hutch,1977
  • Natalia Turton, "Neck," Tales of the Unexpected, NBC, 1979
  • Julia/Mother, "Georgy Porgy," Tales of the Unexpected, NBC, 1979
  • Lucy Atwell, "My Fair Pharaoh/The Power," Fantasy Island, ABC, 1980
  • Witch/evil stepmother and father, "Hansel and Gretel," Faerie Tale Theater (also known as Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre), Showtime, 1982
  • "The Captain's Crush/Off-Course Romance/Out of My Hair," The Love Boat, 1983
  • Herself, "Harry Andrews," This Is Your Life, 1985
  • Fame, Fortune, and Romance, syndicated, 1986
  • "Collins Meets Coward," Tonight at 8:30, 1991
  • Stella and Leonora Vail, "Collins Meets Coward" (also known as "Ways andMeans," "Still Life--A Romantic Interlude," and "The Astonished Heart--A SadTale"), A&E Stage, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
  • Ronnie, "First Cousin, Twice Removed," Roseanne, ABC, 1993
  • Die Harald Schmidt Show, 1996
  • Joan Sheffield, "Me and Mrs. Joan," The Nanny, CBS, 1996
  • Herself, The Martin Short Show, syndicated, 1999
  • Herself, So Graham Norton, Channel 4, 1999, 2000
  • Helena Barnes, "My Best Friend's Tush," Will & Grace, NBC, 2000
  • GMTV, 2001, 2002
  • The View, ABC, 2002
  • Herself, "Wedding Bells," Seitenblicke, 2002
  • Herself, V Graham Norton, Channel 4, 2002
  • Also appeared as Jane Blake, "The Dinner Party," Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (also known as Great Mysteries), syndicated; herself, Brigitte & Friends; herself, My Riviera; Suzy Starr, "A Girl Can't Always Have Everything," Tales of the Unexpected; panelist, Match Game PM; guest host, Talk Soup, E! Entertainment Television; in Clive James, PBS; Coronation Street.
  • Television Work
  • Miniseries
  • Executive producer, Sins, CBS, 1986
  • Movies
  • Costume designer, The Cartier Affair, NBC, 1984
  • (With Peter Holm) Executive producer, Monte Carlo, CBS, 1986
  • Episodic
  • Associate producer, "Collins Meets Coward" (also known as "Ways and Means," "Still Life--A Romantic Interlude," and "The Astonished Heart--A Sad Tale"), A&E Stage, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
  • Film Appearances
  • Beauty contest contestant, Lady Godiva Rides Again, 1951
  • Lil Carter, Judgment Deferred, Associated British, 1952
  • Marina, The Woman's Angle, Stratford, 1952
  • Pampinea, Decameron Nights (also known as Tres historias de amor), Film Locations, 1953
  • Norma, I Believe in You, Universal, 1953
  • Rene Collins, The Slasher (also known as Cosh Boy and The Tough Guy), Lippert, 1953
  • Frankie, The Square Ring, Republic, 1953
  • Mary, The Good Die Young, Independent Film Distributors, 1954
  • Stella Jarvis, Turn the Key Softly, Arvis, 1954
  • Sadie Patch, The Adventures of Sadie (also known as Our Girl Friday), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1955
  • Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1955
  • Princess Nellifer, Land of the Pharaohs, Warner Bros., 1955
  • Mistress Beth Throckmorton, The Virgin Queen, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1955
  • Lady Godiva Rides Again, Carroll, 1955
  • Crystal Allen, The Opposite Sex, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1956
  • Jocelyn Fleury, Island in the Sun, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1957
  • Title role, Sea Wife (also known as Sea Wyf and Biscuit), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1957
  • Tina, Stopover Tokyo, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1957
  • Alice Chicoy, The Wayward Bus, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1957
  • Josefa Velarde, The Bravados, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1958
  • Angela Hoffa, Rally 'round the Flag, Boys!, Twentieth Century-Fox,1958
  • Esther, Esther and the King (also known as Esther e il Re),Twentieth Century-Fox, 1960
  • Melanie, Seven Thieves, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1960
  • Diane, 3rd Echelon agent, The Road to Hong Kong, United Artists, 1962
  • Jane, One Million Dollars (also known as La congiuntura, Cent millions ont disparu, and Hard Time for Princes), Columbia,1965
  • Joanie Valens, Warning Shot, Paramount, 1967
  • Polyester Poontang, Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe andFind True Happiness?, Regional, 1969
  • Anne Langley, Subterfuge, Commonwealth United Entertainment, 1969
  • L'amore breve (also known as Besieged), 1969
  • Girl on sidewalk, If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, United Artists, 1969
