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  • Joan Collins Mourns Sister Jackie Collins in Poignant Essay

    Joan Collins isn’t a writer. That talent belonged to her late sister Jackie Collins. Joan did an amazing job both mourning and saying goodbye to her beloved sister in recent days, however, in a poignant essay she wrote.

    The actress shared her written words about the author on her website.

    “Jackie really enjoyed her life so much and lived it to the hilt, and when we were together, even if we hadn’t seen each other for a few months, we were thick as thieves,” Joan wrote. “I don’t think I will ever recover from the sadness of losing my beautiful baby sister.”

    “Someone once said: ‘The reality is you don’t “get over” the loss of a loved one, you learn to live with it.’ I think Jackie would have liked us to do more than that. As she requested, I will not mourn her death, but rather celebrate her life,” she added.

    Jackie Collins died on September 19th. Joan only learned her sister had cancer in the days prior to her passing. Jackie was 77.

    Joan Collins shared a phone call she received from her sister when she shared the devastating news.

    “My voice was so choked with tears I could hardly speak. She explained that since we spent so much time in Europe, while she was in LA, she knew I would be worried but there would be nothing I could do,” she recalled. “That was typical of my sister. She always put other people, particularly family, ahead of herself.”

    In addition to being a brilliant author, Joan Collins remembers Jackie as being so much more.

    “I therefore choose to remember her as the strong, independent, loyal, caring, maternal, fun-loving, witty, joyful woman she was,” she wrote. “She will live on in the wonderful memories I have of her from our childhood and particularly from the last 15 years.”

    “I feel her spirit, I hear her wonderful laugh and I see her all the time in the hundreds of photos of her sprinkled around my home. She wasn’t just a star—to me she was an entire galaxy,” Joan Collins concluded.


    She also asked fans to consider donating to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Organization in honor of Jackie Collins.

    Joan Collins will long mourn the death of her beloved sister. Hopefully the warm memories she reflects on now will provide some strength and peace in the coming weeks and months as she learns how to navigate life without her.

  • Jackie Collins Kept Breast Cancer Diagnosis from Sister Joan Collins

    Jackie Collins died on Saturday of breast cancer, but her sister, actress Joan Collins, didn’t know of her diagnosis until just days before she died.

    The bestselling author was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2009, but she only shared her diagnosis with her three grown daughters. She didn’t want her illness to become fodder for the tabloids, and she didn’t want an outpouring of sympathy.

    Jackie Collins protected sister Joan Collins from the truth about her illness “because it would have really affected her,” she said in an interview just days before she died.

    “I just felt like she didn’t need it in her life. She’s very positive and very social, but I’m not sure how strong she is, so I didn’t want to burden her with it,” she said.

    Jackie Collins traveled to London to share the devastating news with her sister.

    “[Joan] was very shocked. She had no idea,” she said. “But she was great. We were emotional. My brother Bill was there too, and he’s fantastic. It was a really good trip.”

    Joan Collins talked to People magazine in the days after Jackie Collins’s death.

    “She was my best friend,” Joan said. “I admire how she handled this. She was a wonderful, brave and a beautiful person and I love her.”

    Jackie Collins had no regrets over keeping her secret about her illness. She maintained a sense of humor to the very end.

    “I did it my way,” she said, “as Frank Sinatra would say.”

    Were you a fan of Jackie Collins’ novels? The bestselling author will indeed be missed by her fans.

  • Cilla Black: British Singer, TV Personality Died of Stroke from Head Injury

    Cilla Black, the beloved British singer and TV personality who died on Saturday at the age of 72, died of a stroke. She was sunbathing at her Spanish villa when she stood up and apparently lost her balance–fell, and hit her head. The head injury caused the stroke. According to the BBC, she didn’t suffer, but fell unconscious immediately.

    Now that they have received the conclusive results from her autopsy, Cilla Black’s three sons have received permission to fly their mother’s body home to the UK.

    “We are devastated by the sad loss of our mother, but have been deeply touched by all the kind messages of support from her friends, fans, the public and media,” Robert, Ben, and Jack Willis said in a statement to the press.

    “We would like to thank everyone, especially the people of Liverpool. The tributes and condolences have really helped us through these difficult times. The Spanish authorities have now told us we are able to bring Mum home, which we hope to do as quickly as possible. We would also like to thank all those involved for their assistance with this matter. We respectfully request for our continued privacy to grieve.”

    Several noted celebrities have shared their shock and grief at the sudden passing of Cilla Black.

    It is clear that the UK has lost a great talent and Cilla Black’s sons have lost a great woman.

    May Cilla Black rest in peace.

  • Joan Collins Mourns Passing of Cilla Black

    Joan Collins is among a number of celebrities to mourn the passing of British singer and TV star Cilla Black. Black reportedly died in Spain at the age of 72.

    Cilla Black’s agent confirmed her death.

    “It is with deep sorrow that I confirm…the passing of singer and TV personality Cilla Black,” Nick Fiveash said in a statement to the media.

    On Sunday Joan Collins led the expressions of shock and grief over Black’s passing via Twitter.

    Joan Collins sent a second Tweet about Cilla Black, and also shared an Instagram post.

    “Happier times: #cillablack with @onebiggins at his birthday party. RIP my friend,” Joan Collins captioned the following shot of her with the late Cilla Black.

    Piers Morgan also shared his grief over Cilla Black’s passing.

    Joan Collins and Piers Morgan are joined via social media by a wealth of celebrities and fans who knew and loved Cilla Morgan. All are sharing their shock at her sudden passing.

    No word has yet been released as to her cause of death.

  • Kristin Scott Thomas Named Dame by Queen Elizabeth

    Kristin Scott Thomas can add something besides actor to her already impressive resume. On Tuesday, December 30th, Queen Elizabeth named her a dame. The honor is to women what being knighted is to men.

    Kristin Scott Thomas, who is due to play the British monarch in stage play The Audience in 2015, said at first she didn’t believe the news.

    “I am thrilled, astonished and worried that I might suddenly wake up,” she said.

    Scott Thomas received an Academy Award nomination back in 1997 for her role in The English Patient.

    She wasn’t the only one on Tuesday to receive such exciting news, however. Actress Joan Collins, fashion designer Mary Quant (known for designing the mini-skirt back in the 1960s), and actress Emily Watson were all named as dames. Actor John Hurt, chemist Simon Campbell (one of the inventors of the erectile dysfunction medication Viagra), and comic actor James Corden (he will soon take over on The Late Late Show for Craig Ferguson) were all named as knights.

    All of the aforementioned honors are bestowed by the monarch, however they were chosen by committees of civil servants. Nominations came from both the public and the government.

    Knights are hereby addressed as ‘Sir,’ and then the person’s name–for example, Sir Simon Campbell. Dames are addressed as ‘Dame,’ and then their name–for example, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas.

    Congratulations to Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, Dame Joan Collins, Dame Mary Quant, and Dame Emily Watson, as well as to Sir John Hurt, Sir Simon Campbell, and Sir James Corden. May they live up to the expectations of Queen Elizabeth.

  • Joan Collins Claims Ex-Husband Raped Her As A Teen

    Joan Collins Claims Ex-Husband Raped Her As A Teen

    Joan Collins recently revealed that her ex-husband Maxwell Reed raped her when she was only 17 years old.

    Collins talked about the rape on the documentary, Brave Miss World and said that she had gone on a date with Reed and that he had drugged her drink.

    She recalled waking up on a couch in the middle of the rape and said that although she knew it wasn’t her fault, she was still embarrassed about the situation.

    “The next thing I knew, I was out flat on the sofa in that living room and he was raping me,” she said. “And what he had given me was a drug. He had drugged my drink. It wasn’t my fault but I didn’t know, I went out with him.”

    Collins continued to date Reed and even married him because she was a virgin before he raped her and felt like it was what she was supposed to do. Collins later divorced Reed, and said that she was never happy during the marriage.

    “I really hated him, but I was so filled with guilt, that he had done this thing to me,” she said.

    Joan Collins agreed to share her story on the documentary in hope of inspiring other women to come forward with stories of their own rape and to not be ashamed of what happened to them.

    Brave Miss World is the story of Linor Abargil, an Israeli beauty pageant contestant who won the Miss World beauty pageant in 1998.

    Before competing in the Miss World competition, Linor had won Miss Israel and was sent to Milan to model.

    She was raped by her travel agent while there and would go on to win Miss World just seven weeks later.

    She vowed not to stay silent about her rape and hopes other women will feel empowered by her story.

    The documentary is currently available on Netflix.

  • Joan Collins Raped as a Teen, Names Sexual Assaulter

    Joan Collins recently divulged that she was raped as a teenager. She was just 17 years old, back in the 1950s, when Irish actor Maxwell Reed drugged her drink. She awoke to him sexually assaulting her on a sofa. The Dynasty star went on to marry her attacker.

    Collins shared this painful information during an interview for the documentary Brave Miss World.

    “The next thing I knew, I was out flat on the sofa in that living room and he was raping me. And what he had given me was a drug. He had drugged my drink,” she recalled. “It was what is called in those days a Mickey Finn. Which I think today would be Rohypnol. It felt so horrible, that I… that I’d done this thing.”

    Joan Collins talked about the feelings of disgust and guilt.

    “It wasn’t my fault but I didn’t know, I went out with him, and maybe I shouldn’t have gone out with him. He was much older than me, and he was a famous star. And anyway the bottom line is that he called me, and I went out with him again, and after I’d been going out with him for a few months, he asked me to marry him,” she sad. “I thought, ‘Well I better because you know, he took my virginity’. I really hated him, but I was so filled with guilt, that he had done this thing to me.”

    Joan Collins and Maxwell Reed divorced 1956. He died back in 1974.

    The revelation shared by Joan Collins comes in the middle of many women claiming they were allegedly sexually assaulted by comedian Bill Cosby. One thing that needs to come from these revelations and accusations is that women have the right to say no to any kind of sexual advances. Men who don’t respect the word need to be charged and pay for their crimes.

    Do you think revelations on behalf of people like Joan Collins will encourage others to speak out and share their stories, too?

  • Joan Collins Reveals Identity Of Man Who Raped Her

    Joan Collins became well-known in the ’80s for her portrayal of a rich socialite willing to scratch out the eyes of anyone who got in her way, and at the time she seemed to be the epitome of a glamorous Hollywood star. But no one knew the dark secret she carried from the time she was 17 years old, a secret she recently revealed for the sake of a documentary about assault victim Linor Abargil.

    Collins says that the year before she married her first husband, Maxwell Reed, he slipped a drug into her drink and proceeded to rape her while she was unconscious. The shame and fear she felt led to her following through with the marriage, especially after her father encouraged her despite her reluctance on the night before the ceremony, believing she just had cold feet.

    “The bottom line is that he called me, and I went out with him again. And after I’d been going out with him for a few months, he asked me to marry him. And I thought, ‘Well I better because you know, he took my virginity.’ I really hated him, but I was so filled with guilt, that he had done this thing to me,” she said.

    Abargil, a beauty queen who won the title of Miss World in 1998, was violently raped and beaten just six weeks before the pageant. She says that Collins’ willingness to open up about her own traumatic experience was not only helpful to her, but to other victims who have lived with a secret.

    “When she found out about the film, she decided she would help us. It’s not something any of us want to do – to go on camera and talk about having been raped. But when you know that speaking up can give others the courage to come forward and press charges, and how many others will be saved by putting a rapist in prison, you want to do it,” she said.

    Collins moved on from her attack and eventually married four more times. The 81-year old is currently set to put on a one-woman show in Vegas, where she’ll talk about her life and the roles she played over the years.

    “The show is about my life, with humor and amusement and anecdotes. While I talk about it and the people who I’ve worked with, behind me there is a screen, with projected photographs, clips from movies, outtakes from “Dynasty” and films from my two court cases. I had two quite famous court cases over my books in a battle with publishers, so there’s a lot of newsreel footage from them. Generally, it’s just a whole montage of something going on all the time in the background,” she said.

  • Joan Collins Makes TV Comeback In ‘The Royals’

    English actress Joan Collins is set to guest star in The Royals, the very first scripted series to come from E!

    The Royals is an hour-long drama about a fictional British family, set in modern-day Buckingham. The Royals cast also includes stars Elizabeth Hurley, Vincent Regan, Haley Lu Richardson, and William Moseley, among others.

    The plot revolves around a young prince (Moseley) who becomes king after his older brother dies in an accident. The prince is in love with an American student (Richardson) who has helped him cope with the loss of his brother and his new role. The prince’s relationship with her brings conflict as the Queen (Hurley) does not approve of it.

    Most remembered for her role in Dynasty, 81-year-old Collins will play the role of the toughie Grand Duchess of Oxford, mother to the monarch Queen Helena, which will be played by Hurley.

    E! has described Collin’s role as “the only woman in the world more formidable and imposing” than her daughter. The network writes that the Grand Duchess will enter the show with “an entourage and an agenda.”

    Collins is a staunch monarchist in real life, and is known for her popular quote: “I’m a big monarchist and I love the Queen.” In a recent interview with PEOPLE about her TV comeback, Collins said: “I am delighted to be part of this very entertaining project.”

    The Royals is written and directed by Mark Schwann of One Tree Hill fame. Schwann and fellow OTH alum — Brian Robbins and Joe Davola — are also its executive producers.  The series is scheduled to come out in the first quarter of 2015.

    Collins was born and raised in London. She entered the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London when she was nine, and has since been acting in movies and on TV, with roles in British series like Footballer’s Wives and the US sitcom Will & Grace. She has penned several books, including several memoirs and fictional novels.  She is also the public face of several charities for children.

    Image via YouTube

  • Joan Collins Returning To TV In “The Royals”

    Joan Collins is making a return to TV. Though unexpected, her return will be in an interesting role.

