'Oliver Twist is my favourite book of all time, but it gave me nightmares': Joan Collins on her cultural highlights
The flamboyant Hollywood star adores Sinatra, Strictly, Double Indemnity with Barbara Stanwyck, Homeland, the 'good-looking' Bradley Cooper and plays Michael Bublé all the time
'When I was in Dynasty, we used to
have screenings at my house in Hollywood and once George Hamilton
brought Elizabeth Taylor. She lit a cigarette and set fire to one of her
acrylic fingernails,' said Joan Collins
My TV gold
Milton
Berle was one of the funniest men ever and Lucille Ball (left) and Jack
Benny were hilarious. For American dramas, you can’t beat Homeland
My
father had one of the first TV sets when they came out in the early
Fifties, but when I moved to America the first hotel that I went into
had colour TV. Milton Berle was one of the funniest men ever and Lucille
Ball and Jack Benny were hilarious.
Now I like to watch Sky News and Strictly Come Dancing. And for American dramas, you can’t beat Homeland.
When
I was in Dynasty, we used to have screenings at my house in Hollywood
and once George Hamilton brought Elizabeth Taylor. She lit a cigarette
and set fire to one of her acrylic fingernails and I had to take her to
the bathroom to fix it.
My movie magic
I love Double Indemnity with Fred
MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck (pictured), I’ve watched Gone With The
Wind ten times and I adore The Fabulous Baker Boys
The first film I saw was either Snow White or a Shirley Temple movie, when I was very young.
Two years ago, for my birthday, my husband Percy gave me my 100 favourite movies, which are now on my iPad.
I
love Double Indemnity with Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck, I’ve
watched Gone With The Wind ten times and I adore The Fabulous Baker
Boys.
I don’t like watching myself in films or on TV but I did think I was very funny in Rally Round The Flag, Boys! with Paul Newman.
I had
nightmares after reading the scene in Oliver Twist, my favourite book of
all time, where Bill Sikes killed Nancy. My favourite book by my late
sister Jackie is The Power Trip
Words of wonder
I’m an avid reader and went through five books a week when I was small.
From
childhood I loved Enid Blyton and Charles Dickens. But I had nightmares
after reading the scene in Oliver Twist, my favourite book of all time,
where Bill Sikes killed Nancy. The thing I like about Dickens is that
he is wonderfully descriptive.
The
last good book I read was Can I Go Now? The Life Of Sue Mengers,
Hollywood’s First Superagent, which was really engaging. My favourite
book by my late sister Jackie is The Power Trip.
The art in my heart
I
have six or seven of Paul César Helleu’s late 19th-century portraits
and about 15 works by Erté. I love Salvador Dali and also Emily Patrick.
I have a wonderful Andy Warhol painting of me in my apartment in LA. I
have some of Tracey Emin’s art – she’s a good friend of mine – and I
have several portraits by Sacha Newley [her son] in my flat in London.
Music to my ears
I adore Frank Sinatra. Of the current artists, I like Pharrell Williams; Blurred Lines and Happy are great songs
I’m a fan of Latin American musician Sérgio Mendes, I love Chet Baker and I adore Frank Sinatra.
I also play Michael Bublé all the time.
Of the current artists, I like Pharrell Williams; Blurred Lines and Happy are great songs.
I remember being entranced by Dick Barton Special Agent when I was about 12
Don’t touch that dial
I
listen to Magic FM when I am in London, or Riviera Radio when we are in
St Tropez. When I was growing up in the Thirties and Forties, radio was
terribly important. I remember being entranced by Dick Barton Special
Agent when I was about 12. I also enjoyed Much-Binding-In-The-Marsh, and
copied it when I edited my school magazine a bit later, calling it Much
Binding in the Fourth Form. Then there was The Goon Show, which came a
bit later. I loved Peter Sellers.
The play’s my thing
The
last production I saw was Bradley Cooper in The Elephant Man. It was
one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. He’s such a good-looking
actor but he brilliantly transformed himself for the role.
I
adore musicals and particularly Kiss Me, Kate. I used to go to the
theatre all the time when I was growing up, as my father was a variety
agent. My grandmother was a singer, dancer and entertainer, who had
toured South Africa.Performing is in my blood.
‘The St Tropez Lonely Hearts Club’ by Joan Collins is published by Little, Brown, priced £16.99
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