  • Pat Camber, Up in the Cellar (also known as Three in the Cellar), American International, 1970
  • Sarah Booth, The Executioner, Columbia, 1970
  • Tough Guy (also known as Kung Fu: The Head Crusher and Tough Guys), 1970
  • Carol Radford, Terror from under the House (also known as Revenge, Inn of the Frightened People, Behind the Cellar Door, and After Jenny Died), Hemisphere, 1971
  • Ottilie/Tracy Fletcher, Quest for Love, Rank, 1971
  • The Aquarian, 1972
  • Joanne Clayton, "All through the House," Tales from the Crypt, Cinerama, 1972
  • Molly Carmichael, Fear in the Night (also known as Dynasty of Fear and Honeymoon of Fear), International, 1972
  • State of Siege, Cinema V, 1973
  • Bella Thompson, "Mel," Tales That Witness Madness (also known as Witness Madness), Paramount, 1973
  • Fay, Alfie Darling (also known as Oh Alfie), EMI, 1974
  • Sarah Mandeville, Dark Places, Cinerama, 1974
  • Elena Sperani, The Referee (also known as Playing the Field, Football Crazy, and L'arbitro), 1974
  • Black Bess, The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones, Universal, 1976
  • Lucy, The Devil within Her (also known as The Baby, It'sGrowing inside Her, The Monster, Sharon's Baby, It Lives within Her, Sharon's Baby, and I Don't Want to Be Born),American International, 1976
  • Il pomicione, 1976
  • The Great Adventure (also known as Il richiamo del lupo, The Cry of the Wolf, and La llamada del lobo), Pacific International, 1976
  • Marilyn Fryser, Empire of the Ants (also known as H. G. Wells'Empire of the Ants), American International, 1977
  • Brigitte, Poliziotto senza Paula (also known as Fatal Charm, Fearless, Magnum Cop, and Die Zuhaelterin), 1977
  • Agnes Lozelle, The Big Sleep, United Artists, 1978
  • Gloria Martine, Zero to Sixty (also known as Repo), First Artists, 1978
  • Fontaine Khaled, The Stud, Trans-American, 1979
  • Fontaine Khaled, The Bitch, Brent Walker, 1979
  • Nera, Sunburn, Paramount, 1979
  • Nicolle, A Game for Vultures, New Line Cinema, 1980
  • Diana, Homework (also known as Growing Pains and Short People) Jensen Farley, 1982
  • Madame Carrere, Nutcracker (also known as Nutcracker Sweet), Rank, 1982
  • Georgy Porgy, 1983
  • Neck, 1983
  • Helen/Sybil, Decadence, 1993
  • Herself, Secrets of Fitness & Beauty, 1994
  • Margaretta D'Arville, In the Bleak Mid-Winter (also known as AMidwinter's Tale), Sony Picture Classics, 1995
  • Herself, The Line King: Al Hirschfeld (also known as The Line King), 1996
  • Mrs. Heidelburg, The Clandestine Marriage, United International Pictures, 1999
  • Pearl Slaghoople, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, MCA/Universal, 1999
  • Herself, The Best of So Graham Norton, 2000
  • Max Happy, Ozzie, Mainline Releasing, 2001
  • Film Work
  • Associate producer, The Clandestine Marriage, 1999
  • Stage Appearances
  • (London debut) A boy, A Doll's House, Arts Theatre, London, 1946
  • The Night of 100 Stars II, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1985
  • The Night of 100 Stars III, Radio City Music Hall, 1990
  • (Broadway debut) Amanda Prynne, Private Lives, Aldwych Theatre, London, 1990, then Broadhurst Theatre, 1992
  • Love Letters, 2000
  • Over the Moon (also known as Moon over Buffalo), London production, 2001
  • Also appeared in productions of Jassy, The Praying Mantis,The Skin of Our Teeth, Claudia and David, The Last of Mrs. Cheyney, and Murder in Mind.
  • Major Tours
  • Amanda Prynne, Private Lives, U.S. cities, 1991-1992
  • RECORDINGS
  • Videos
  • The Joan Collins Video Special, 1981
  • Joan Collins: Personal Workout, 1995
  • Music Videos
  • Appeared in "Spitting in the Wind" by Badly Drawn Boy, 2001.
  • WRITINGS
  • Novels
  • Prime Time, Simon & Schuster, 1988
  • Love and Desire and Hate, Simon & Schuster, 1991
  • My Secret, 1994
  • Too Damned Famous, 1995
  • Infamous, 1996
  • Star Quality, 2002
  • Nonfiction
  • Past Imperfect: An Autobiography, W. H. Allen, 1978, revised edition, Simon & Schuster (New York), 1984
  • The Joan Collins Beauty Book, Macmillan (New York), 1980
  • Katy: A Fight for Life, Gollancz, 1982
  • Second Act, St. Martin's, 1997
  • My Friends' Secrets, 1999

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Periodicals
    • Entertainment Weekly, October 25, 1996, p. 128
    • Interview, February, 2000, p. 103
    • New York Times, February 9, 1992
    • People Weekly, January 20, 1997, p. 100; June 20, 1997, pp. 121-124; January 14, 2002, p. 121; March 4, 2002, p. 128
    • Variety, February 12, 2001, p. 52