Joan Collins as Alexis Colby
One of Dynasty’s best-loved stars, Joan Collins was born in London and trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). She appeared in her first movie role in the 1950s and crossed the pond to the US to build her career. There, she developed a cult following for her portrayal as Princess Nellifer in Land of the Pharaohs.
She continued appearing in movies into the 60s, later moving back to Britain for films like “Revenge” and “Tales from the Crypt.” She appeared in many different movies of all genres, from romance to science fiction, even starring in 1977’s Empire of the Ants, in which Collins had to battle her way through a horde of giant mutant ants.
Joan Collins Since Dynasty
Joan Collins had already established herself as a big star before Dynasty, but the show cemented her name into the pantheon of pop culture legends. She won various awards during her time on the show as one of its leading ladies. After the show ended, she made her Broadway debut in Private Lives, touring the play across the US and to her UK home as well.
She made several TV movies in the 1990s, as well as guest starring on various TV shows like “Roseanne” and “The Nanny.” In the 21st century, Collins also appeared in movies like The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, and in more recent years, she’s been spotted in the likes of “Benidorm” and “American Horror Story.” Queen Elizabeth II also made her a Dame in 2015.
Linda Evans as Krystle Carrington
Linda Evans was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1942. Her first appearance on TV was in a 1960 episode of Bachelor Father, which also featured John Forsythe, who would later become Evans’ co-star in Dynasty. Evans appeared in guest roles on various other shows throughout the 60s and 70s.
She appeared in the likes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Rockford Files, and Hunter. Then, in the late 70s, she made a transition to film, appearing in Avalanche Express in 1979 and then Tom Horn in 1980, just before joining Dynasty in one of the show’s most important roles: Krystle Carrington.
Linda Evans Since Dynasty
During her time on Dynasty, Linda Evans won and was nominated for several awards. She also became the spokesperson for Crystal Light, due to the similarities between the beverage’s name and the name of her Dynasty character.
She left the series in 1989, a few months before it ended, and announced a semi-retirement. After Dynasty, she only made a few TV appearances in shows like The Last Frontier, and she put most of her efforts into founding a chain of fitness studios. She also appeared in infomercials for Rejuvenique, a facial mask brand.
Pamela Sue Martin as Fallon Carrington Colby
Born in 1953 in Westport Connecticut, Pamela Sue Martin started modeling when she was just a teenager and got her first movie role at the age of 19 when she appeared in The Poseidon Adventure. She followed that up with a few more film appearances like “Our Time” and “Buster and Billie.”
She then got cast as Nancy Drew on ABC becoming hugely popular with kids and teens in the process, but she left the show after becoming frustrated with her less prominent role in ABC’s “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.” She appeared on the cover of Playboy in 1978 and was cast in Dynasty just a couple of years later.
Pamela Sue Martin Since Dynasty
Pamela Sue Martin will be easily recognizable to many long-time Dynasty fans as Fallon Carrington Colby, as she had played the character from the first season through to the end of season four . She then decided to leave the show, and her character was later recast.
Since leaving Dynasty, Pamela hasn’t done too much film or TV work. She hosted SNL in 1985 and became the artistic director of an Idaho theater group, continuing her work in arts and entertainment, but never quite reaching the same heights as she did in Dynasty. She has also done a lot of work for environmental causes and appeared in a guest role in the 2019 reboot series of Nancy Drew.
Al Corley as Steven Carrington
Alford “Al” Corley was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1956. He initially pursued comedy as a career, working as a doorman at Studio 54 on Broadway in order to raise funds for his comedy lessons. He even appeared on a VH1 “Behind the Music” special all about Studio 54, talking about his time working there and the different experiences he had.
Corley had a couple of guest roles on TV shows and made-for-TV movies like “The Love Boat” and “Women at West Point.” He also appeared in the 1979 movie, “Squeeze Play!” which was a comedy directed by Lloyd Kaufman. Nevertheless, Dynasty was his first big break and most memorable role.
