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Show I UiCKY "1 continued family socks up. she said. "And suddenly the realization came to me that I was not getting any younger, and I certainly wasn't getting any more successful. With the children soon going off to college. Id better tlo something, rather than just w ait for my agent to call w ith an offer to do Fantasy Island. I 'd better do something positive." What she did was to make a sexually exploitive film of The Stud, a book written by her sister. Jackie. "That meant I had to compromise myself to a certain extent." she admitted, "because I had never been at all keen on doing nudity on the screen I just sort of felt, well, I've gotta do this, so I gritted my teeth and bared all." Though today she feels misgivings about those nude scenes, especially the ones in The film based on another of Bitch, a follow-u- p her sister's books. Collins does not regret in the slightest her decision two years ago to appear nude in Playboy. "I think that was a very positive move." she said brightly. "I would not do it today, since I've made the point. I also thought it wouldn't exactly harm my image. And I know it made me a lot of fans with women, particularly women over 40. And also men." she added with a laugh. Though Collins' career gamble worked, her marriage to Ron Kass became strained. And. in 1980. she encountered probably the most serious challenge of her life. Her daughter Katy. then 8. was hit by a car. The doctors feared that Katy might not make it through the night and that, if she did surv ive, she would probably suffer permanent brain damage. Determined to prove the doctors wrong. Collins and her husband rented a trailer and literally lived in the hospital parking lot. For six weeks, they spent every waking hour at Katys bedside, talking to her. comforting her. w illing her to surv ive. After eight days in a coma. Katy finally opened her eyes. And aftersix weeks, though still unable to speak or walk, she was allowed to go home, where her slow recovery continued. Asked about her response to the accident. Collins took a deep breath. "I think was son of driven by an atavistic, maternal ferocity." she said softly. I didn't consciously think of anything other than the fact that, to make her survive. I had to pour my energy and joie de vivre and belief that she was going to surv ive into her. Some of the people in the hospital were very negative, and I had to protect Katy from people standing over her and saying. This kid doesn't have much of a chance. d all She's gonna be seriously her life."' "I would just fight like a tiger about that." Collins continued. "And when any of my family or friends came in and started to cry. I wouldn't allow it. I couldn't believe that Katy was going to die. and I couldn't believe she was going to be hopelessly handicapped. knew her condition was serious, but I just went in and did what I thought was right." Collins' efforts have been rewarded by Katy continued improvement. "She has some very minor residual things." said the actress ol her "She has a contracted pupil in her left eye. and she's a little shy. which she wasn't before she was quite outgoing but 1 brain-damage- 1 PARADE MAGAZINE OCTOBER 6, 19&5 PAGE 7 otherw ise she is completely fine." Did it surprise her that she'd been able to summon up so much strength? "Me?" she said. "I faint when somebody tries to give me an injection! And to see one's ow n child in intensiv e care, strapped up to every possible needle and IV and blood transfusion yeah. I was surprised. But it made me was really a much realize afterward that SHAKESPEARE NEVER KNEW 1 also got stronger person than I'd thought. the feeling, very strongly, that if you believe in something, it will happen. And I really believe that. "It's why I've felt that nn career was going to go on in some way or another. It doesnt just happen. I wanted to become successful over here. And w hen the chance came. I w orked at it. deliberately worked at it. And not only in front of the camera. worked to become known. I must have done 150 interviews in the first " year of Dynasty. Collins' marriage to Kass ev entually ended. Today, her two oldest children. Sacha and Tara. 20 and 21. live in Europe by themselves. Katy lives with her mother in Beverly Hills. Collins described her life as family-oriente"I don't have a very active social life." she said, sipping her coffee, "because most of the parties here are so boring. I remember w hen I came here in 1950. they were wonderful. Everybody w as dressed up. hav ing fun and cracking jokes. There were roomfuls of stars. Gary Cooper. William Holden. Cary Grant. Susan Hay ward. Now they can't even get stars to go to the Oscars and the Emmies." Collins is contracted to remain-oDynasty through next season. "After that." she said. "I think its probably time to move on while the public still wants to see more of me." The show has been a springboard for other ventures. In addition to bringing out her own line of jewelry and hats. Collins also has become her own producer. Along with her fiance. Peter Holm. 37. a former Swedish rock star who was in manufacturing when they met. she has miniseries for produced Sins, a seven-hou- r CBS. "I want to be more in control of my ow n life." said Collins. "And you can't really do that as an actress." As we got up to leave. I asked Collins if she had any regrets. "Well. I wouldn't have married Maxwell Reed." she said vv ithout hesitation. "That was very stupid. And I probably wouldn't have done some of the scenes I did in The Bitch. But that's about it. No. I don't regret any thing else. Show me a person who's never made a mistake, and I'll show you somebody who's nev er achieved much. I think mistakes add to your experience, and you can learn from them. I think. I hope. "I'm aware of how lucky I am to have this job and to be getting all this success. I don't take it for granted by any means." And what has Joan Collins learned from her own success? "I've always believed in myself." she said, even though I've been surrounded at times by negativity. I was always told that I'd better make it quick because, alter 23 or 24. I'd be all washed up. I just never would accept that. And I think the accident with Katy proved it more than anything. I think, as I said earlier, a lot of it comes from family. But you can achieve the most extraordinary things in life if you believ e." 1 PILOT PEN. 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