DVD ALERT : HART TO HART .. TWO HARTS IN THREE QUARTER TIME ..

Delighted to announce that finally Sony is releasing the 1995 TV movie - 'Hart to Hart- Two Harts in Three Quarters Time' in which Joan co-starred with her old friends Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers. 

JOAN AS LADY CAMILLA ASHLEY

Here is a look at the cover, not very exciting, but glad the film will finally be available...
This Movie On Demand release will be available on December 13th.. You can pre-order from a link on side-bar.. 

PHOTO OF THE DAY : ORCHESTRAL JOAN IS IN A RIGHT ROYAL TRIBUTE!

This photo from 1983 features Joan at The Royal Albert Hall during rehearsals for the show 'An Orchestral Tribute To The Beatles', in which she was the host along with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.. The show was filmed for television and video and was attended by The Queen..

PHOTO OF THE DAY : SIMON DARLING! YOUR SPARKLING WIT, JUST NEEDS LITTLE MORE FIZZ!

This fun photo features Joan with old friend Simon Williams when they starred together in the play 'The Last Of Mrs Cheyney', which had a sucessful run in Chichester and touring before going into the West End's Cambridge Theatre in 1980 ....

BETWEEN THE COVERS : JOAN IS A PROMINENT PART OF JULIAN'S PASSAGE!

This week's excerpt comes from the wonderful 2005 autobiography 'A Young Man's Passage' by the fabulous Julian Clary. Julian hit the big time in the 80's on the comedy circuit as The Joan Collins Fan Club. Little did he know then, that many years later he would be co-starring with Joan in panto! Now both are best of friends.. This excerpt from the book relates how Julian came to be The Joan Collins Fan Club.. Up to that point one of his guises was a kaftan wearing faith healer called Gillian Pie-Face!

JULIAN AS THE JOAN COLLINS FAN CLUB WITH SIDEKICK FANNY!

One day the holdall containing the Gillian Pie-Face costume, wig, props and all was stolen from the back of the van. The thief was probably more upset than I was with his booty. I didn't bother to report it. Gillian was getting on my nerves. I had a bath and thought how I should proceed with the act. Female impersonation wasn't what I wanted to do, but glamour and make-up were. My make-up application had grown particularly extreme, verging on the grotesque. I jumped out of the bath quickly because Dynasty was on. By the time I'd dried myself, all had become clear. I would call myself The Joan Collins Fan Club. Joan was on the cover of every magazine at the time, wearing as much make-up as I did and her character in Dynasty, Alexis Carrington, was the ultimate bitch. Joan's aggressive glamour appealed to me, as did her relentless ability to sell herself. She had a twinkle in her eye, she knew that we knew it was all an illusion, a commercial ruse to earn a fabulous salary with make-up and back lighting. Image was all. The title 'Joan Collins Fan Club' was deliciously self explanatory.

JULIAN WITH JOAN AND JACKIE

My appearance and my put-downs would be justified and what's more the DSS would never rumble me for earning a bit on the side. I alerted the handful of regular cabaret booking I had to my name change and wrote some new material, which I could brutally if not skilfully weave in with the old. In mock-evangelical style, I welcomed the audience to a Joan Collins convention and offered to sell them the crystallised remains of Joan's own bathwater scum, tastefully packaged and bottled for their convenience. 'A spoonful of this in your coffee each morning could change your life for the better!' There was also the Joan Collins Vanilla Disco Rub - which doubled as desert topping and lubricant! 'Imagine the fun you could have at the tea table, or indeed under it!' .. There was a lot more similar such nonsense. Sometimes the act went reasonably well, but sometimes I left the stage to a mere smattering of 'thank god that's over' applause...

