Empire Of The Ants (1977)

Today I am featuring 2 B&W pictures from the 1977 film Empire of the Ants.

Directed by Bert I. Gordon, based on the short story by H.G. Wells, Joan plays a real estate agent, Marilyn Fryser who wants to sell property to some prospective buyers unaware that some ants have been feeding from steel drums containing Radioactive waste washed up on the beach, causing them to grow to enormous size and end up brainwashing their victims at a sugar refinery.

Made before the days of Dynasty and obviously on a low budget, Joan wears the same outfit (striped shirt, beige sweater and off white gaucho skirt) for the whole 90 minute movie.

Compare that to the mini-series Sins in which she had 85 costume changes - I think we're talking "low budget", Joan mentions in interviews that they even did their own stunts (no doubles on the payroll) and this meant swimming in infested waters of the Florida swamps, complete with crocodiles etc.

Released on DVD in 2002. I have more stills and items from the film for future posts.

JContheCover: Le Lundi (1990)

This Canadian Magazine dated 7 September 1990 featured Joan on the cover and inside a 6 page article about her latest man friend being 27 years her junior.
Joan appeared on this magazine a number of times, which I will cover in future posts

Joan in Game For Vultures

This picture shows Joan as Nicolle, the fiancee of Richard Harris in Game For Vultures.
The film which was made on location in Africa also starred Richard Roundtree, Ray Milland and Denholm Elliott.

STAR QUALITY PARTY

November 2002, Joan at NYC's Chambers Hotel to celebrate the release of her new novel Star Quality.
Pictured from Joan's right to left the Guiding Light male cast members- David Andrew Macdonald (Edmund), Grant Aleksander (Phillip) and Ron Raines (Alan).


Ivana Trump was at the same party, pictured with Joan.

CLIPPINGS COLLECTION: THE STUD

Starting today, I will be looking back on some of the many cuttings of Joan I have collected over the years. This one dates back to 1976/1977.


The Collins Girls Have Got Their Man
Jackie and Joan have found their man! Back on November in these gossipy pages, Globe told the tale of the sisters Joan and Jackie Collins' search for a devilishly handsome fellow to star in "The Stud" written by Jackie (right) and starring Joannie (left).
Well, 29-year-old British Actor Oliver Tobias fills the bill.

JContheCover: Chigago Tribune (1984)

Our first magazine for 2011 is this TV guide published by Chigaco Tribune in December 1984, featuring Joan with Michael Nader who had just joined the cast of Dynasty as Farnsworth "Dex" Dexter, and inside an article, 'Michael Nader: Don't call him Mr. Alexis'

ON THE STAGE: PRIVATE LIVES

Joan as Amanda in Noel Coward's famous play Private Lives. This photograph is from the US tour which followed her successful run in London's West End.

Pictured are her co-stars, Edward Duke and Simon Jones who replaced Keith Baxter as Elyot.



Below is a handbill from the US tour.



Other photos and items from both the UK and US tours can be found on my website.