EVENT UPDATE : THE PRIDE OF BRITAIN AWARDS .. THE GROSVENOR HOUSE HOTEL LONDON .. MONDAY OCTOBER 30TH 2017

Joan looking sensational on the red carpet for The Pride Of Britain Awards the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.. You can catch the show on ITV1 on Tuesday November 7th at 8pm..

Joan & Percy catch up with Rod Stewart & Penny Lancaster

RELEASE ALERT! THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES ON ITUNES / COMCAST USA NOVEMBER 2017!

Delighted to announce that Joan's latest film will soon be available to view in the USA via iTunes and platforms such as Comcast, Googleplay, Youtube & Vimeo..
You can however preorder now on itunes at the following link for November 28th!
Pre-order 'The Time Of Their Lives' now!

GHOULISH GREETINGS FOR A HORRIFYING HALLOWEEN!!

As the witching hours approach with the impending arrival of Halloween.. The Joan Collins Archive wishes you all a most spooky celebrations... Joan is getting into the Act with murderous thoughts on her mind and a spell or two to Cast for that next big project!  Happy Halloween Everyone! Or should that be Have a Horribly Horrifying One!!

TV ALERT : A VERY ROYAL WEDDING .. ITV1 .. MONDAY OCTOBER 30TH 2017 .. 9PM

To celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the wedding of The Queen & Prince Philip, a new ITV special hosted by Alexander Armstrong, features contributions from Joan along with Sheila Hancock. The show airs at 9pm Monday October 30th on ITV1..

A Very Royal Wedding celebrates the 70th anniversary of The Queen and Prince Philip’s marriage in November 1947.

Presenter Alexander Armstrong discovers how a battered post-war Britain pulled off the wedding of the century against the odds.

This feature-length documentary includes contributions from Joan Collins and Sheila Hancock, sharing their memories of the wedding, as well as revealing insights from those who were part of the big day, such as page boy Prince Michael of Kent.

This was “the people’s wedding” and Alexander will meet the ordinary people who made this such a special occasion, including one of the seamstresses responsible for the spectacular wedding dress.

Alexander will also see up close recreations of The Queen’s exquisite 3-carat diamond engagement ring, her beautiful wedding bouquet and her show-stopping 9ft high, 500lb wedding cake.

The film features stunning colour archive of the wedding as well as The Queen’s private home movie footage of the day.  

EVENT UPDATE : VALENTINO - ACADEMY OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARD CELEBRATION .. CLARIDGES .. OCTOBER 18TH 2017 ..

Joan has the selfie look with Valentino & Carlos Souza

It was a big celebration at Claridge's for Valentino as he accepted the prestigious Academy of Achievement Award.. Joan was in attendence to help her good friend celebrate along with Tamara Beckwith, Simon & Yasmin LeBon & Suzy Menkes

Valentino accepts the award from Jeremy Irons

Joan catches up with Giancarlo Giammetti

Valentino had his cake.. and they ate it too!

TV UPDATE : THIS MORNING .. ITV 1 .. MONDAY OCTOBER 16TH 2017

Joan with Philip & Holly

Joan was invited to appear earlier today on 'This Morning' to discuss her experiences with various male producers and fellow actors over the course of her lengthy career in the biz in light of the current Harvey Weinstein controversy..

EVENT UPDATE : SIR ROGER MOORE CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE AND WORK .. PINEWOOD STUDIOS.. SUNDAY OCTOBER 15TH 2017..

Bond producers Michael G Wilson & Barbara Brocolli address the gathering

Joan with Geoffrey & Christian & Adam Bricusse

Joan with Deborah Moore

A special celebration of the life and career of Roger Moore was held at Pinewod Studios yesterday which also included a  ceremony with The Countess of Wessex to officially open a sondstage named after him.. Also in attendance were Michael Caine, Tim Rice, Leslie & Evie

Joan with fond memories of her dear friend.

Bricusse & Stefanie Powers along with Rogers Sons Geoffrey & Christian, daughter Deborah and wife Kristina.