JOAN HELPS JULIAN CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY

Paul Merton, a comedian who specialised in surreal stories about bus shelters and Marilyn Monroe, came to tea in Kidbrooke one afternoon and helped me write a new section called 'The Joan Collins School Of Acting - for stage, screen and airport terminal.' This involved me plucking a punter from the audience and giving him a vintage Dynasty script to read with me. I was to play the part of Alexis, of course and the hapless punter was Blake. 'My name is Blake Carrington, but you can call me big knob.'  Having new material and a proper finale meant I died less often. I was still wearing clothes from the Oxfam shop, but I splashed out on sequins and stiletto heels. Later I progressed to rubber, no creasing and just rinse under the tap when you get home!
(c) 2005 ..JULIAN CLARY ...

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN'S A SPY ON AN IMPOSSIBLE MISISON!

This photo was used to promote Joan's guest appearance in the classic series 'Misison Impossible'.. where she played the sultry spy Nicole alongside Peter Graves and Martin Landau...

PHOTO OF THE DAY : SEDUCTIVE JOAN IS THE ULTIMATE ENGLISH ROSE ..

Here is another great shot from a shoot by Harry Langdon for Joan's range of Lingerie in the mid-eighties..

PHOTO OF THE DAY EXTRA : JOHNNY GET'S THE MIDAS TOUCH FROM GOLDEN GIRL JOAN!

Here is a lovely photo of Joan with old friend Johnny Gold, founder of iconic London discoteque/night club Tramp. Joan met up with Johnny to talk about the legendary club for BBC2... Check out Johnny's wonderful autobiography 'Tramp's Gold' ... Thank's to Joan for sharing this photo!

PHOTO OF THE DAY : NOTICE! - PHARAOH SEEKS TO LAND A PRINCESS!

This rare shot features Joan on set of the 1955 epic 'Land Of The Pharaoh's', where she played the scheming Princess Nellifer.. Joan catching up on the latest gossip about herself!

PHOTO OF THE DAY : THE BUS IS LATE FOR WAYWARD JOAN!

This photo from 1957 features Joan as alcoholic Alice Chicoy in the  Fox drama 'The Wayward Bus' also starring Jayne Mansfield and Rick Jason..

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN COMES GIFT WRAPPED!

This glamorous promo photo signed by Joan, features an alluring pose, surrounded by glittering lame!

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN LOOKS FOXY IN THE COMPANY OF LIONS!

This photo from 1958 features Joan arriving for a studio preview of the film 'The Young Lions' starring her pals Marlon Brando, Dean Martin and Montgomery Clift.. The screening was at The Fox Studio Theatre...

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN'S QUEST TO BE A TROLLEY DOLLIE!

This rare photo features Joan taking a break from filming the 1971 Sci-fi/Drama 'Quest For Love'.. She plays two characters in the film, one of who, worked as an air hostess!

PHOTO OF THE DAY : STYLISH JOAN ALWAYS IN FASHION...

This photo is one of many taken for McCall's magazine in the 80's to promote a range of fashions inspired by the 'Dynasty' look...

PHOTO OF THE DAY EXTRA : JOAN'S THE CENTER OF ATTENTION AT IVAN'S PARTY..

This lovely photo of Joan was taken at Ivan Massow's recent birthday party.. You can catch Ivan this Sunday on Channel 4 in the UK, as he is the subject of this weeks edition of 'The Secret Millionaire' which screens at 9.00 pm ...

BETWEEN THE COVERS REVISITED : REMEMBERING SUE LLOYD..

Here is another chance to read this 'Between The Covers' post, featuring the enigmatic British star Sue Lloyd who died earlier..
Sue Lloyd started out as a ballet dancer, before becoming a supermodel gracing the cover of Vogue, to a film star, appearing in 'The Ipcress Files' with Michael Caine, to starring on tv in the crime series 'The Baron' with Gene Barry.. Sue's last major appearances were on tv's popular daytime soap 'Crossroads', but to fans of Joan she will be known for her portrayal of Vanessa in the cult 70's hits, 'The Stud' and 'The Bitch'.. Sue retired from acting many years ago and spent her time painting art works.. As Joan has known Sue since she was a teenager, Joan is sprinkled throughout the book. This edited exerpt from Sue's wonderful 1998 autobiography  combines various passages from the book....