Al Corley Since Dynasty
Al Corley played the role of Steven Carrington for a total of 35 episodes from 1981 to 1982, but he decided to part ways with the show at the end of the second season, complaining that Steven wasn’t a very fun character. Corley went on to appear in the soap opera Bare Essence and starred opposite Pamela Sue Martin in the 1985 movie, Torchlight.
He also found some fame as a singer, releasing a single, “Square Rooms” that was popular in several European countries like France and Germany. In recent times, he’s been spotted in minor roles in movies like The Ice Road and Kill the Irishman, as well as directing and appearing in Bigger Than the Sky in 2005. He currently lives in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.
Heather Locklear as Sammy Jo Carrington
Heather Locklear was born in 1961 in LA. She attended UCLA and it was there that she first started working as a model and making her first screen appearances. She appeared in little roles on shows like “CHiPs” and “Eight is Enough.”
It was around this time that Locklear also met and began collaborating with Aaron Spelling, the American film and TV producer responsible for shows like Family, Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, and of course, Dynasty itself. Spelling would be the one to give the young star her big break as Sammy Jo on Dynasty.
Heather Locklear Since Dynasty
Heather Locklear played Sammy Jo Carrington from 1981 all the way through to 1989. It was her first collaboration with Aaron Spelling, but not her last. Spelling also cast Locklear on T.J. Hooker and, in the 90s, on Melrose Place, in which she appeared in 199 episodes as Amanda Woodward.
Melrose Place was one of Locklear’s biggest roles , and she performed on the show until it was canceled in 1999. She has also enjoyed success in movies, appearing in films like Firestarter, Money Talks, and The Perfect Man, as well as being famous for her high-profile relationships with rock stars like Tommy Lee and Richie Sambora.
Catherine Oxenberg as Amanda Carrington
Catherine Oxenberg was born in New York City to an intriguing pair of parents; her mother is Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, and her father was Howard Oxenberg, a dressmaker and a friend to the Kennedy family. She has ties to the British royal family and the Spanish royal family as well and is technically on the line of succession to the throne of the United Kingdom.
She was educated in London before heading to Harvard and Columbia for further education, making her first on-screen role as Princess Diana in the 1982 made-for-TV movie, The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana. Just a couple of years later, she joined Dynasty in 1984 as Amanda Carrington.
Catherine Oxenberg Since Dynasty
Catherine Oxenberg appeared in Dynasty for a couple of years, leaving the show in 1986 after a salary dispute. Her role was eventually recast. There was some controversy at the time, with some reports saying Oxenberg was fired and the actress herself saying she left voluntarily. After Dynasty, she hosted SNL and made appearances in various films and shows like “Acapulco H.E.A.T” and “Roman Holiday.”
She had a daughter named India in 1991 and married actor Casper Van Dien in 1999, having two more daughters with him. In 2010 , Oxenberg was in the news due to the fact that her daughter, India, had been involved with NXIVM. Oxenberg wrote a book and produced a documentary about her attempts to free her daughter from the cult.
John James as Jeff Colby
John James was born in 1956 in Minnesota. His father was a radio broadcaster, Herb Oscar Anderson, and he seemed destined for a life in entertainment from an early age. John James was first spotted on screen as Tom “Junior” Bergman in the long-running CBS soap opera, Search for Tomorrow.
Search for Tomorrow originally began screening in 1951 and ran all the way through to 1986. Countless actors appeared on the show during its long run, from Kevin Bacon to Morgan Fairchild, and therefore, James was in good company. He appeared in four episodes of the show, launching a long-lasting soap opera career of his own in the process.
John James Since Dynasty
For John James, Dynasty was just the beginning of a huge career in soap operas. He appeared in the Dynasty spin-off, The Colbys, from 1985 to 1986 and starred in another popular soap opera, As the World Turns, playing the role of Rick Decker in the early 2000s. He also appeared on the ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children, as Dr. Jeff Martin.
James has since expanded into film roles as well , appearing alongside Sean Astin in Icebreaker and has also acted alongside the likes of Danny Trejo and Jesse Eisenberg in other motion pictures. He married Denis Ellen Coward, Miss World runner-up for 1978. Together, the couple has had two children.
Pamela Bellwood as Claudia Blaisdel Carrington
Pamela Bellwood was born in New York City as Pamela Anne King in 1951. She first appeared as Emily in a production of Our Town, which kick started a lifelong interest in acting. After that, she began studying acting , attending schools in both New York and London to hone her talents.
By 1972, when she was just 21 years old, Pamela Bellwood was appearing on Broadway. She took over Blythe Danner’s role in Butterflies are Free, as well as acting alongside Barbara Bel Geddes in Finishing Touches. She also expanded into TV roles, appearing in Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers, as well as an episode of Rhonda.
Pamela Bellwood Since Dynasty
Pamela Bellwood was one of the original cast members of Dynasty, appearing in the show’s first three seasons consistently. She then left at the start of the third season, but later returned to the show as a regular cast member until 1986. After that, she left permanently in order to become a full-time mother and care for her child.
She dedicated several years of her life to being a mother but also found time to appear in various TV shows and movies over the years. In the 1980s, she appeared in the likes of Baby Sister, Sparkling Cyanide, and an episode of The Twilight Zone. In the 90s, she appeared in “Life Goes On” and “Murder, She Wrote.” She continues to perform, albeit rarely, and was recently spotted in an episode of Criminal Minds.
Gordon Thomson as Adam Carrington
Gordon Thomson was born in 1945 in Ottawa, Canada. He studied English at McGill University in Montreal, and it was there that he started to study and fall in love with the craft of acting. Having decided to pursue acting as a career, he began to audition for small roles on TV and stage projects.
His first big TV role was as Michael Stewart Jr. on the popular Canadian TV show, High Hopes. After that, he began a recurring role as Aristotle Benedict White on Ryan’s Hope, from 1981 through to 1982. He had also developed a reputation as a strong stage actor prior to starting work on “Dynasty , appearing in productions like “Godspell” and “Love’s Labour’s Lost.”
Gordon Thomson Since Dynasty
Gordon Thomson stayed on Dynasty from 1982 all the way through to 1989. He also appeared on the spin-off, The Colbys for a few episodes. Once Dynasty ended , he decided to continue to appear in various soap operas, such as Santa Barbara, Sunset Beach, Passions, Days of Our Lives, and The Young and the Restless.
Like certain other Dynasty cast members, Thomson developed a strong working relationship with Aaron Spelling, appearing in eight different shows produced by Spelling. In more recent years , he’s appeared in films like “Poseidon” and “Little Miss Sunshine,” as well as the web series, “DeVanity . He has also been a guest host on the British morning show, Good Morning Britain.
John Forsythe as Blake Carrington
John Forsythe was one of the biggest stars of Dynasty, appearing as the Carrington family patriarch, Blake, from 1981 all the way through to the show’s end in 1989. But he was already an established actor long before then, having signed with Warner Bros. at the age of 25.
He started appearing in movies back in the 1940s, developing his career and resume with appearances in films like The Captive City, The Trouble with Harry, and The Ambassador’s Daughter. He was also a big TV star, playing a leading role in Bachelor Father and being the unseen but often heard Charles Townsend in Charlie’s Angels.
John Forsythe Since Dynasty
By the time Dynasty came to an end, John Forsythe was in his sixties. He’d enjoyed a long and illustrious career up to that point, and it didn’t end there. After Dynasty, he continued to work in films and on TV, appearing in TV movies like Opposites Attract and lending his famous voice to several shows as well.
He had a recurring role in The Powers That Be in the early 90s, and reprised his role as Charlie for the 2000 and 2003 Charlie’s Angels movies, with the latter becoming his final film role. On April 1st of 2020, Forsythe passed away from pneumonia.
