31 Aug 2023
We spoke to soap opera legend Dame Joan Collins ahead of her ‘Behind the Shoulder Pads’ tour – coming to the Alban Arena on October 9.
To coincide with the release of her much-anticipated memoir ‘Behind the Shoulder Pads’, global superstar Dame Joan Collins is embarking on a new tour giving audiences the opportunity to have an intimate chat with the world-famous actress.
Featuring seldom told tales, enchanting anecdotes, and rare and fascinating footage from her seven decades in showbusiness, it promises the usual wit, candour, and of course glamour that we have come to expect from this British-born Hollywood legend.
As an award-winning actress, author, producer, humanitarian and entrepreneur, Joan Collins’ career places her in the unrivalled ranks of an international icon.
She took time out from her busy schedule to answer some questions for the St Albans Times.
Looking back over such a rich and varied career must have created its own challenges – how did she decide what was worthy of greater attention?
“My children have always been my number one priority. I always put them first.”
What was the working environment like for a 17-year-old actress in the early 1950s?
“Rife with sexism and misogyny. I was referred to as ‘the girl’ for practically all my young career at Rank and had to insist on being called by my name. The press was patronising. I caused shockwaves when I declared, on my first marriage, that I would ‘do no cooking or cleaning’. I actually received hate mail. I just stood my ground and demanded what I thought was due. I had the stubborn streak instilled by my father.”
Her Star Trek episode (The City on the Edge of Forever) is rightly considered not just one of the best of the original series, but an all-time science fiction classic – did she have any inclination when working on the show how good it was? What are her recollections of working with William Shatner?
“Not a clue! For me it was just another job. When I was asked if I knew who Mr Spock was, I mistook him with Dr Spock, the famous ’60s child-rearing expert. It was my daughter Tara who insisted that I MUST do Star Trek as she was an avid fan. Bill Shatner was charming, although the day after we did our kissing scene, I didn’t recognise him because he had divested himself of corset and hairpiece.”
Why did she request to be released from her contract with 20th Century Fox in 1960, and did this have an impact on her career?
“I did not so much request it, as I was requested! Fox was in a terrible state after Cleopatra.
“They had bet the bank on that production, and it flopped (initially, although it has since become a money maker).
“They had to make massive cuts and I was just another contract player, amongst many, that they had to off-load talent. But at the same time I had become fed up with the roles I was getting and I felt I had to move on.”
The Stud really thrust her into the public’s eye again, after a period of smaller roles. What was it like working on a storyline written by her younger sister?
“Fantastic. It was a wonderful book and Jackie said she had me in mind when she wrote the role of Fontaine Khaled. She very kindly wrote a treatment which I carried around for two years, pitching it to various producers. When I was promoting Empire of the Ants in Cannes, I found George Walker and the rest was history.”
Dynasty obviously played a huge part in Joan’s career during the 1980s. Aaron Spelling famously said Alexis was a character nobody else could have played, and other critics said the role was tailor-made for her. Was it immediately obvious to her what a powerful role it was going to be? She is also credited for saving the show and making it such a huge hit – did she feel the responsibility for this when making it?
“I did not realise when I started what a powerful role it would be. When my daughter Katy was in the hospital in a coma, I rented a trailer and parked it in the hospital parking lot so I would be close to her.
“When visiting hours were over, I would tune into Dallas and remember thinking ‘I wish I could be in a show like that’. But when my agent called me about Dynasty, he told me it was languishing in the ratings and it would be a six-month job…well, nine years later I finally returned home! They do credit the role of Alexis as having lifted the show, but her popularity took me completely by surprise.”
What were the highlights she recalls over the nine seasons? People always remember the catfights, but there was a lot more to the series than that: the Moldavia wedding, evicting Blake and Krystle from the mansion, her car plunging off a bridge etc.
“The highlights for me were off the set: winning my second Golden Globe after a 40-year dry spell, then the People’s Choice Awards. When I was driving down Sunset Boulevard and stopped next to a busload of children at a red light, I noticed they were all screaming ‘Alexis, Alexis!’ so I yelled back ‘I love you too!’ and they replied, ‘No, we haaaaate you!’ Such was the impact of the character they really though I was her – a lovable scoundrel.”
In the final year her appearances were reduced to save costs – was it obvious the writing was on the wall at this stage? What was the atmosphere like on set?
“Yes, and further aggravating matters, they created a sister show, ‘The Colbys’ and tried to cross-pollinate the characters. Charlton Heston and Barbara Stanwyck led the cast but it mixed John James and Stephanie Beacham.
“I resisted because I knew it would kill Dynasty. Linda [Evans] soon bailed and my episodes had been cut in half to save money, even though I was barely earning the same as John Forsythe, so it quickly went down in the ratings.
“The atmosphere was the same as any atmosphere on a show that’s quickly going down. Everyone knows it and starts concentrating on the next project.”
After Dynasty she made her Broadway stage debut in Private Lives – was it refreshing to be returning to theatre?
“I cherished returning to my first love, the theatre – I wrote about this in ‘My Unapologetic Diaries’.”
The last few decades have seen her take on a very diverse range of roles – what have been the stand-outs for her?
“I would say ‘Decadence’, where I played several roles with Steven Berkoff. It was an hit play and amazing script, but didn’t quite translate to the silver screen.
“I fondly remember ‘Clandestine Marriage’ where I made lifelong friends with Nigel Hawthorne. I financed the show by mortgaging my flat when the money fell out – it was a very dramatic time.
“And of course, ‘Love Letters’ when I met my now husband of 21 years.”
Finally, is there any part or production she wishes she had done but missed out on?
“I’ve always wanted to play Judith Bliss in ‘Hayfever’. Who knows? It may yet happen one day, when I look older. I was also eager to play the role of Clara in ‘Sons & Lovers’ but the producer who I had to meet made some unwelcome advances on me, which I refused.
“This was made worse by my boyfriend of the time, who told me the script was awful and I should turn it down because he wanted me to be with him while he was shooting in England. I reluctantly abandoned the project and my replacement, Mary Ure, won an Oscar for it!”
For tickets to her Arena show, visit https://www.amickproductions.co.uk/dame-joan-collins