Joan with Christian Moore & Stefanie Powers

PRESS UPDATE : DAILY MAIL .. OCTOBER 14TH 2017 ..

Hollywood's casting couch and why I lost my part as Cleopatra to Liz Taylor: JOAN COLLINS recalls hiding in wardrobes, dodging naked producers and heeding Marilyn's warning that all studio bosses were 'wolves'

• When Joan Collins was 21, Marilyn Monroe poured out a cautionary tale of sexual harassment she and other actresses endured from ‘the wolves in this town’
• Just days after Marilyn's warning, the actress was propositioned by Darryl Zanuck, the vice-president of production at 20th Century Fox
• The meteoric descent of Harvey Weinstein has brought back memories for her

Shortly after arriving in Hollywood aged 21, under contract to 20th Century Fox, I attended a party at Gene Kelly’s house.

The star of An American In Paris and Singin’ In The Rain hosted a weekly gathering for an eclectic group of movie industry power-brokers, A-list actors and actresses, intellectuals and his friends. It was where I first met Marilyn Monroe.

At first I didn’t recognise the blonde sitting alone at the bar until she turned to me and said rather ruefully: ‘They wanted me for the lead in Red Velvet Swing, but I’m too old.’

Joan in 'The Girl In The Red Velvet Swing'

The part of Evelyn Nesbit in The Girl In The Red Velvet Swing was one of my first lead roles in Hollywood, but I knew it had originally been intended for Monroe.

Suddenly, it dawned on me that the woman in front of me was the legendary figure herself.

We started chatting and after a couple of martinis, Marilyn poured out a cautionary tale of sexual harassment she and other actresses endured from ‘the wolves in this town’.

I replied that I was weAs a 17-year-old straight out of RADA and playing my first leading role, I’d experienced a torrent of sexual harassment and the kind of behaviour that today is classed as abuse.

When I confided in an older actress on set at Ealing Studios, she told me to ‘like it or get out of the business’.

‘That’s the way it is. I know they didn’t teach you about it at drama school but you’ll just have to put up with it, I’m afraid . . .’

I decided it definitely wasn’t something I’d put up with. I told Marilyn I was well prepared to deal with men patting my bottom, leering down my cleavage and whatever else.

She shook her head. ‘There’s nothing like the power of the studio bosses here, honey. If they don’t get what they want, they’ll drop you. It’s happened to lots of gals.

’Specially watch out for Zanuck. If he doesn’t get what he wants, honey, he’ll drop your contract.’

It was a timely warning, because days later, Darryl Zanuck, vice-president of production at 20th Century Fox, pounced.

Breathing cigar fumes over me, he hissed: ‘You haven’t had anyone until you’ve had me, baby. I’m the biggest and the best and I can go all night.’ I was so shocked I couldn’t speak, so I just wriggled free of his groping hands and ran back to the set.

Later, I was glad that I’d said nothing. I heard that a starlet he’d tried to seduce had recently been fired because when he began his spiel with: ‘Baby, I’m the biggest in the business . . .’ etc, she’d fired back saying: ‘You better be, honey, ’cause you’re only five foot-two!’

Joan on location for 'Island In The Sun' with James Mason , Daryl Zanuck, Ronald Squire & Patricia Owens

 

And I can confirm that it wasn’t just the stuff of legend that he had a golden replica of his manhood on his desk as a paperweight. I saw it — ugh!

Now the events of the past week — the meteoric descent of Harvey Weinstein from the pinnacle of power in Tinseltown to his humiliating exile into rehab for his so-called ‘sex addiction’ — has brought back these memories.

Then, as now, a conspiracy of silence hung over the casting couch, and the bullying and sexual assaults young actresses were routinely subjected to. Speak out and your career was often over before it had begun.

My first encounter with the casting couch was in the early Fifties.

I had been signed by the Rank Organisation and was testing for a juvenile lead role in a film called I Believe In You.

I dodged one producer’s advances by hiding in a wardrobe in the costume department, helped by sympathetic dressers, and waiting until he left the studio before taking the bus and Tube home. But after my third test he trapped me and persuaded me to get a lift home in his flashy car.