SUE WITH JOAN IN THE STUD

'I blame Joan Collins! If it hadn't been for Joan and her surprise birthday party, I would never have met Edgar Bronfman. I first met Joan and Jackie back in 1959, they were very young, like chalk and cheese. Joan already a star with a few films under her belt, was fine-boned but curvaceous, with very dark, almost black hair, rather like a young Elizabeth Taylor. There was something cool and slightly aloof about her. She carried herself like a big star and some of our friends were rather bitchy about this, but Joan was to have the last laugh. Jackie was quite different. Larger and attractively feline with wild, tawny hair, she was warm and gutsy with a ready laugh. Where Joan was reserved, Jackie was the salt of the earth type. Despite the inevitable sisterly rivalry between them, they were usually together and clearly fond of each other. Joan, Jackie and I had remained friends over the years and shared frequent lunches and dinners. Joan's career was going through a quiet spell just then, but she had found great fulfilment in motherhood. It was funny. I'd never thought of either of these glamorous sisters as the maternal type, yet when their babies came along they transformed before my eyes into devoted mothers.

Anyway on the day of the party some of the other secret guests collected me at 7.30 in their car. 
"Come on Sue", they hustled as I climbed in. "We've got to rush". A paper cup of champagne was thrust into my hand and the car shot off in a westerly direction. "Where are we going?" I asked, brushing Champagne droplets off my skirt. "The airport," they said. "The airport? I thought the party was at Annabel's." "It is" said Henry White, who had organised the car. "Joan's flying in from New York and we are going to pick her up." We reached Heathrow in record time, only to find that the plane, which turned out to be Seagrams private jet, had been delayed. For two hours we hung over the railings drinking champagne from our paper cups until at last the plane touched down. Eagerly we watched every passenger emerge and start down the steps. Not one of them was Joan. I then noticed a tall man with brown blond hair and twinkly blue eyes  looking at me. It was Edgar Bronfman, millionaire owner of Seagrams Whisky, which had been started by his grandfather Sam Bronfman, a wily bootlegger. The introductions were made and the tangle sorted out. Joan, it seemed, had been unavoidably delayed and would miss her party, but the rest of us would go on to the celebrations as planned. We would have to hold the party without her. "And you can come with me in my car," said Edgar, taking my arm. For me it was love at first sight. We clicked instantly. Edgar was godfather to Joan's and husband Ron Kass's daughter Katy, who was born on his birthday in June and he was so close to their family, that he let them organize his own son Edgar Jr's 21st birthday party in California. Yet that didn't prevent him sacking Ron from his post at Saggitarius Films just two days later, almost before the party debris was cleared away. It was outrageous, he allowed Ron and Joan to make all the party arrangements and run the bash. By all accounts it was a great success, when the mail arrived the following Monday, containing a letter from Edgar, Joan and Ron naturally assumed it was a thank you note. 

After I appeared on 'The Two Ronnies', offers of new roles were beginning to flag. Then out of the blue Joan Collins rang me. She was very excited about a project they were putting together. Apparently Jackie, who'd long since given up acting in favour of writing a raunchy novel called 'The Stud' and Joan and Ron wanted to make it into a film. Joan was going to star in it, there would be a role for me if I was interested. "Sounds like it could be fun, Joan," I didn't get too excited at that point. Making movies can be a very disappointing business, so many promising projects fizzle out before they ever see the inside of a studio, let alone reach the big screen. Yet against all the odds 'The Stud' not only materialized, it went on to become a huge success. It was the best selling British film for many many years. It was denounced in some quarters, raved about in others and generally caused a sensation. The intellectuals even described it as the defining film of the seventies. Almost overnight, Joan became a bigger star that she'd ever been in her youth. Oliver Tobias, the stud of the title, went from previously almost unknown to major international hearthrob and I was suddenly flooded with film and TV offers. As for Jackie, she was now queen of raunchy novelists. 'The Stud' caused a furore, we were all taken completely by surprise. "I don't know", said Joan, when we met shortly after the film's release, "Not long ago, none of us could get ourselves arrested. Now it's incredible!"