Michael Nader as Dex Dexter
Michael Nader was born in February of 1945 in St. Louis, Missouri. He had a slightly troubled childhood, with his parents separating just a few months after he was born, but was exposed to the entertainment industry from an early age, while living with his mother in Los Angeles.
As a teen, Nader enjoyed surfing, even appearing in a 1961 Life magazine photo-shoot discussing his surfer lifestyle. He also developed a passion for acting, starting his career in the early 60s. He appeared in various shows and films like Gidget, Blue, and As The World Turns, all building up to his casting in the role of Dex Dexter on Dynasty in 1983.
Michael Nader Since Dynasty
Michael Nader starred as Dex all the way until Dynasty’s cancellation in 1989. In the late 80s, he also expanded into other roles, appearing as a Nazi in the TV movie, The Great Escape II: The Untold Story, as well as portraying Enzio Bonnatti in the miniseries, Lucky Chances.
In the 90s, Nader continued to act in soap operas, starring Dimitri Marick in All My Children, a role that he played intermittently from 1991 to 2001. He has also appeared in other TV shows such as “Law And Order: SVU” and “Cold Case.”
Jack Coleman as Steven Carrington
Jack Coleman was born in Easton, Pennsylvania in 1958. He is a sixth-generation descendant of one of America’s Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin. As a young man, he attended Duke University, which is where he decided to become an actor, continuing his education at the National Theater Institute at The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Connecticut.
His first big role was in Days of Our Lives. He appeared from 1981 to 1982 in the role of Jake “The Salem Strangler” Kositchek and impressed fans and critics alike with his performance. His work on the show helped to pave the way for his next role, Steven Carrington himself, one of Dynasty’s most memorable characters and one of the first openly gay characters on TV as well .
Jack Coleman Since Dynasty
Jack Coleman starred on Dynasty until the end of the show’s eighth season in 1988, but his career was far from over. He went on to appear in shows like Nightmare Cafe, CSI: Miami, Nip/Tuck, Without a Trace, and Diagnosis: Murder in various guest and supporting roles. He also worked on stage, appearing in different plays and writing some screenplays of his own.
He was then cast in a main role on the popular sci-fi show Heroes, playing Noah Bennet for several years, following that up with a recurring role in the hugely popular TV comedy, The Office, from 2010 to 2013, and another recurring role in Castle.
Emma Samms as Fallon Carrington Colby
Emma Samms is an English actress, born in August of 1960 in London, England. She was the daughter of a ballet dancer and a film equipment rental company owner, as well as being the granddaughter of G. B. Samuelson, an influential director and producer in Britain. She initially trained as a ballet dancer, before moving into acting after a hip injury.
Seeking opportunities in America, Samms landed her first big role as Holly Sutton Scorpio on ABC’s daytime soap, General Hospital. She appeared on the show from 1982 through to 1985, and her character was killed off so that she could leave to start her new role as Fallon Carrington Colby on Dynasty.
Emma Samms Since Dynasty
Samms took over the role of Fallon from Pamela Sue Martin, who had decided to leave the show, and she remained in the role until 1989. She also appeared in The Colbys, the Dynasty spin-off. After Dynasty, Samms appeared in various TV and film roles, as well as returning to General Hospital in the 1990s, with her character, Holly, being brought back from the dead by the show’s writers.
Samms has also appeared in several shows in her homeland, the UK; Holby City, The Bill, and Doctors. She has also appeared on stage in the UK and continues to reappear in General Hospital, with her most recent appearance in September of 2020.
Bo Hopkins as Matthew Blaisdel
Dynasty fans will remember Bo Hopkins as Matthew Blaisdel from the first season. Before the show, he’d already appeared in many movies and TV shows. Born in 1942 in South Carolina, he started his acting career in the 60s after spending some time in the army.