On the way, he grabbed my hand and put it on his open fly. I screamed in horror and yanked my hand away. I’d never seen a naked man before, let alone touched one.

‘What’s the matter? Don’t you want the part?’ he leered.

‘Not this much,’ I said, then burst into tears as I realised I’d ruined my chances. Luckily, he was overruled by the director, so I got the role despite the threats.

However, he continued to pursue me, and when I told him I wasn’t interested and was still a virgin, he called me a ‘frigid little b****’.

And when I went to the U.S. I discovered that it was just as Marilyn had warned me.

Hollywood studio bosses considered it their due to b*** all the good-looking women who came their way and were notorious for it. Harry Cohn at Columbia Pictures, for example, had no qualms about firing any starlet who rejected him. He was totally amoral.

When his leading contractee, Kim Novak, had an affair with Sammy Davis Jr. — who had recently lost an eye in a car crash — Cohn threatened to have ‘the other eye taken out’ if he didn’t stop seeing her. Cohn was so powerful that Sammy did stop and hurriedly married someone else.

At Warner Brothers, the president of the studios, Jack Warner, fancied himself an attractive bon vivant. A snappy dresser and massive flirt, he threw glittering parties where one night he propositioned me, openly bragging about his conquests, which seemed to include every actress on the Warner lot and many from MGM, too. He was amazed when I didn’t submit.

When I was in New York, my agent secured me an interview with a famous producer for a role I really wanted.

I dutifully went to his office at 6pm, and as I arrived, his secretary was just leaving. ‘He’s in there,’ she pointed to a back room. ‘He’s waiting for you.’

I found myself in a bedroom, then a voice called: ‘Come on in,’ from another room. I walked in and there he was in the bath without even bubbles to cover his embarrassment — with which he was tinkering. ‘Sit down,’ he commanded, gesturing to the end of the bath.

‘Oh, I’m OK, I’ll stand,’ I replied.

‘Come on in,’ he grinned. ‘The water’s fine.’

‘Oh, ah, no thanks,’ I replied weakly. I tried not to shudder and tried not to notice what he was doing to himself.

After a few minutes’ chat about the role, which I argued was right for me as she was an English girl, he agreed I would be perfect.

Then he again insisted I share his bath. ‘I must go — I’ve got a date with my boyfriend,’ I stammered, aware there was no way I’d get the part now. ‘Who’s your boyfriend?’ he asked.

Joan with Warren Beatty

 

‘You wouldn’t know him. He’s a young actor — Warren Beatty.’

‘What are you doing wasting your time with unknown actors for?’ he said irritably.

‘I’m an important man, we can have some fun. By the way, how old are you?’ ‘Twenty-five,’ I muttered. ‘Twenty-five, huh? That’s not young in this business any more, sweetie.’ I stared at his ugly 55-year-old face, turned and left.

He called after me: ‘You won’t get much further in this business, kid, if you’re going to be so high-hat!’

Another role I coveted was that of Cleopatra. The head of 20th Century Fox at the time, Buddy Adler, and the chairman of the board — a Greek gentleman old enough to be my grandfather — bombarded me with propositions and promises that the role was mine if I would be ‘nice’ to them.

It was a euphemism prevalent in Hollywood. I couldn’t and I wouldn’t — the very thought of these old men was utterly repugnant. So, I dodged and I dived, and hid from them around the lot and made excuses while undergoing endless screen tests for the role of Egypt’s Queen.

At one point, Mr Adler told me at a party that I would have ‘the pick of the scripts’ after Cleopatra and he would set me up in an apartment he would pay for as long as he could come to visit me three or four times a week.

Running out of excuses, I blurted out: ‘Mr Adler, I came here with my agent, Jay Kanter. Why don’t we discuss the deal with him?’

‘Honey, you have quite a sense of humour,’ he spluttered.

‘And a sense of humour is all you’ll ever get from me,’ I murmured as I left. In due course, Elizabeth Taylor got the role.

But it wasn’t just studio bosses and producers who were predatory. Many actors I worked with considered it their divine right to have sex with their leading lady.

During my early days in Hollywood, I repeatedly said ‘no’ to the handsome, if short, Irish-born actor Richard Todd.

One night he followed my car and when I stopped at the studio exit gate, he shouted at the top of his lungs: ‘You stupid cow — you’ll be washed up by the time you’re 23!” I ignored him. I was under contract and on a good salary, so I felt reasonably safe until I hit 27 — widely deemed by studio bosses to be the age when women lost their sexual attraction.

Richard Burton was another actor with designs on his female co-stars. While on location in Jamaica together for the 1957 film Sea Wife, Richard told me that if I didn’t go to bed with him, I would ‘break his record’.

“What’s that?” I asked.

‘I’ve slept with all my leading ladies,’ he bragged.

‘Well, I’m not going to be another notch on your well-punched belt, so I guess I’m going to break your record!’ He barely spoke to me for the rest of filming.

George Peppard, who had starred with Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany’s, dished out similar treatment. In 1969 we were making the spy thriller, The Executioner, and after attending a party to celebrate the start of filming he offered to drop me home — then tried to grab me at my front door.

When I pushed him away, telling him I was married and had two small children, he accused me of being ‘totally square’.

Like Burton before him, he didn’t speak to me for the rest of the movie, and since I had to do a couple of topless scenes with him, it was embarrassing to say the least.

Another actor whose ego out-paced his talent was Gene Barry, who had starred in The War Of The Worlds. In one kissing scene, he tried the old tongue routine, which I wouldn’t permit.

Joan with Richard Burton in 'Sea Wife'

Are you frigid?’ he hissed.

It wasn’t the first time I had been called that by men who thought that because they were rich and powerful, women were just their playthings. I’ve also been called a c**k-teaser, a shameless flirt and a cold, heartless b****.

Anyone naive enough to believe the era of the casting couch had been consigned to history will have been shocked by the Weinstein scandal and the predatory institutional sexism of Hollywood power brokers it has revealed.

But it’s not just the film industry that’s been complicit in sanctioning this appalling behaviour, and it’s not just actresses subjected to it. It may occur in any business dominated by powerful, ruthless and misogynistic men, and it’s women (sometimes men) in subservient positions who are unfortunate enough to have to deal with them.

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. As my late sister, Jackie, a Hollywood observer and insider, once said: ‘Most men in this town have their brains in their d***s.’

EVENT UPDATE : YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN PRESS NIGHT .. THE GARRICK THEATRE LONDON .. OCTOBER 10TH 2017

Joan looks radiant as ever as she arrives for the West End Premiere of 'Young Frankenstein' at The Garrick Theatre earlier this evening.. The musical based on Mel Brook's hit film stars Leslie Joseph...

Mel Brooks with show choreographer & director Susan Stroman

EVENT UPDATE : MY GENERATION PREMIERE SCREENING .. THE CURZON CHELSEA .. OCTOBER 8TH 2017 .

Joan attended the premiere screening of her longtime pal Michael Caine's new film 'My Generation' which was screened as part of the 61st BFI London Film Festival at The Curzon Chelsea this afternoon...

PRESS UPDATE : DAILY EXPRESS .. OCTOBER 7TH 2017 .

Dame Joan Collins: 'Make-up makes women feel empowered!'

Actress and author Dame Joan Collins made her stage debut in 1942 at the age of nine. Since then, she has gone on to appear in 70 films and numerous TV shows, including Star Trek, Will & Grace and The Royals. Her most famous role is that of Alexis Colby on American soap opera Dynasty, for which she won a Golden Globe. Joan is married to her fifth husband, producer Percy Gibson and has three children – Tara, Alexander and Katyana – from previous marriages. She also runs her own cosmetics line, Joan Collins Timeless Beauty.

By Catrin Carrucan 

What inspired you to create your own cosmetics line?
It’s something that has always been on the radar for me, it was just about waiting for the right time to make sure everything was perfect.
Make-up has a way of making women feel confident and empowered, and that’s what I wanted from Timeless Beauty.
What are your favourite products in the range? 
The lipsticks are fabulous. I love that they’re multi-purpose. I sometimes use them for a flush of colour on the cheeks.
And the gold packaging is something I love, as it’s classic Hollywood. What is the secret to ageless beauty?
I always make time for my skincare routine, especially when cleansing my face. I love any skincare products with vitamin C and E in it, and my Superlift Eye Serum is amazing at making eyes look bright and radiant.

