Adapted from the 1964-68 NBC series, Guy Ritchie's 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E' premiered at the box office in 2015. 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E' was TV's answer to the James Bond movies. Adam Chitwood reported in 2017, "Warner Bros. has yet to formally commission 'Man from U.N.C.L.E. II', and the film's $109.8 million worldwide gross against a reported budget of $75 million isn’t crazy encouraging from a studio standpoint.
"But the mere fact that producer and co-writer Lionel Wigram is keen on writing a sequel is exciting enough. The first film ended in such a way as to set up further adventures for the Armie Hammer/Henry Cavill/Alicia Vikander trifecta, with Hugh Grant serving as their handler, so one imagines dreaming up further adventures for these characters is a blast."
The 1966-67 more "campy" spin-off series, 'The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' starred Stefanie Powers as agent April Dancer with Noel Harrison playing her sidekick Mark Slate and Leo G. Carroll playing U.N.C.L.E. chief Alexander Waverly simultaneously in both shows. In one episode, Mark Slate crossed over to 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E'. In 'The Galatea Affair', Joan Collins guest starred in a dual role in spoof of 'My Fair Lady'.
Joan Collins played a crude Bronx barmaid, Rosy Shlagenheimer, who was recruited and taught to behave like a lady to impersonate Baroness Bibi de Chasseur. The plot thickened when THRUSH discovered the plan and switched the Baroness to take Rosy's place. Between 1981 and 1991, Joan Collins played Alexis on the prime time soap, 'Dynasty'. Alexis was best remembered for sashaying around Denver smoking Sterling cigarette, eating caviar, drinking the Dom Perignon, rode in the chauffeur-driven limousine and flew in her private jet. Joan once joked, "I am the highest-paid clothes horse in the business."
In an interview in Hollywood in 1985 to promote the TV mini-series, 'Sins', Joan Collins declared, "I'm no longer a taxi for hire." As producer of 'Sins', Joan explained what she enjoyed most in her new role, "Having the authority and the autonomy to be able to do things in the production the way that I always wished I could, and having more creative control over the aspects that interest me the most, which are the casting, the locations, and the script; and being able to be not just an actress who is a book in a lending library, but to be able to choose the roles that I want to do." Joan also recognized, "I didn't fully realize all the problems involved with producing and I still don't. I think I still have a great deal to learn."
At the time, Joan made the point, "Since I am contracted to 'Dynasty' for the next two years, I am just an actress in a particular role." It was noted in the 1986-87 season finale of 'Dynasty', Alexis was seeing accidentally driving a borrowed car off a bridge into a river. The fate of the character hanged in balance awaiting the outcome of Joan Collins' contract renegotiation. Joan continued, "The only constant thing in life is change. My goals today in 1985 are probably different from what my goals will be in 1986 or 1987. I live totally for the moment. I live in the present. I enjoy the quality of life and that's important."
In another separate interview at the time with 'Woman's Day', Joan stated, "For the first time in my career I have a truly creative input into what I'm doing. I'm not just a part of the Hollywood lending library." In 'Sins', then 52, Joan pointed out, "I play Helene Jumoit from the age of 29." In those days, Clinique was her favorite make-up, "I don't like other people doing it (her make-up) because they pull the skin."
Joan Collins shared, "I use good old Nivea to take off my make-up and I'll go for any moisturiser around – most of the major companies have a good range. I love Christian Dior mascara because you can wash it off with water. I don't like oil-based removers because they can leave the eyes looking puffy the next morning, which is not good in my job."
Part of her job required Joan to travel between the United States and Europe. Hence, "I wear extremely comfortable clothes, either a tent dress or trousers as loose as possible. This dress (a glitzy garb) is not my personal style but it's what people expect of my Alexis character and I always take a pair of boots one size larger than usual to put on when I arrive.
"As soon as we take off, I remove my make-up and shoes, slather my face with moisturiser and drink lots of water. I have a bit of food and a couple of glasses of wine, put on my eye mask – a must for long distance flights – and go to sleep. Then I wake up 15 minutes before we land and put my make-up on again – oh, and perfume (Revlon's Scroundrel), of course."
Question: Many Europeans who watch 'Dynasty' believe the characters unreal. Are there people like the Carringtons and the Colbys in the US? Have you met them.
Joan Collins: Yes, very much so. I've also met them in France and in Rio and Italy and other places. The richest, the most successful, the most high-flying people in the world are quite like the Carringtons. I don't consider 'Dynasty' other than a gothic fairy story for the masses and I find it infinitely better for the masses than the amount of gratuitous and horrific violence, muggings, attacks, rapes, gun-fighting we gave in our television screens. I would much rather be remembered – if I'm going to be remembered – as somebody who brought entertainment to people rather than somebody who sticks a gun in people's ribs every week.
Question: What are your views about contemporary (in 1985) women? Are we still the Second Sex?