He had guest roles in various major studio films like The Wild Bunch, The Getaway, The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing, Posse, and Midnight Express. He also appeared in the Burt Reynolds movie, White Lightning, as well as starring or co-starring in many made-for-TV movies throughout the 70s and having a small recurring role in The Rockford Files .
Bo Hopkins Since Dynasty
Bo Hopkins continued his impressive and prolific acting career after leaving Dynasty. He appeared in many other shows and movies throughout the 80s and into the 90s, including the likes of Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Hawaii Five-O, Charlie’s Angels, Fantasy Island, and The A-Team.
He can consistently be found in supporting roles in all kinds of shows and movies, from cult horror movies like From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money to neo-noir crime thrillers like Shade. He took a break from acting for a while in the 2000s but has recently made a return to the profession and is working on his autobiography.
Lee Bergere as Joseph Anders
Lee Bergere is best known to Dynasty fans for his role as Blake Carrington’s majordomo, Joseph Anders. Before that, he’d enjoyed a long and storied career in theater and TV. Born in Brooklyn, Bergere started his acting career on Broadway as an understudy in Lady in the Dark, when he was only 18 years old.
He went on to make an appearance as the Duke in Man of La Mancha when the Broadway show went to Los Angeles, and he later appeared as Don Quixote and other characters from the show in New York, LA, and other locations. He made his TV debut in Studio One with James Dean, as well as appearing in shows like “Perry Mason” and “Star Trek,” in which he had a memorable guest role as Abraham Lincoln.
Lee Bergere Since Dynasty
Lee Bergere had developed a reputation for playing rather uppity, arrogant, and smug characters by the time Dynasty was being made, so it seemed only logical that he be cast in the role of Joseph Anders for the show’s first season. He appears in the show’s very first episode and continued through to the fourth.
After the show, he appeared on some other TV shows and miniseries like North and South, Falcon Crest, and Dream West, as well as movies like Time Trackers, before giving up acting in 1989. He died at the age of 88 from undisclosed causes at the Colonial Poplin Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility in New Hampshire, leaving behind two daughters and two grandsons.
Kathleen Beller as Kirby Anders
Born in Westchester, NY in 1956, Kathleen Beller studied acting in England and began her performing career with appearances in various TV commercials. In 1971, she got her first big break in the role of Liza Walton Sentell in the soap opera, Search for Tomorrow. She held a position on the show through to 1974, before quitting to move to LA.
In LA, Beller made her movie debut in one of the most famous movies of all time: The Godfather Part II. She had a small role as an actress in a play that Vito Corleone is attending. She then started receiving more TV and film work, appearing in the likes of “The Betsy” and “Mary White.”
Kathleen Beller Since Dynasty
Dynasty was perhaps the most defining role of Kathleen Beller’s career, but she continued to act in the years that followed. She didn’t want to leave the show in 1984, blaming the show’s writers for “losing interest in her character”.
She moved on to appear in the TV thriller Deadly Messages, as well as appearing in the short-lived NBC drama TV series, The Bronx Zoo. Outside of her professional life, she met and married musician Thomas Dolby in 1988 whom she had three children with . She hasn’t appeared in almost any movies or shows since the early 90s.
Diahann Carroll as Dominique Deveraux
Diahann Carroll was born in the Bronx, NY, in 1935. Her mother was a nurse, while her father was a subway conductor. She attended Music and Art High School, cultivating a love of the arts with the help of her supportive parents, who enrolled her in dance and singing classes to hone her skills. She was a model by the age of 15 and got her first big break at the age of 18 on the TV talent show, Chance of a Lifetime.
She made her film debut in Carmen Jones in 1954, going on to appear in various popular and successful TV shows, movies, and Broadway productions as well , including House of Flowers, Paris Blues, No Strings, and Claudine, which she was nominated for an Academy Award for.
Diahann Carroll Since Dynasty
Diahann Carroll was one of the biggest African-American stars at a time when opportunities were harder to come by for people of color, and she wowed fans with her portrayal of Dynasty diva Dominique Deveraux. After the show, as well as appearing on The Colby’s, she proceeded to star as Marion Gilbert in A Different World, receiving the third Emmy nomination of her career.