Make-up has a way of making women feel confident and empowered

Dame Joan Collins

What has been the proudest moment of your career? 
I have been very fortunate. To become famous is so easy nowadays; everyone is a celebrity it seems. But to remain famous, now that’s hard! So I suppose it makes me proud to simply have had such a full career.
Do you receive any bizarre fan mail? 
I’ve had it all over the years. The devotion people show is extraordinary. Who would you like to swap places with for 24 hours?
I’ve said it before, but I absolutely love Cate Blanchett, so perhaps her. Cate’s style is impeccable. She has an elegance and glamour that is truly rare these days

What’s the best piece of advice that you have ever been given? 
To always keep my face out of the sun. I always protect my face with a good SPF and I think it’s made a difference.
How would you define your style?
Glamorous, of course.
For more about Joan Collins Timeless Beauty, visit joancollins beauty.com.

EVENT UPDATE : BFI LUMINOUS GALA .. THE GUILDHALL LONDON .. OCTOBER 3RD 2017 ..

Joan attended the annual BFI Luminous Gala held at London's Guildhall and was hosted by Jonathan Ross with Tilda Swinton as guest speaker.. Joan was joined by brother Bill and his lovely wife Hazel along with Tamara Beckwith & Michael Brandon..

Joan with Jonathan Ross

Joan with Tilda Swinton

Joan & Percy

PRESS UPDATE : HELLO! CANADA .. SEPTEMBER 29TH 2017 ..

Joan Collins dishes on Hollywood and the power of female friendship

By Tara Henley

SEPTEMBER 29, 2017

The name Joan Collins has always been synonymous with glitz and glamour. Since hitting the silver screen in the 1950s, the actress has been famous for fabulousness. Six decades later, theDynasty diva has lost none of her allure. Indeed, she captivates in her latest project, The Time of Their Lives, a lively girls’ road-trip movie that sees a former Hollywood starlet recruit a new friend to help crash the funeral of a former lover. “We had a ball filming it!” says the British actress. How has a lifetime of fame and fortune treated the Hollywood legend – who celebrated 15 years of marriage to beau Percy Gibson earlier this year? We find out.

Golden Era

"The best time of my life, really, was doing Dynasty in the ’80s. It was great fun. I became very successful. It was a role I absolutely adored. I loved working with [fashion designer] Nolan Miller. We were close and had a great collaboration. I was very upset when he died three years ago."

The Young and the Restless

"Oh my God, I wish I had known how powerful youth and beauty are [when I was starting out]. It’s something you don’t know when you are young and pretty – the kind of pretty that I was. You’re insecure, but in actual fact it’s a strong hand of cards to hold."

Girl Power

"I’ve always had many female friends. One of my best friends was one of the chicest, most elegant women I knew. Her name was Cappie Badrutt, and I based my character for The Time of Their Lives – a select part of it – on her. My best friend, actress Judy Bryer, lives in Las Vegas, and we’ve been friends for 48 years. Unfortunately, I’ve lost track of my school friends, because I started in Hollywood very young, at 17. But I do have many girlfriends."

READ: Audrey Hepburn’s jewelry and film scripts to be auctioned off

Absolutely Fabulous

"I wear makeup when I go out. I protect my skin. I always look my best. I think you owe it to yourself, as well as the people who look at you. I’m really not keen on the hanging jeans and dirty T-shirt look."

Family Matriarch

"It’s very nice at first [being a grandmother], when they are very young. And then they grow up and become teenagers, and they are rather like the way my teenagers were. Not as much fun as when they’re four! [Laughs]"

Remembering Diana

"I met Princess Diana several times, and I admired her. The first time I met her, she said, “How do you stand it? How do you deal with all these paparazzi all the time?” And I said, “You get used to it.” [Sadly] I guess she didn’t."