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==Career==
==Career==
===Acting===
===Acting===
In 1972, at age 16, she became romantically involved with [[John Derek]], a married man 30 years her senior. Not long after the two started dating, John divorced his wife, actress [[Linda Evans]], and the couple moved to [[Germany]] so that John would not be subject to the American [[statutory rape]] law due to Cathleen's young age. They returned to the United States when Cathleen was 18 and they married in 1976.
In 1972, at age 16, she became romantically involved with [[John Derek]], a married man 30 years her senior. Not long after the two started dating, John divorced his wife, actress [[Linda Evans]], and the couple moved to Germany so that John would not be subject to the American [[statutory rape]] law due to Cathleen's young age. They returned to the United States when Cathleen was 18 and they married in 1976.


During 1973, while overseas in Germany, John began to pursue making a film starring the young Cathleen. Entitled ''[[Fantasies (film)|Fantasies]]'', the film would be a low-budgeted [[English language]] romantic drama that cast her alongside several unknown German actors and actresses. In an effort to capitalize on his young protégé's good looks, John had several risqué scenes worked into the film. These scenes showcased the then unknown actress in revealing outfits as well as some brief nudity.
During 1973, while overseas in Germany, John began to pursue making a film starring the young Cathleen. Entitled ''[[Fantasies (film)|Fantasies]]'', the film would be a low-budgeted English language romantic drama that cast her alongside several unknown German actors and actresses. In an effort to capitalize on his young protégé's good looks, John had several risqué scenes worked into the film. These scenes showcased the then unknown actress in revealing outfits as well as some brief nudity.


Due to the fierce controversy that surrounded ''Fantasies'', Derek had it re-edited twice before trying to sell it to studios. Under the Pre-Code laws, the film was considered too risqué for a theatrical release. The film went unreleased until 1981 when Derek had already achieved a sex symbol status. Some disbelieved that it was the then famous Bo Derek starring in the film because the lead actress was a brunette and billed as "Kathleen Collins".
Due to the fierce controversy that surrounded ''Fantasies'', Derek had it re-edited twice before trying to sell it to studios. Under the Pre-Code laws, the film was considered too risqué for a theatrical release. The film went unreleased until 1981 when Derek had already achieved a sex symbol status. Some disbelieved that it was the then famous Bo Derek starring in the film because the lead actress was a brunette and billed as "Kathleen Collins".
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She followed with [[MGM]]'s [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R-rated]] ''[[Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981 film)|Tarzan, the Ape Man]]'' in 1981. Directed by husband John Derek, the film dealt very little on the title character of [[Tarzan]] but instead focused more on Derek's character of [[Jane Porter (Tarzan)|Jane Parker]]. The film gave Derek her first leading role in a mainstream Hollywood film. Due to its strong dwelling on the role of Jane, the film was originally to be entitled ''Me, Jane'', ''Jane and Tarzan'' or ''Searching for Tarzan''. Filming took place on location in [[Africa]] on a moderate budget of $6.5 million.
She followed with [[MGM]]'s [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R-rated]] ''[[Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981 film)|Tarzan, the Ape Man]]'' in 1981. Directed by husband John Derek, the film dealt very little on the title character of [[Tarzan]] but instead focused more on Derek's character of [[Jane Porter (Tarzan)|Jane Parker]]. The film gave Derek her first leading role in a mainstream Hollywood film. Due to its strong dwelling on the role of Jane, the film was originally to be entitled ''Me, Jane'', ''Jane and Tarzan'' or ''Searching for Tarzan''. Filming took place on location in [[Africa]] on a moderate budget of $6.5 million.
[[File:Chandran Rutnam with John and Bo Derek.jpeg|thumb|240px|right|Bo Derek with husband [[John Derek]] and [[Chandran Rutnam]].]]
[[File:Chandran Rutnam with John and Bo Derek.jpeg|thumb|240px|right|Bo Derek with husband John Derek and [[Chandran Rutnam]].]]
John Derek again wanted to showcase the physique of his wife and required her to wear risqué and controversial outfits for several scenes. In one scene Bo appeared nude while several African women were bathing her and later while they were painting her white. Before the film was released John Derek and MGM were sued by the [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]] estate over the name of the film, as Derek's role and physique seemed to overshadow the focus on Tarzan. The film was heavily criticised by critics, especially the performance given by Bo. At the ceremony on March 31, 1981, Derek (along with [[Faye Dunaway]] for ''[[Mommie Dearest (film)|Mommie Dearest]]'') won the [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress]]. ''Tarzan, the Ape Man'' did, however, become a box office success, making over $35 million in ticket sales, and becoming the [[1981 in film|15th highest-grossing film of 1981]].
John Derek again wanted to showcase the physique of his wife and required her to wear risqué and controversial outfits for several scenes. In one scene Bo appeared nude while several African women were bathing her and later while they were painting her white. Before the film was released John Derek and MGM were sued by the [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]] estate over the name of the film, as Derek's role and physique seemed to overshadow the focus on Tarzan. The film was heavily criticised by critics, especially the performance given by Bo. At the ceremony on March 31, 1981, Derek (along with [[Faye Dunaway]] for ''[[Mommie Dearest (film)|Mommie Dearest]]'') won the [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress]]. ''Tarzan, the Ape Man'' did, however, become a box office success, making over $35 million in ticket sales, and becoming the [[1981 in film|15th highest-grossing film of 1981]].



Revision as of 23:39, 24 June 2013

Bo Derek
Bo Derek in 2010
Born
Mary Cathleen Collins

(1956-11-20) November 20, 1956 (age 68)
Long Beach, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1977–present
Notable work10 (1979), Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981), Bolero (1984), & Tommy Boy (1995)
SpouseJohn Derek (m. 1976–1998) (his death)

Bo Derek (born Mary Cathleen Collins; November 20, 1956) is an American film and television actress, movie producer, and model perhaps best known for her role in the 1979 film 10. The film also launched a bestselling poster for Derek in a swimsuit, and subsequently she became one of the most popular sex symbols in 1980s. However, Derek's later films were not well received by either the public or critics and her film career never recovered. Today she makes the occasional film, television and documentary appearance.

Early life

Bo Derek was born Mary Cathleen Collins in Long Beach, California. She is of Irish, French, Dutch and Welsh descent.[citation needed] Her father, Paul Collins, was a Hobie Cat executive, and her mother, Norma Bass, a make-up artist and hairdresser to Ann-Margret. Derek's parents divorced, and her mother married American stunt performer Bobby Bass.

Derek attended Narbonne High School in Harbor City, California. She then attended George S. Patton Continuation School, which is adjacent to Narbonne.

Career

Acting

In 1972, at age 16, she became romantically involved with John Derek, a married man 30 years her senior. Not long after the two started dating, John divorced his wife, actress Linda Evans, and the couple moved to Germany so that John would not be subject to the American statutory rape law due to Cathleen's young age. They returned to the United States when Cathleen was 18 and they married in 1976.

During 1973, while overseas in Germany, John began to pursue making a film starring the young Cathleen. Entitled Fantasies, the film would be a low-budgeted English language romantic drama that cast her alongside several unknown German actors and actresses. In an effort to capitalize on his young protégé's good looks, John had several risqué scenes worked into the film. These scenes showcased the then unknown actress in revealing outfits as well as some brief nudity.

Due to the fierce controversy that surrounded Fantasies, Derek had it re-edited twice before trying to sell it to studios. Under the Pre-Code laws, the film was considered too risqué for a theatrical release. The film went unreleased until 1981 when Derek had already achieved a sex symbol status. Some disbelieved that it was the then famous Bo Derek starring in the film because the lead actress was a brunette and billed as "Kathleen Collins".

By 1976, John Derek had given his wife a so-called Hollywood makeover. She had bleached her hair blonde and adopted the stage-name of Bo Derek. In 1977 she caught the eye of director Michael Anderson and was cast in a small role in Anderson's upcoming horror flick, Orca (1977), which was Anderson's answer to major success of Jaws. The film received only a minor theatrical release in July 1977 and was an ultimate box office disappointment. It has, however, obtained a cult following over the years.[citation needed]

In 1979, Derek was selected over Melanie Griffith, Heather Thomas and several others for the role of Jenny Hanley in the romantic comedy film 10. Directed by Blake Edwards the film starred Dudley Moore, as a middle aged man who finds Derek's character to be the ideal woman for him, though he is also in love with an older woman, played by Julie Andrews. Derek's presence in a dream sequence racing towards Moore in a flimsy flesh-colored swimsuit became iconic and launched her status as a mainstream sex symbol. This sequence and Derek’s cornrow hairstyle in the film have often been parodied. 10 became a critical and financial blockbuster at the box office.