    She will star in E!’s first scripted series called The Royals. The show is about a fictional royal family based in modern day London. It will be an hour long and will run on the E! network.

    Joan Collins, 81, will give life to the character Grand Duchess of Oxford, otherwise known as the mother of Queen Helena. Helena is played by Elizabeth Hurley.

    Helena is said to be a woman of great power who knows how to get what she wants.

    Kevin Plunkett, SVP of scripted programming for E!, said, “This is a big idea and Mark, Brian, Joe and the Lionsgate team delivered. They have an extraordinary track record at crafting buzz worthy content that reflects and drives the pop culture discussion,”

    He continued, “This team, working on this concept, with this cast is a great way for us to launch our first scripted show.”

    Collins described her character as “the only woman in the world more formidable and imposing” than Queen Helena. Joan Collins’ character, the Grand Duchess, will sweep into the story line with “an entourage and an agenda.”

    Sounds fun and not too unlike her personality as Alexis Colby on Dynasty.

    Collins is excited to be returning to TV again after a sizeable absence. She is primed and ready to take part in the show.

    “I am delighted to be part of this very entertaining project,” she said.

    Jeff Olde, executive vice president of original programming & development for E!, said in a statement, “We are excited that E!’s first original scripted series will transport viewers into a world that they are already intensely interested in, but reality cameras would never give them access to.”

    He continued, “The Royals will offer a fictional look behind the very public gilded façade of the palace gates to imagine the private, lush, fun, sexy world of the most-watched celebrity family on the planet. It’s a perfect series to introduce E! viewers to scripted pop culture programming on the network.”

    Congratulations to Joan Collins on her new role!

    Image via YouTube

  • Kate O’Mara: British Actress of ‘Dynasty’ Dies at 74

    British actress Kate O’Mara passed away Sunday at a nursing home in Sussex, England.

    Her agent, Phil Belfield, confirmed in a written statement that O’Mara died from an unspecified illness.

    “Kate O’Mara passed away peacefully today at a nursing home in Sussex after a short Illness,” he wrote. “She was a delight to know and an extraordinary woman and actress with a passion for Shakespeare and stage acting.”

    Born Frances Meredith Carroll on August 10, 1939 in Leicester, England, O’Mara was the daughter of John Carroll and actress Hazel Bainbridge.

    At age 24, she left her career as a speech therapist and appeared in her first stage play, The Merchant of Venice, in 1963.

    She went on to appear in a number of classical stage productions until she started to land TV roles.

    O’Mara was best known for her American acting role as Cassandra ‘Caress’ Morrell, the sister of Alexis Colby-portrayed by actress Joan Collins-in the 1981 ABC prime-time soap opera Dynasty.

    The cunning, but beautiful Caress didn’t make her appearance until 1986 and was an essential part of the show for one season.

    O’Mara played a character who was always in a typical feud with her sister Alexis, who often won most of their sibling battles.

    Besides Dynasty, O’Mara has depicted roles in other British TV series including Doctor Who (1963), The Brothers (1972), and English soap opera Crossroads (2001). Big film roles like The Horror of Frankenstein (1970) also showed the spooky and dark side of her acting talent.

    Additionally, the British performer had a talent for writing. She published two books: “When She Was Bad” (1991) and “Good Time Girl” (1993).

    The brunette beauty was quite aware at the time that her looks were always a big part of her acting career. 

    She had previously stated in an interview that she planned to turn in her acting hat once her “sell-by date” ran its course.

    Nevertheless, O’Mara continued to act in theatre performances up until her death.

    In 2012 she appeared in Death of the Nile and most recently in her own original stage production, An Evening with Kate O’Mara, at the West End Theater in London.

    O’Mara is survived by her sister and actress Belinda Carroll.

    She was 74 years old.

    Images via YouTube

  • Joan Collins Gets Her Own One-Woman Show

    Joan Collins will be giving fans a chance to hear some never-before-told tales of her private life and see previously unseen film footage early next year, as she takes to the stage in London for a one-woman show.

    Collins rose to fame in the ’80s with a high-profile role on “Dynasty” and has written three very successful memoirs. This new show–which runs from February 2 to February 9–will encompass several years of the star’s life and give theater-goers an intimate look at her early years in show business. According to Broadway.com:

    “One Night With Joan follows the ups and downs of the TV legend’s life and career. Collins will screen rare and hilarious film footage and speak first hand about her screen test for Cleopatra and why she lost the role to Elizabeth Taylor, her on-set encounters with Bette Davis, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Paul Newman and Richard Burton, and, of course, her many relationships. Audiences can also expect to see outtakes of her legendary catfights with Linda Evans in Dynasty. The evening includes a question and answer session with the chance to ask Joan anything about her headline-making life.”

    Image: YouTube