SUE WITH OLIVER TOBIAS AND HIS GIRLS!

There was a lot of nudity in 'The Stud', which probably explained some of the fuss. Joan was uneasy about one particular scene, in which she had to sit on s swing above a swimming pool, wearing nothing but black lace panties, stockings and suspenders. The rest of us were supposed to be frolicking naked in the water beneath her. As the scene drew closer, I could see Joan getting more nervous about it. We were shooting at The Sanctuary, an exotic club in London's Covent Garden, so that lunchtime, before the scene began, I took Joan around the local bars for a couple of relaxing drinks to loosen her up. With there been a lot of hostelries in Covent Garden, the upshot was that passers-by might have been surprised to notice two heavily made-up women swaying alarmingly down the streets of Covent Garden in the middle of the afternoon. We might have looked like a couple of drunks at that point, but the scene went off without a hitch and added yet another sensational strand to the film.

ORIGINAL PREMIERE INVITE

Joan and I remained friends, she was getting married for the third time to Swedish businessman Peter Holm. She had hired a London club for the festivities, sadly the marriage was certainly third time lucky. It was to escalate into a complete disaster which ended in an unpleasant court battle. Joan looked lovely on the day itself, as she always does and I got a fit of giggles when we reached the speeches. Peter's father, an endearingly earnest, very Swedish type, was quite overcome with pride at the glamorous new bride his son had landed. He launched into his speech with enthusiasm. " My lovely Yoe-an. She is so beautiful," he began in a heavily Swedish accent. "I am so pleased she is going to be married to my peter. Yoe-an she say to me: "Make it short. Just make it short". Such a sense of humour, our Yoe-an".... He droned on and on and if you were looking for a word to describe his performance, short would have been the last to spring to mind! The guests were shuffling discreetly, yawns were stifled and out of the corner of my eye, I could see the lovely Yoe-an looking as if she'd like to strangle her new father-in-law. We exchanged looks, I tried to stifle a laugh and Joan hid her smiles behind a glass.
 When not acting, one of my hobbies is painting personalized  murals in the homes of friends. There was a painting of mine installed on one Los Angeles wall, Publicist Jeffrey Lane, an old friend, had moved to LA some time before. He bought Anne Baxter's previous home, as a moving in present I had offered to paint a mural for him, but he had refused, but I decided to create a pastiche Helleu of Joan and signed it "Hello!", as a joke. One day Joan herself was visiting Jeffrey, as they sat chatting, she suddenly glanced up, did a double take at the wall and said. "That's me!" And Jeffrey had to confess that it was.  Joan loved the picture so much, that she asked me to do a copy for her. She has it to this day! 
(c) 1998  SUE LLOYD..

RIP : SUE LLOYD 1939 -2011

SUE WITH JOAN AT THE PREMIERE OF THE BITCH

Sad to hear today that the lovely Sue Lloyd has died.. Sue a good friend of Joan's also starred in the 70's hit film 'The Stud' and 'The Bitch' among many other films including 'The Ipcress Files' as well as many tv shows, notably 'The Baron' and 'Crossroads'... 

PHOTO OF THE DAY : ROGER DARLING! YOU HAVE A FACE FOR RADIO!

This rare BBC photo from 1953 features Joan with interviewer Roger Bernard at a broadcast for the BBC French Service stage and screen programme 'La Chronique Des Spectacles'..

BETWEEN THE COVERS : STEPHANIE'S MANY LIVES FEATURE JOAN!

This week's excerpt comes from the brand new autobiography 'Many Lives' by the sensational Stephanie Beacham.. The book published by Hay House is in bookstores on Monday..


