Coming to town
Spend the night with Joan Collins
Cue the Dynasty music and break out the shoulder pads — Joan Collins is coming to town Friday night with her one-woman show. But don’t expect the Hollywood legend to focus on her time as bitchy Alexis Carrington Colby on the famed ’80s night soap opera. Collins has quite the acting pedigree, having debuted on the London stage at the age of 9 before she made it on the big screen in such 1950s movies as The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing and Rally Round the Flag Boys. Still quick as a whip, the glamorous as all get-out Brit will tell you all about her illustrious career and more during One Night with Joan at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.
We spoke to her from L.A. about the show, directed and produced by her husband Percy Gibson.
Can you explain the format? Is it a challenge commanding the stage for a full hour?
Well, it’s basically me telling stories about my life, and in the background is a large screen with clips from my films and TV shows and some newsreels from various court cases I’ve had, as well as magazine covers. There are many things for them to watch. Yes, there have been quite a few challenges. Sometimes when I’m talking about a particular topic — say, a story about Gene Kelly — and they show a picture of Bette Davis, it’s difficult to get around. I’m lucky to have wonderful help.
Did you have fun gathering up all the stuff?
Of course it was fun. I had done two autobiographies, and my most recent one, A Passion for Life, came out last year. I’ve always collected photographs. When my aunt (my father’s sister) died about 25 years ago, we went to clear out her flat — you know, you have to — and a lady was throwing all these scrapbooks and albums and things into this black bin bag. I said, ‘What are you doing? This picture was taken in 1900!’ Not that we knew many of these family members, but I saw some of my dad as a little boy and dating my mother and of my aunts, who were both musical revue stars, in their costumes. I grabbed them and put them in the back of a cupboard and didn’t look at them for about 10 years. If I hadn’t gone and rescued them, everything would have been lost. I like hard copies of things. People say, ‘Well, I’ve got pictures on my computer.’ That’s not the same.
You looked like you haven’t aged since the “Dynasty” days. What are your beauty secrets?
One of my biggest secrets will be coming to America hopefully next year. It’s my own line of skincare, Joan Collins Timeless Beauty — beauty creams, makeup and lipstick colors I could never find that I really liked. I also believe in exercise; a little, not too much. I don’t want to break anything! I try to swim, I watch what I eat. I certainly don’t want to put on any avoirdupois [weight].
You never seem to slow down. What’s next, career-wise?
I’m preparing for a movie in August. We’re in the middle of meetings, meetings, meetings. I don’t want to talk too much until we stand in front of the cameras and hear ‘Take one!’ What I can say is that it’s called The Time of Their Lives, about two old women who go on a road trip together. Very poignant and funny. I love working with Pauline Collins [no relation], Mrs. Shirley Valentine. She’s fabulous; I know her very well.
Madeleine Marr
Info/tickets for Friday’s 8 p.m. show: From $45; 954-977-6700; seminolecoconutcreek casino.com
We spoke to her from L.A. about the show, directed and produced by her husband Percy Gibson.
Can you explain the format? Is it a challenge commanding the stage for a full hour?
Well, it’s basically me telling stories about my life, and in the background is a large screen with clips from my films and TV shows and some newsreels from various court cases I’ve had, as well as magazine covers. There are many things for them to watch. Yes, there have been quite a few challenges. Sometimes when I’m talking about a particular topic — say, a story about Gene Kelly — and they show a picture of Bette Davis, it’s difficult to get around. I’m lucky to have wonderful help.
Did you have fun gathering up all the stuff?
Of course it was fun. I had done two autobiographies, and my most recent one, A Passion for Life, came out last year. I’ve always collected photographs. When my aunt (my father’s sister) died about 25 years ago, we went to clear out her flat — you know, you have to — and a lady was throwing all these scrapbooks and albums and things into this black bin bag. I said, ‘What are you doing? This picture was taken in 1900!’ Not that we knew many of these family members, but I saw some of my dad as a little boy and dating my mother and of my aunts, who were both musical revue stars, in their costumes. I grabbed them and put them in the back of a cupboard and didn’t look at them for about 10 years. If I hadn’t gone and rescued them, everything would have been lost. I like hard copies of things. People say, ‘Well, I’ve got pictures on my computer.’ That’s not the same.
You looked like you haven’t aged since the “Dynasty” days. What are your beauty secrets?
One of my biggest secrets will be coming to America hopefully next year. It’s my own line of skincare, Joan Collins Timeless Beauty — beauty creams, makeup and lipstick colors I could never find that I really liked. I also believe in exercise; a little, not too much. I don’t want to break anything! I try to swim, I watch what I eat. I certainly don’t want to put on any avoirdupois [weight].
You never seem to slow down. What’s next, career-wise?
I’m preparing for a movie in August. We’re in the middle of meetings, meetings, meetings. I don’t want to talk too much until we stand in front of the cameras and hear ‘Take one!’ What I can say is that it’s called The Time of Their Lives, about two old women who go on a road trip together. Very poignant and funny. I love working with Pauline Collins [no relation], Mrs. Shirley Valentine. She’s fabulous; I know her very well.
Madeleine Marr
Info/tickets for Friday’s 8 p.m. show: From $45; 954-977-6700; seminolecoconutcreek casino.com
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