After 10, Derek was immediately cast in A Change of Seasons (1980), a dramedy[clarification needed] film, alongside Shirley MacLaine and Anthony Hopkins. The film cast Derek as a young college student who has an affair with her older, married professor. Critics gave unfavorable reviews of A Change of Seasons and it became only a moderate box office success.

She followed with MGM's R-rated Tarzan, the Ape Man in 1981. Directed by husband John Derek, the film dealt very little on the title character of Tarzan but instead focused more on Derek's character of Jane Parker. The film gave Derek her first leading role in a mainstream Hollywood film. Due to its strong dwelling on the role of Jane, the film was originally to be entitled Me, Jane, Jane and Tarzan or Searching for Tarzan. Filming took place on location in Africa on a moderate budget of $6.5 million.

Bo Derek with husband John Derek and Chandran Rutnam.

John Derek again wanted to showcase the physique of his wife and required her to wear risqué and controversial outfits for several scenes. In one scene Bo appeared nude while several African women were bathing her and later while they were painting her white. Before the film was released John Derek and MGM were sued by the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate over the name of the film, as Derek's role and physique seemed to overshadow the focus on Tarzan. The film was heavily criticised by critics, especially the performance given by Bo. At the ceremony on March 31, 1981, Derek (along with Faye Dunaway for Mommie Dearest) won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress. Tarzan, the Ape Man did, however, become a box office success, making over $35 million in ticket sales, and becoming the 15th highest-grossing film of 1981.

In August 1980, Derek made her first appearance in Playboy magazine. She would again pose in September 1981. By the early 1980s, Derek's film career had began to crumble. Between 1981 and 1983, Derek had no film offers. She did, however, make frequent public appearances, in addition to magazine covers and television shows. In 1984, she returned to the big screen with Bolero, which would again be directed by her husband John. The film centers on the protagonist's sexual awakening and her journey around the world to pursue an ideal first lover who will take her virginity. The sexual nature of the film, along with substantial nude and inappropriate content, eventually lead to the film being given an X-rating, a rating usually only given to pornographic or horror films.

Reviews for Bolero were harsh upon its August 1984 release and the film failed to recoup its production costs at the box office. Derek's performance of the young, sexually inexperienced female lead was given the worst reviews, and on March 24, 1985, she once again won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress. Bolero also won other Raspberry awards, including "Worst Director", "Worst Screenplay", "Worst Picture", "Worst New Star" and "Worst Musical Score". The film was called Derek's worst screen performance, but has since become her second most popular film appearance behind 10.

After a five-year hiatus from films, Derek returned to motion pictures with the dramedy-fantasy Ghosts Can't Do It, which was filmed and released on video in foreign countries in 1989, but didn't receive a theatrical release in the United States until June 1990. It would prove to be the final teaming of Bo as lead actress and her husband John as director. The film was John Derek's imitation of the fantasy film Ghost, which was released the same year and garnered critical and financial success.[citation needed] Derek won another "Worst Actress" award for her performance, and the film also won "Worst Picture", "Worst Director", and "Worst Supporting Actor" awards. Ghosts Can't Do It was not favored among critics, and was a box office failure.

Upon the release of Ghosts Can’t Do It, Derek and husband John took a break from acting due to John's declining health. Bo would return to acting with the 1992 television movie Hot Chocolate, which was followed by Shattered Image in 1994, another television film. She returned to theatrical films with the 1994 R-rated romance Woman of Desire. The film co-starred film legend Robert Mitchum and received only a minor theatrical release. Due to its lack of publicity, the studio released the film on VHS the same day it premiered in theaters. The film received little to no attention from critics, but has since become one of Derek's most remembered and in demand films due to its sexual nature and nudity scenes.[citation needed]

In 1995, she appeared in the comedy film Tommy Boy that starred Chris Farley and David Spade. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but became a financial success nevertheless. Derek was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress, but lost to Madonna for Four Rooms. In 1998, her 22-year marriage to John Derek ended after his sudden death. Later that year she guest starred on four episodes of Wind on Water, and in 1999, appeared on The Drew Carey Show.