'I had gone to stay in Somerset with my two girls, Phoebe and Chloe. It was summer 1985 and 'Connie' was in the can. We'd gone down to the sea the same day we'd arrived at my parents house. I was standing on the deck in front of the beach hut. Suddenly a vision - I could see red-tiled roofs and a palm tree. And the thought - 'God's going to send me to California, how extraordinary.' Just like that, the vision and the thought, together. I didn't connect it to anything. Later the phone rang, it was my agent Maureen.. 'Something's come up, you may be interested. Can you be back in London the day after tomorrow?' she asked. The producers of 'Dynasty' were auditioning for a role in another series they were producing. Funny - I'd used the programme as inspiration to inject a bit of glamour into 'Connie'.  I really wasn't that keen. I thought they were probably after some American star. I agreed and Maureen couriered the audition piece to me and I took it to the beach. Before I'd had the chance to have a proper look, the wind grabbed it. It landed in the sea. I laughed. I wasn't particularly bothered, but I went up to London. When I arrived at the studio where they were taping the auditions, I noticed a sharp tang of adrenaline and perspiration hanging in the air. People had been nervous. This was a big deal, people wanted this desperately. I picked up a script someone had left behind. 'I'm going for this', I thought. A couple of days later, back in Somerset, the phone rang. It was Maureen. The producers wanted to see me in Los Angeles. I was going to Hollywood!

STEPHANIE & JOAN WITH GORDON THOMPSON AND TRACY SCOGGINS IN  THE FINAL EPISODE OF DYNASTY

Getting the part of Sable Colby depended on an interview with Aaron Spelling, the executive producer of 'Dynasty'. I was shown into his office. It was very large and there was an ocean of thick shag carpet I had to wade through, very difficult to accomplish elegantly, before reaching an enormous desk behind which was a small, slim, suntanned Texan with white hair and a sweet smile. 'You're younger than I thought you'd be', he said. 'But much more experienced', I countered. I wanted this. You can't pay school fees for two daughters on the wages from the National Theatre. Aaron's voice a soft Texan twang and then he lifted a large white telephone and said.. 'I'm sending her to wardrobe'. It was straight out of the movies. Within minutes I was being measured by the great designer Nolan Miller and Sable was being brought to life. I was back in Hollywood after a 15 year gap. 

STEPHANIE WITH JOHN AND LINDA

In the television series 'The Colbys', my character was married to Charlton Heston's and Barbara Stanwyck for a sister-in-law and a sister played by Katharine Ross. First day on the set I wasn't nervous until I thought.. 'That's Barbara Stanwyck and this is Hollywood'. Later that day I had a scene with Linda Evans. I'm completely deaf in my right ear. The shot had been blocked with Linda standing on my right. I couldn't hear my cue. I swapped sides. Linda was very gracious about it. I had to take a glass of Champagne from a tray a waiter was carrying with my left hand. I was really nervous. My hand was trembling so I thought it seemed wiser to take the glass with my right. I had to re-orchestrate the whole scene. I thought, 'Don't start justifying this, Stephanie, just do what you have to do to survive, be your best'. 

My first real contact with Hollywood was through Ava Gardner. I co-starred with her and Ian McShane in the film 'Tam Lin' in 1969. We had taken over the Peebles Hydro in Scotland. The place was crawling with crew, equipment and a cast that included Cyril Cusack who was playing my father, Cyril's real life daughter, Sinead  Cusack, Joanna Lumley, Richard Wattis and our director, Roddy McDowall. All we lacked was our star. Ava arrived chauffeured like royalty, with her corgis, a gramophone player and a box of Frank Sinatra records. He'd been her third and last husband and though divorced, their love never died. I stayed in my room when she arrived. I thought she'd have more important people to meet. It was a mistake, she felt snubbed. She wanted to meet her young co-star. We made up, though, and became friends. She was a lovely person to work with, she mentored me and I was hungry to learn from her. She'd get me to stand on a box during scenes in which we had dialogue. I asked her why. 'The lights are far kinder to the older face when it's looking up rather than down, bags under the eyes - gone!' She knew all the tricks.

