Publisher's Synopsis
Dame Joan Henrietta Collins, DBE, who was born on 23rd May 1933, in Paddington, London, England, UK then grew up during the Second World War, in Maida Vale in that city, is an actress, author and columnist. After making her stage debut in the Henrik Ibsen play A Doll's House, when aged 9, she trained as an actress at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. She then signed an exclusive contract with the Rank Organisation, appearing in many British films. Collins headed to Hollywood in 1955 when aged 22, having landed sultry roles in several popular films, including The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955) and Rally Round the Flag, Boys! (1958). She continued to make films in the US and the UK throughout the 1960s, also guest-starring in an episode of the original Star Trek in 1967, "The City on the Edge of Forever", as Edith Keeler. Her career went into decline during the 1970s, when she appeared in a number of horror films. Towards the end of the decade, Joan starred in two softcore pornographic films, based on best-selling novels by her younger sister Jackie Collins: The Stud (1978), followed by its sequel The Bitch (1979). Joan then began appearing on stage, playing the title role in the British revival of The Last of Mrs. Cheyney in 1980, before a decade later having had a lead role in the revival of Noël Coward's Private Lives. Collins was given the role of Alexis Colby during 1981, the vengeful and scheming ex-wife of John Forsythe's character, in the 1980s soap opera Dynasty, winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in 1982. She's credited with having played a big part in the success of Dynasty, which was the most-watched TV series in the US during the 1984-85 broadcast season. Joan received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1983. Collins was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II for services to charity, in 2015. Since the late 1970s, Joan has written several books, including some on beauty and autobiographies, having published her first novel, Prime Time, during 1988. A member of the Conservative Party, Collins was invited to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, during April 2013.
