The British actress and author has had great success in over 50 film roles, in which she became a sex symbol as a lascivious beauty. Joan Collins experienced her international breakthrough on television in the role of the beastly ex-wife “Alexis Colby” in the American cult series “Denver Clan”. The role of the intriguing opponent of “Christel Carrington”, which she embodied with a lot of sex appeal in 219 episodes from 1981 to 1989, became the best-known role of her film career; her attitudes also established her reputation as a prototype diva. In 1984 she received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Privately, the actress made headlines with her changing spouses. However, she shone in old age with demanding roles in TV series…
Joan Collins was born on May 23, 1933 in London, one of three children of the South African entrepreneur Joseph William Collins and his English wife Elsa Bressant Collins.
Collins grew up in London in sheltered circumstances, where she also attended school. Her younger sister, Jackie Collins, became a writer. Her father was a theater agent and wanted his daughters to have careers in show business. Both sisters initially grew up in this profession and aspired to an acting career. At the age of nine she appeared on stage for the first time in an Ibsen play. From 1948 she attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art for two years. She broke off her education to make her first film at the age of 17 with “I’ll Be Leaving You”. She found early popularity with her provocative role in the TV series The Persuaders opposite Tony Curtis and Roger Moore.
In 1955 she starred as a lascivious beauty in “Land of the Pharaohs”. Collins went on to become one of England’s most prolific actresses with over 50 film roles. At the same time, she became a sex symbol. In 1967, she had a small role in one of the most popular episodes of Star Trek (“Reach into History”). She has also starred in numerous films written by her younger sister, Jackie Collins, such as The Stud and The Bitch. The role of the beastly ex-wife “Alexis” in the American cult series “Denver Clan” brought her international attention alongside John Forsythe and Linda Evans. The role of “Alexis Carrington Colby”, which accompanied her in 219 episodes from 1981 to 1989, became the best known of her film career.
However, her convincing performance in the drama about power, oil and money fixed her in the image of an intriguing opponent with a lot of sex appeal, which made subsequent occupations difficult. In 1984 she received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. After Denver Clan ended in 1989, she earned her living as a writer of novels and beauty guides. In 1995, Collins mimed the female lead in A Winter’s Night’s Dream. In 1996 she played a.o. in one of the last three specials of “Hard but hearty: Max” Legacy” alongside Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers. She also had a few guest appearances, including in “Roseanne” and in “The Flinstones in Viva Rock Vegas”.
In February 2002, she married Percy Gibson, 33 years her junior, for the fifth time. Before that she became a mother to three children; two from the second and one from the third marriage. In April and May 2006, Joan Collins toured the UK to sold out shows with her show “An Evening with Joan Collins”. On September 12, 2006 she premiered the play “Legends” together with her Denver colleague Linda Evans in Toronto. The piece then went on tour in the USA until spring 2007. In 2010 Collins took on a guest role in the German daily soap “Verbotene Liebe”; she played the eccentric Lady Joan for three episodes.
Between 2011 and 2013 she impersonated herself in the TV series “Happily Divorced”. She appeared in the roles of Bubbles McGee and Evie Gallant in a few episodes of the 8th season of “American Horror Story” in 2018.
Why is Joan Collins so famous?
Joan Collins is an English actress from Paddington, London. She is most famous for playing the role of vengeful schemer Alexis Carrington Colby in the soap opera “Dynasty” (1981-1989). In 1997, Collins was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama.
How much older is Joan Collins than her husband?
She married her fifth and current husband Percy Gibson, who is 31 years her junior, on 17 February 2002 at Claridge’s Hotel in London. As of 2019, Collins had three grandchildren.
How did Joan Collins make her money?
What is Joan Collins’ Net worth? Joan Collins is an English actress and author who has a net worth of $20 million. She is best known for her role as Alexis Colby on the soap opera “Dynasty,” which ran from 1981 to 1989. Joan appeared in 195 of the show’s 220 episodes.
What does Joan Collins brother do?
Bill Collins
What happened to Joan Collins daughter Katie?
The couple welcomed a daughter Katy the same year. Joan had two older children Tara and Alexander Newly from her first second marriage to Anthony Newly. When Katy was nine she was hit by a car and suffered a horrific brain injury.
Were Joan and Jackie Collins close?
Joan previously revealed she only found out about her sister’s breast cancer battle three weeks before she passed away, and penned a touching tribute to Jackie just days after her death.
What was Jackie Collins worth at death?
Jackie Collins Net worth: Jackie Collins was an English romance novelist who had a net worth of $180 million at the time of her death in 2015. She is known for her best-selling romance novels. During her career, Jackie Collins sold more than 500 million books worldwide.
Who did Jackie Collins leave her money to?
After Colllins died in 2015, her three daughters inherited her estate, and they are now partnering with Bonhams to sell the contents of the house during an auction that will take place in Los Angeles on May 16th and 17th.