STEPHANIE WITH  JOAN AND MICHAEL NADER

I remembered this trick when on the set of 'Dynasty' one day, when we were doing close-ups. Just as we were about to go for a take, Joan in full regalia, as her character Alexis Colby, kicked her shoes off. 'Oh my feet, they're so sore', she said, with a huge sigh. Without her heels my eye-line was going to be considerably lower. 'Oh gosh', I said, 'I so know what you mean'. I looked at her discarded shoes and measured up the heel in my mind. 'Could we have a four-and-a-half-inch pancake- techie speak for what's essentially a box- for Miss Collins, please?' I asked the chippies... I was also in Jackie Collin's 'Lucky Chances'.When we met, Jackie said..'I don't know if I should be talking to you!'.. I'd played a writer called Vicki Sprantz in 'Troop Beverly Hills'. It was obvious I'd based her on Jackie. I wore every sort of animal print I could!
(c) 2011  STEPHANIE BEACHAM ..

PHOTO OF THE : DARLING! DON'T LOOK NOW BUT THERE IS A BITCH UPFRONT!

This rare photo features Joan with then husband Ron Kass at a party to celebrate the release of 'The Bitch'.. Joan co-star Michael Coby can be seen wearing a promo t-shirt with the films logo on it..

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN'S ON A QUEST FOR PERFECTION!

This rare photo features Joan on set of the 1971 sci-fi drama 'Quest For Love'.. Joan is touching up her makeup and having her hair fixed..

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN'S A LADY WHO LOUNGES!

This photo was one of a series of shots taken to promote Joan's range of lingerie in the 80's ...Joan looks as alluring as ever in this sensational shot...

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN READIES HERSELF TO FACE THE PHARAOH!

This rare photo features Joan in wardrobe being fitted for her role of the scheming Princess Nellifer in the epic 'Land Of The Pharaohs' in 1955...

PHOTO OF THE DAY EXTRA : JOAN'S A MANHATTAN GIRL AFTER LUNCH..

Here is a candid shot of Joan and Percy earlier today as they take a stroll after lunch in NY .... Joan looking sensational in a purple jacket and matching beret...

PHOTO OF THE DAY : SEA WIFE JOAN AT HOME ON DRY LAND!

This rare photo from 1956 features Joan on the set of the film 'Sea Wife' reading a film magazine....

PHOTO OF THE DAY : PETER FINDS SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES!

This rare photo features Joan and Jackie with comedy legend Peter Sellars in 1976 at a party... Not sure of the occasion..

PHOTO OF THE DAY : DARLING! YOU LOOKED BROWNED OFF WITH ALL THIS HANGING AROUND..

This rare photo features Joan and Richard Egan having a smoke break, between takes during the filming of the 1960 bibilical epic 'Esther & The King' ...

PHOTO OF THE DAY : PETER STOPS OVER IN TOKYO TO SEE JOAN AND RJ!

This rare photo from 1957 features Joan and Robert Wagner taking a break from filming the spy thriller 'Stopover Tokyo' and meeting friend Peter Townsend, a close companion of Princess Margaret...

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN'S A CHEYNEY GIRL!

This lovely photo features Joan as Mrs Cheyney in the West End production of 'The Last of Mrs Cheyney' in which she starred with old friend Simon Williams in 1980.....

ON THE COVER : THE CHILDREN'S TRUST NEWS ... WINTER 1996 ..

This cover features Joan at one of her many charity appearances....

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN IS OPTIMISTIIC OF KATY'S FUTURE!

This rare photo from 1973 features Joan and then husband Ron Kass off set as they watch daughter Katy make her film debut in the film 'The Optimists' which starred Peter Sellars and was produced by Ron...

EVENT UPDATE : THE CEW UK AWARDS 2011.. MONDAY 10TH OCTOBER 2011

Here are some more photo's from last nights CEW UK ACHIEVER AWARDS in which Joan was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award...Joan looked stunning as ever in a lovely Green  Gown....

JOAN DISCUSSES BEAUTY..

JOAN WITH HER AWARD...