JConthecover: Veronica (1985)

I mentioned in a previous post about a second favourite magazine cover photo of all those I own in my collection, well here it is on a Dutch magazine called Veronica from January 1985. It was also used on a Polish magazine and on a copy of Cine Tele Revue.

This magazine has a 2 1/2 page article with colour photos from Dynasty.

Tonight At 8:30 - Hands Across The Sea

Following on from yesterday's post - this was the first of the eight playlets by Noel Coward. After the opening credits Joan introduced the synopsis of the play. This was a 1940's light comedy with Joan playing Maureen Gilpin (piggie to her friends), and John Nettles as her husband, both shown here in this rare press still.




Apparently there are 3 rules in the battle for Social success:

1. Always keep a diary and carefully note everyone's name, especially when you're travelling.

2. Never, when you're abroad make that routine invitation, "When you're in London / Sydney / New York or wherever please look us up!", addresses scribbled on bits of paper can cause chaos.

3. Never have the telephone in the drawing room.

Receiving a telephone call, Piggie is advised that The Rawlinsons are in London and about to descend on them following her kind invitation. But if the Rawlinson's are not who they seem, who are the Wadhursts?

Other cast members included Sian Phillips, Bernard Cribbins, Miriam Margolyes, Edward Duke and Nickolas Grace.

JConthecover: Radio Times (1991)

Today its back to 1991, and this issue of UK Radio Times dated 13-19 April. Joan featured on the cover dressed as one of the characters from her new series of Noel Coward Playlets called "Tonight at 8:30" which started that week. Inside was a great 3 page article, "Is This Our Joanie?"

Over 8 weeks Joan would play a different woman in a series of one act plays with her Repertory Company, including a femme fatale, a society hostess, a neurotic wife, good time girl, and spinster.
I will be featuring photos and details of each of these playlets in future posts.

When the series was shown in America, it was called "Collins Meets Coward.

50th Post

As this is my 50th post on the blog, it seemed appropriate to go with the Golden Theme, so today's magazine is an American one (from Florida) called Golden Years. This issue is from February 1986 and features Joan with Gene Kelly in a scene from the mini-series Sins. Inside the magazine is a 4 page article.


And staying with the theme and also with Sins, this photo shows Joan in the costume she wore for the Golden Ball scene in the mini-series.

Hope you are enjoying the blog, thanks for the e-mails and keep reading.

Film: Hansel & Gretel

In 1983 Joan was asked to appear in the Faerie Tale Theatre version of Hansel & Gretel, playing not one but TWO parts.



The first still shows her as Hansel & Gretel's Stepmother seen here with woodcutter husband Paul Dooley.

As the story goes they take the children one day deep into the forest in an attempt to lose them and as darkness falls they stumble across a gingerbread house adorned with candy occupied by Joan; heavily disguised as the Wicked Witch seen in this second still with Bridgette Anderson.


I'm sure everyone knows the rest of the story and like most fairy tales it does have a happy ending ...

The film was released straight to video by MGM/UA Home Video in the UK.

JConthecover: Lears (1991)

Today I am featuring an American magazine from the archives, the September 1991 issue of Lears.
Inside is a 5 1/2 page article, "The Ultimate Broad". The magazine has been signed by Joan in black sharpie just under the title.

TV: Blondes vs Brunettes

This special was made in the Dynasty hiatus of 1984, and saw Joan team up alongside Morgan Fairchild (Flamingo Road), and set out to prove the old saying that "Blondes have more fun than Brunettes".


This rare still is from the opening. Later in the show there was a funny take of Dynasty with Joan playing the part of Krystle and Morgan cast as Alexis who meet in the hair salon with disasterous results.....