Joan Collins
A working actress since the 1950s, Joan Collins revived her career in racy 1970s films before the role of a lifetime arrived. In 1981 she joined the struggling soap Dynasty as scheming Alexis Carrington, and her arrival sent ratings soaring. By 1985 Dynasty was America's number-one show, making Collins a global symbol of glamorous 1980s villainy.
British Beginnings
Joan Collins was born May 23, 1933, in London, the daughter of a talent agent. She trained at RADA and began appearing in films by the early 1950s, working steadily on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Alexis Years
In 1981 Collins joined the prime-time soap Dynasty as scheming Alexis Carrington. Her vivid villainy sent ratings soaring, and by 1985 Dynasty was the most-watched show in America.
Author and Dame
Beyond acting, Collins authored best-selling memoirs and novels and returned to the stage on Broadway. In 2015 she was named a Dame Commander of the British Empire for her charity work.
Career Timeline
- 1933Born in London, England
- 1951Lands first film role, Lady Godiva Rides Again
- 1978Stars in racy hit The Stud
- 1981Joins Dynasty as Alexis Carrington
- 1983Wins a Golden Globe for Dynasty
- 1985Dynasty becomes America's number-one show
- 1989Dynasty ends its prime-time run
- 1992Makes Broadway debut in Private Lives
- 2002Publishes glamour novel Star Quality
- 2015Named Dame Commander of the British Empire
Biggest Hits
- Collins won the Alexis role after Sophia Loren turned it down; her casting rescued Dynasty's sagging ratings.
- Her younger sister was best-selling 'bonkbuster' novelist Jackie Collins, who wrote The Stud and The Bitch.
Portrait: Frantogian · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons