PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN LOVES A ROLE SHE CAN GET HER TEETH INTO!

This rare photo features Joan with a Best Actress award from The Count Dracula Society.. I am not sure of the year or the film it was awarded for.. If anyone out there knows, do drop a message!

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN GOES EAST FOR A MEETING WITH PAT!

While visiting Hamburg for the Snickers press conference, Joan met up with actress/interviewer Patricia Driese.. Here they are at the fashionable East Hotel in Hamburg..

ON THE COVER : DAILY MAIL WEEKEND .. SATURDAY MAY 28TH 2012..

Joan appears on the cover of today's 'Weekend' magazine with The Daily Mail newspaper.. As we don't get this issue until out Sunday Edition, I don't have the article to hand.. But here is a look at the cover!

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN'S A LADY WAITING AS BETTE HOLDS COURT!

This rare photo features Joan at the Fox studios in 1955 with co-stars Bette Davis and Richard Todd with producers of the film 'The Virgin Queen'...

DVD UPDATE : TURN THE KEY SOFTLY .. SPIRIT/STRAWBERRY MEDIA 2012

2005 GERMAN RELEASE..

Only available in Europe on a 2005 dvd release from AMCO Germany, Joan's 1953 drama 'Turn The Key Softly' is now available on a region free UK release from Spirit Entertainment...

REVERSE SIDE OF GERMAN RELEASE...

You can read about this film in my 50's flashback feature in a previous post.. Here is a look at the covers of both releases.. A link to order the current UK release is on the side bar....

2012 UK RELEASE..

50'S FOCUS : TURN THE KEY SOFTLY 1953

The Rank Organisation
Presents
A Maurice Cowan Production

TURN THE KEY SOFTLY
Starring
Yvonne Mitchell  Kathleen Harrison   Terence Morgan  Thora Hird  Dorothy Allison  Glyn Houston
                 Geoffrey Keen  Russell Waters   Clive Morton
                             &
        Joan Collins as Stella Jarvis

                Screenplay by Jack Lee & Maurice Cowan  From a Novel by John Brophy
              Music by Mischa Spollansky   Director of Photography - Geoffrey Unsworth
                             Produced by Maurice Cowan     Directed by Jack Lee
     (c) 1953  Rank .. 81 Mins ..  B/W ..             Region 0 DVD From AMCO  ..

"Turn The Key Softly" is another of Joan's films which cast her as a wayward woman. She plays a west end prostitute, who after been released from prison, vows to give up the profession by marrying her bus worker boyfriend Bob and move to Cannenbury! Shot on location in London in the middle of winter, Joan spent her days freezing, in her far from winter wardrobe. She had to wear the traditional tarts outfit of tight black satin skirt, with a flimsy low cut lurex sweater! After a days filming, she then had to go home exhausted and attempt to cook dinner for her then husband, Maxwell Reed, who's raging moods and occasional episodes of flinging her less than gourmet cooking at the walls of their Mayfair flat. It did not help matters having to share the flat with Max's pet monkey! But on the other hand she was beginning to get noticed by the press, who were featuring her so often, that she was crowned Miss Press Clippings of 1952. She accepted her award from the Hollywood actor Forrest Tucker. One press photo used to publicize "Turn The Key Softly", showed so much cleavage, that the paper got letters of outrage!  Joan was still unhappy with her roles, as she continued to get the "Coffee Bar Jezebel" parts. She had auditioned for the role of Monica that eventually went to Yvonne Mitchell, but had to settle for the part of Stella.

 Nevertheless the film did get some good reviews, including this from  The New York Times.
" Turn The Key Softly" is pointedly realistic of it's examination of the short courses of the lives of three ladies of varying degree, after they have left London's Holloway prison. While not precisely on a heroic scale, the producers have endowed the proceedings with compassion, sensitivity and a modicum of irony. Credit Jack Lee, the director and Maurice Cowan, the producer, who also collaborated on the script, with keeping their heroines in the move, without snarling the traffic in tales.Joan Collins is properly lush and brassy as the cockney charmer who almost, but not quite, reverts to her gay way of life!"
An enjoyable film with likeable characters and a fine cast of British faces. This is one key that is well worth turning!

(c)  2010  Mark McMorrow

PHOTO OF THE DAY : BERT'S YOUR UNCLE..IS THAT AN ANT OVER THERE?

This rare shot features Joan on set of the 1976 sci-fi shlocker 'Empire Of The Ants' with director Bert I.Gordon....

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN HAS PRIDE IN HER PERSONAL APPEARANCE!

This rare photo from 1951 features Joan in one of her early personal appearances as a young starlet!

KINDLE ALERT : PAST IMPERFECT... UK EDITION..

Just to mention that Joan's first auto-biography 'Past Imperfect' will be available on Kindle for UK readers shortly!

PROMO FLASHBACK : TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS .. 1973 ..

As Joan's 1973 shocker 'Tales That Witness Madness', finally gets a dvd release in June, here is a selection of clips from the film.....

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN'S A DAB HAND AT DUSTING IN THE DARK!

This rare photo features Joan as Sarah in the 1973 thriller 'Dark Places', which also starred Christopher Lee, Herbert Lom, Robert Hardy and Jean Marsh....

