Joan Collins is an English actress, author, and columnist. She was born and raised in England with her younger siblings, famous author sister Jackie, and brother Williams Jr., a real estate agent. At the age of 9, she acted in Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House and that started her acting career. She then trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London and eventually worked in various British films. In 1955, Joan Collins went to Hollywood and was fortunate to land roles in popular films such as The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955) and Rally Round the Flag, Boys! (1958).
She went on to make films in both the UK and the US throughout her career. In the 70s, her career faltered when she worked in some horror films and softcore p*rn based on her sister’s novels. The 80s brought her most famous character, Alexis Colby in the soap opera Dynasty for whom she won a Golden Globe Award for “Best Actress” in 1982. She also got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for career achievement. In 2015, made her a Dame for services rendered to the charity.
Sun Sign
Gemini
Residence
- Maide Vale, Paddington, London, United Kingdom
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- New York City, New York, United States
- Saint-Tropez, France
Nationality
Manager
Joan Collins is managed by –
- Intertalent Rights Group (Talent Agency), London, UK
- Untitled Entertainment (Manager), Beverly Hills, California, USA
- Vox (Talent Agent), Los Angeles, California, USA
- Jeffrey Lane & Associates (Publicist), USA
Genre
Soundtrack
Instruments
Vocals
Labels
Unknown
Boyfriend / Spouse
Joan Collins has dated –
- Maxwell Reed (1952-1956) – Dame Joan Collins got married to Maxwell Reed, a Northern Irish actor on May 24, 1952. They got divorced in 1956.
- Harry Belafonte – She was rumored to be dating her co-star Harry Belafonte during the shooting of the 1957 film Island in the Sun.
- – Joan met actor Warren Beatty in 1959 and got engaged in the early 1960s. They later separated and in her 1978 autobiography titled Past Imperfect: An Autobiography, she revealed that she got pregnant during the course of their relationship but had an abortion.
- (1959) – She was rumored to be dating actor Marlon Brando in 1959.
- Anthony Newley (1963-1971) – Dame Joan Collins and Anthony Newley, actor and singer-songwriter were married for 8 years from 1963 to 1971. They have 2 children together, a son named Alexander Newley (b. September 8, 1965) and a daughter named Tara Newley (b. October 12, 1963).
- Ronald S. Kass (1972-1983) – Dame Joan Collins and Ronald Kass, an American businessman and manager were married for 11 years. They have a daughter together named Katyana.
- Peter Holm (1985-1987) – Dame Joan Collins and Peter Holm, the Swedish singer were married for 2 years.
- Percy Gibson (2002-Present) – Dame Joan Collins and the American producer Percy Gibson have been married since 2002. He was 36 years old when they married and she was 68.
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Voluptuous figure
- Seductive deep voice
Brand Endorsements
Joan Collins has endorsed brands such as –
- Sanyo Electric Microwaves
- Bristol and West Building Society
- Cinzano
- Bavaria Malt Alcohol
- Rover Metro automobiles
- Olympus Cameras
- Holiday Health Fitness Centres
- National Society for the Protection of Children
- Marks & Spencer
- People’s Post Office UK
- Snickers Chocolate Bars
Best Known For
- Acting in films such as Esther and the King, The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing, Island in the Sun, Nutcracker, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, among others
- Appearing in TV shows such as The Royals, Dynasty, Hawaii Five-O, Pacific Palisades, among others
- Performing in the play The Last of Mrs. Cheyney in London from 1980 to 1981
- Getting an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama in the 1997 New Years Honours, and, being promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to charity in the 2015 New Years Honours
- Writing several books, two of which are the bestseller novels Prime Time and Love & Desire & Hate
As a Singer
Joan Collins has performed several songs such as The Opposite S*x in the movie The Opposite Sex, It’s Great Not To Be Nominated in the TV special The 31st Annual Academy Awards, and Teamwork in The Road to Hong Kong.
First Film
Joan Collins made her theatrical film debut as a Beauty Queen Contestant (uncredited) in the film Bikini Baby in 1951.
Later, she made a credited appearance as Marina in the movie The Woman’s Angle in 1952.
First TV Show
She made her TV show debut as Herself on the TV show Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall in 1955.
Joan Collins Facts
- She is the first of 3 siblings. Her mother was a dance teacher and nightclub host, while father Joseph Collins, was a talent agent and was her first agent in London.
- Her father was born in South Africa of Jewish ancestry from the Netherlands and Germany, and her mother was English with French ancestry.
- Jackie Collins, her younger sister is a very famous romance and drama novelist who died of breast cancer in 2005.
- From childhood, Joan Collins had wished to be on Broadway and fulfilled that dream when she debuted on Noel Coward’s Private Lives in 1991.
- She has a ‘hippie’ way of living her life and was lovingly given the moniker “The British Open” for it.
- Her grandchildren call her “Dodo” as she declines to be called “Grandma” since she first became a grandmother in 1998.
- Dame Joan Collins (DBE) is a great admirer of Great Britain’s former Prime Minister, Lady Margaret Thatcher.
- Maxwell Reed her first husband, put her up for sale 7 months into the marriage, to an Arab Sheik for ten thousand pounds. They parted for good on her 21st birthday.
- She cohabited for 13 years with the art dealer Robin Hurlstone.
- The role of Alexis Carrington was first offered to , , and Jessica Walter before Joan was cast.
- Her most famous role was that of Alexis Carrington in the soap opera Dynasty (1981), where she earned $120,000 for each episode she appeared.
- In the 1985-86 season of Dynasty, she would not go back to work until they gave her a pay rise and, successfully struck a deal for higher pay to about sixty thousand dollars per episode.
- In the final season of Dynasty, the producers told her that they could not afford to pay her every week so she acted in 13 episodes.
- She has been a protégée of John Forsythe and his friend over a long period.
- Dame Shirley Bassey sang at Joan’s wedding to Percy. They have been very good friends for many years.
- She is also friends with Jill St. John and Robert Wagner.
- Charlotte Rae and Joan were regularly in disagreement with one another.
- Joan got the role to play a 17-year-old in The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955) instead of .
- She has an allergy to shellfish.
- Follow her on , , and .
Featured Image by Joan Collins / Instagram
Facts of Joan Henrietta Collins
- Gender Female
- full nameJoan Henrietta Collins
- nicknamesThe British Open
- birthplacePaddington, London, England, United Kingdom
- Date of Birth May 23, 1933
- Age 91 years 6 months
- Horoscope Gemini
- Lucky Number 8
- Lucky Stone Agate
- Lucky Color Yellow
- Best Match for Marriage Leo, Aquarius, Libra
- ethnicity / ethnic backgroundAshkenazi Jewish, French, English
- nationalityAmerican
- net worth$30 million
- professionActress, Writer, Producer, Author, Columnist
- weight65 kg or 143.5 lbs
- height5 ft 6¼ in or 168 cm
- hair colorDark Brown
- eye colorGreen
- body type / buildVoluptuous
- motherElsa Bessant
- fatherJoseph William
- brothersWilliam Collins Jr
- sistersJackie Collins