Joan Collins: It's difficult to talk about women's condition in a few sentences. I was not brought up to be, nor have I brought up my daughters to be, a Second Sex. There's been a tremendous change because of the women's movement for the good of women but there are still far too many women who are still downtrodden, particulary in Third World countries. Women are going through a sort of crisis point in the history of woman-kind and it's a difficult situation for many women.
"But the mere fact that producer and co-writer Lionel Wigram is keen on writing a sequel is exciting enough. The first film ended in such a way as to set up further adventures for the Armie Hammer/Henry Cavill/Alicia Vikander trifecta, with Hugh Grant serving as their handler, so one imagines dreaming up further adventures for these characters is a blast."
The 1966-67 more "campy" spin-off series, 'The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' starred Stefanie Powers as agent April Dancer with Noel Harrison playing her sidekick Mark Slate and Leo G. Carroll playing U.N.C.L.E. chief Alexander Waverly simultaneously in both shows. In one episode, Mark Slate crossed over to 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E'. In 'The Galatea Affair', Joan Collins guest starred in a dual role in spoof of 'My Fair Lady'.
Joan Collins played a crude Bronx barmaid, Rosy Shlagenheimer, who was recruited and taught to behave like a lady to impersonate Baroness Bibi de Chasseur. The plot thickened when THRUSH discovered the plan and switched the Baroness to take Rosy's place. Between 1981 and 1991, Joan Collins played Alexis on the prime time soap, 'Dynasty'. Alexis was best remembered for sashaying around Denver smoking Sterling cigarette, eating caviar, drinking the Dom Perignon, rode in the chauffeur-driven limousine and flew in her private jet. Joan once joked, "I am the highest-paid clothes horse in the business."
In an interview in Hollywood in 1985 to promote the TV mini-series, 'Sins', Joan Collins declared, "I'm no longer a taxi for hire." As producer of 'Sins', Joan explained what she enjoyed most in her new role, "Having the authority and the autonomy to be able to do things in the production the way that I always wished I could, and having more creative control over the aspects that interest me the most, which are the casting, the locations, and the script; and being able to be not just an actress who is a book in a lending library, but to be able to choose the roles that I want to do." Joan also recognized, "I didn't fully realize all the problems involved with producing and I still don't. I think I still have a great deal to learn."
At the time, Joan made the point, "Since I am contracted to 'Dynasty' for the next two years, I am just an actress in a particular role." It was noted in the 1986-87 season finale of 'Dynasty', Alexis was seeing accidentally driving a borrowed car off a bridge into a river. The fate of the character hanged in balance awaiting the outcome of Joan Collins' contract renegotiation. Joan continued, "The only constant thing in life is change. My goals today in 1985 are probably different from what my goals will be in 1986 or 1987. I live totally for the moment. I live in the present. I enjoy the quality of life and that's important."
In another separate interview at the time with 'Woman's Day', Joan stated, "For the first time in my career I have a truly creative input into what I'm doing. I'm not just a part of the Hollywood lending library." In 'Sins', then 52, Joan pointed out, "I play Helene Jumoit from the age of 29." In those days, Clinique was her favorite make-up, "I don't like other people doing it (her make-up) because they pull the skin."
Joan Collins shared, "I use good old Nivea to take off my make-up and I'll go for any moisturiser around – most of the major companies have a good range. I love Christian Dior mascara because you can wash it off with water. I don't like oil-based removers because they can leave the eyes looking puffy the next morning, which is not good in my job."
Part of her job required Joan to travel between the United States and Europe. Hence, "I wear extremely comfortable clothes, either a tent dress or trousers as loose as possible. This dress (a glitzy garb) is not my personal style but it's what people expect of my Alexis character and I always take a pair of boots one size larger than usual to put on when I arrive.
"As soon as we take off, I remove my make-up and shoes, slather my face with moisturiser and drink lots of water. I have a bit of food and a couple of glasses of wine, put on my eye mask – a must for long distance flights – and go to sleep. Then I wake up 15 minutes before we land and put my make-up on again – oh, and perfume (Revlon's Scroundrel), of course."
Question: Many Europeans who watch 'Dynasty' believe the characters unreal. Are there people like the Carringtons and the Colbys in the US? Have you met them.
Joan Collins: Yes, very much so. I've also met them in France and in Rio and Italy and other places. The richest, the most successful, the most high-flying people in the world are quite like the Carringtons. I don't consider 'Dynasty' other than a gothic fairy story for the masses and I find it infinitely better for the masses than the amount of gratuitous and horrific violence, muggings, attacks, rapes, gun-fighting we gave in our television screens. I would much rather be remembered – if I'm going to be remembered – as somebody who brought entertainment to people rather than somebody who sticks a gun in people's ribs every week.
Question: What are your views about contemporary (in 1985) women? Are we still the Second Sex?
Joan Collins: It's difficult to talk about women's condition in a few sentences. I was not brought up to be, nor have I brought up my daughters to be, a Second Sex. There's been a tremendous change because of the women's movement for the good of women but there are still far too many women who are still downtrodden, particulary in Third World countries. Women are going through a sort of crisis point in the history of woman-kind and it's a difficult situation for many women.