VIDEO UPDATE : SNICKERS PRESS CONFERENCE .. HAMBURG APRIL 23RD 2012..

Here is another video clip regarding Joan's appearance in Hamburg on Monday.....

VIDEO UPDATE : SNICKERS PRESS CONFERENCE .. HAMBURH APRIL 23RD 2012..

Following my posts yeasterday featuring photo's of Joan in Hamburg to attend a press conference in conjunction with her appearance in the current Snickers advert campaign.. Here is a short video from German tv and some additional photo's...

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN HAS EARNED HER STRIPES IN THE STYLE STAKES!

This photo features Joan in a stylish promo shoot....

EVENT UPDATE : SNICKERS PRESS CALL HAMBURG .. APRIL 23RD 2012..

Here are some shots of Joan earlier in Hamburg for the press call to unveil the new Snickers campaign with football referee PierLuigi Collina ..

PROMO UPDATE : JOAN IS A MATCH FOR PIERLUIGI IN THE PROMOTION GAME!

After her very successful weekend in Amsterdam, Joan popped over to Hamburg to do promotion for her appearance in the current Snickers ad campaign... To coincide with the summer football season and after a survey to find out who German fans found important in football, referee PierLuigi Collina came out tops.. To launch the new summer promotion, Joan met up with PierLuigi for a reception.. Thanks to Joan for sharing this exclusive photo!

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN'S IN A STATE'S THAT'S BESIEGED!

This rare photo features Joan with Mathieu Carriere in the drama 'Stage of Siege' aka 'L'amore Breve'...

EVENT UPDATE : ONE NIGHT WITH JOAN.. APRIL 21ST 2012.. AMSTERDAM..

IVAN WITH JOAN AT LITTLE BUDDHA

MYSELF WITH JOAN AFTER THE SHOW

Having viewed the show from the balcony of The De LaMar Theater on Friday evening, I was delighted to take my stalls seat on Saturday night for the second of Joan's sell out run in Amsterdam.. The stage set was more elaborate for this engagement, with two large lamps each side of the stage, not to mention the two zebra rugs.. A glass coffee table covered in framed photos, flowers and candles.. The addition of a fur throw or was it a coat?  draped over a stool for Joan to lounge on between clips, brought an extra touch of glamour for 'Dynasty' fans in the audience.. Not that they needed anymore, with Joan in attendance! Joan was overwhelmed by the response from the Amsterdam audiences and she hopes to return, plus she loves the ultra modern De LaMare Theater! I was delighted to spend some time after the show with Joan in her dressing room along with Ed Finke who brought Joan to the Netherlands, Peter Charlesworth who is Joan's agent and Ivan Massow a good friend of Joan's and who of  course directed the mockumentry starring Joan..'Bankseys Coming To Dinner'...Ivan joined Joan for dinner at Amsterdam's 'Little Budha' restaurant.. Joan is now in Hamburg, doing promotion for her very popular Snickers advert, currently screening around Europe.. It won't be long before we will get another chance to spend 'One Night With Joan'.. Watch this space!!

JOANS POSTER OUTSIDE THE THEATER!

JOAN AND PERCY DURING Q&A

VIEW OF THE STAGE SET..

STAGE RIGHT PROPS!

STAGE LEFT PROPS PLUS THE FUR!

JOAN TAKES THE FINAL CALL!

PHOTO OF THE DAY : JOAN HAS THE LOOK FOR THE MALE MODEL!

This photo from 1983 features Joan as Kay Dillon and the late Jon Erik Hexum as Tyler Burnett in the popular tv movie 'Making of a Male Modle' aka 'The Look' ......

ONE NIGHT WITH JOAN! .. DE LAMAR THEATER AMSTERDAM .. APRIL 20TH 2012

JOAN DURING THE Q&A

JOAN WITH FLOWERS FROM THEATER MANAGEMENT

Joan had a wonderful first night in Amsterdam, with a most appreciative audience and she was thrilled with the response. I was not due to attend last night, however last minute change of plans and I got a spare seat in the balcony..  I will be attending from a nearer vantage point tonight, will report on that tomorrow evening! Among the celebrity audience was Joan's former 'Dynasty The Reunion' co-star Jereon Krabbe, who met Joan after the show.. A wonderful night was had by all!

JOAN WITH JEREON IN HER DRESSING ROOM..

PHOTO OF THE DAY : LIFE'S A JUNGLE IN THERE FOR JOAN!

This rare signed photo features Joan guesting on the popular 60's drama series 'The Human Jungle', seen here with it's star Herbert Lom, who signed the photo.. The full series including Joan's episode 'Struggle For A Mind' will be released on dvd by Network in September..see link on side bar to pre-order!

PHOTO EXTRA : JET-SETTING JOAN .. LEFT HOLDING THE BABY!

Joan spends many times a year flitting between airports and earlier arriving at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport for her two night run at The De LaMar theater.. This press photo from 1972 features Joan en-route to Malaga, with Katy, wearing a hat that is similar to the one she wore earlier in Amsterdam!

PHOTO EXTRA : JOAN IS CHECKED OUT .. BEFORE SHE IS CHECKED IN!

Here is Joan looking sensational as ever as she arrives at her hotel  earlier, for her weekend in Amsterdam.....