She also starred in The Five Heartbeats in the early 90s and appeared as Norma Desmond in the Canadian production of Sunset Boulevard. She made her animation debut in Disney’s The Legend of Tarzan, as well as appearing in the 21st century TV show, Grey’s Anatomy before passing away at the age of 84 in 2019.
Kate O’Mara as Caress Morell
Born in Leicester, England, Kate O’Mara attended boarding school prior to art school, before pursuing an acting career. She made her stage debut in The Merchant of Venice in 1963 but had already appeared in her first film, Home and Away, in the 1950s. She also acted in various British TV shows throughout the 60s, including Danger Man, The Avengers, The Saint, and Z-Cars.
In 1970, she appeared in a couple of Hammer horror productions and was offered a long-term job with Hammer, but turned it down. She then appeared in other UK shows like Doctor Who before getting cast as Caress Morell on Dynasty.
Kate O’Mara Since Dynasty
Kate O’Mara appeared as Caress Morell throughout the sixth and seventh seasons of the show, developing good chemistry with co-star Joan Collins, but preferred life in England and was thankful to leave the show earlier than her original contract had anticipated. Back in the UK, she landed a recurring role as Laura Wilde in the BBC soap, Howards’ Way.
In her later career, O’Mara made several more TV appearances in shows like “Cluedo” and “Absolutely Fabulous. ” She was also recognized for speaking out against sexual harassment in the film and TV industry. During the latter years of her career, she mostly appeared on stage in shows like An Ideal Husband and Death on the Nile. She also wrote several books before passing away at the age of 74 from ovarian cancer.
Stephanie Beacham as Sable Colby
Stephanie Beacham is another English actress who appeared in Dynasty. Born in London, she attended Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ Grammar School and then studied the art of mime in Paris, before attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London and pursuing an acting career. Her first TV role was the BBC show, The Queen’s Traitor, in 1967.
She went on to make guest appearances in various popular British TV shows of the time, such as “The Saint” and “UFO,” as well as making her film debut in The Games in 1970. She appeared in various horror movies too, namely; Dracula A.D. 1972, And Now the Screaming Starts, and Inseminoid, as well as receiving acclaim for her work on the BBC show, Tenko.
Stephanie Beacham Since Dynasty
Beacham first appeared as Sable Colby in The Colbys, before making the move to Dynasty and continued in the show until it was canceled. After that, she got a leading role in The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, and won the lead in the sitcom , Sister Kate.
Like other Dynasty stars, she also made appearances in other Aaron Spelling productions such as Beverly Hills, 90210, The Love Boat, and Charmed. She continued to appear in various UK and US shows, including popular UK soap, Coronation Street. She also took part in the UK’s Celebrity Big Brother, making it to the show’s final round and finishing in 5th place.
Leann Hunley as Dana Waring
Leann Hunley was born in 1955 in Forks, Washington. She attended the University of Washington and went on to pursue a career in acting, getting her first big break on the TV show, Hawaii Five-O. She then received a regular role on The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo from 1979 to 1980.
Hunley also appeared on other shows of the time like Battlestar Galactica, B.J. and the Bear, and Mrs. Columbo, before landing one of her biggest roles as Anna DiMera on Days of Our Lives, a role that she would return to again and again in the years that followed.
Leann Hunley Since Dynasty
Leann Hunley played Dana Waring on Dynasty from 1986 to 1988. After that, she appeared in guest roles in popular TV shows of the 80s and 90s, such as Murder She Wrote, The Last Word, Who’s the Boss?, The Nanny, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
She had a recurring role on Dawson’s Creek in the late 1990s, as well as making more guest appearances in shows like Gilmore Girls, Just Shoot Me!, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2007, she also returned to her role as Anna on Days of Our Lives and still makes appearances on the show to this day.
