This girl grew up during World War II, sleeping in the Underground and moving from place to place with her family. She later became a successful actress who married a younger man.

Born in London on May 23, 1933, to Elsa, a nightclub hostess, and Joseph, a talent agent, Joan Collins experienced the upheavals of war. Her family, including siblings Jackie and Bill, sought shelter in Tube stations to escape the bombings. Joan recalled these times vividly in a May 2020 interview, mentioning how her father had to stay in London to entertain those remaining.

Joan’s disrupted schooling didn’t hinder her eventual rise to stardom. Encouraged by her grandmother, she pursued acting despite her father’s doubts. She became a household name with her role in the 1981 drama series “Dynasty.”

Joan’s love life included high-profile engagements and marriages. Since 2002, she has been happily married to Percy Gibson, who is 32 years her junior. Now 90, Joan and Percy continue to defy age norms.