In the early 2000s, Derek appeared in guest roles on the shows Family Law, Queen of Swords, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, Lucky, Still Standing, and 7th Heaven. She also appeared in the films Sunstorm, Frozen with Fear and Horror 101 in 2001, followed by Malibu's Most Wanted (2003), and Life in the Balance (2004).

On March 25, 2000 at the 20th Golden Raspberry Awards, Derek was nominated for "Worst Actress of the Century". She shared this nomination with Madonna, Brooke Shields, Elizabeth Berkley and Pia Zadora: eventually, Madonna won the award. In 2006, Derek starred in 40 episodes of the 65 episode telenovela series Fashion House, along with Morgan Fairchild.

In 2011, Derek appeared in the television movie The Hunt for the I-5 Killer and guest starred on a critically acclaimed episode of the popular crime drama series CSI: Miami. As of 2012, Derek had completed a role in the to-be-released Highland Park.

Political

Visiting a VA hospital in Los Angeles, 2005

Derek, who describes herself as Independent, supported George H. W. Bush in 1988 and 1992 and campaigned for his son George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, and she appeared at both Republican conventions. However, in a January 2011 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, she said she voted for Barack Obama in 2008. Derek has also appeared at events with Republican Congressman David Dreier of Southern California.[1]

When White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten was asked about his relationship with Derek on the April 30, 2006 edition of Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, Bolten said she was a friend and a "strong supporter of the President."[citation needed]

In 2006, Bo Derek was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by President George W. Bush, on the operations committee.[2]

Personal life

Horse owner and activist

A horse lover and riding enthusiast since childhood, she owns Andalusian horses and is a spokesperson for the Animal Welfare Institute's campaign to end horse slaughter through passage of federal and state legislation. On February 5, 2002, she published her autobiography entitled Riding Lessons: Everything That Matters in Life I Learned from Horses (ISBN 0-060-39437-4).

Derek serves on the California Horse Racing Board.[3][dead link]

Wounded veterans advocate

She is national honorary chairperson for Veterans Affairs' National Rehabilitation Special Events. Derek attended the 17th annual Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Village, Colorado. In 2003, she received the VA's highest honor from Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi. Derek goes on United Service Organizations (USO) tours. The Special Forces Association named her an honorary Green Beret.[4]

Derek's father, Paul Collins, was a radio operator during the Korean war, and stepfather and her late husband, John Derek, were also veterans.

Relationships

John and Bo moved to Germany and returned to America soon after Bo's 18th birthday, and they married in 1976. They remained married until his death from heart failure in 1998.[5]

Since 2002, she has been involved with actor John Corbett.[6]

Awards and nominations

Acting credits

Film

Film Year Role Notes
Orca 1977 Annie AKA: Orca: The Killer Whale (for some releases).
10 1979 Jenny Hanley Nominated: Golden Globe Award for Best New Star
A Change of Seasons 1980 Lindsey Rutledge
Fantasies 1981 Anastasia Billed as: Kathleen Collins. Filmed in 1973; legally her "film debut".
Tarzan, the Ape Man 1981 Jane Parker Won: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress
Bolero 1984 Ayre "Mac" MacGillivery
Ghosts Can't Do It 1990 Katie O'Dare Scott
Woman of Desire 1993 Christina Ford
Tommy Boy 1995 Beverly Barish-Burns Calahan Nominated: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress
Sunstorm 2001 Victoria Warren
Frozen with Fear 2001 Katherine Sullivan
Horror 101 2001 Miss Allison James
The Master of Disguise 2002 Herself Cameo appearance
Malibu's Most Wanted 2003 Bess Gluckman
Boom 2003 Herself Cameo appearance
Life in the Balance 2004 Kathryn Garr
Highland Park 2012 Destiny post-production

Television

Program Year Role Notes
Hot Chocolate 1992 BJ Cassidy Television movie
Shattered Image 1994 Helen Allgood Television movie
Wind on Water 1998 Ciel Connolly 3 episodes
Family Law 2000 Camille Weller 1 episode
Queen of Swords 2000 Mary Rose 1 episode "The Witness"
Murder at the Cannes Film Festival 2000 Thada Pryce Television movie
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place 2001 Susan Bergen 3 episodes
Lucky 2003 Joan 1 episode
Still Standing 2005 Mrs. Rose Grundy 1 episode
7th Heaven 2003–05 Mrs. Kinkirk 3 episodes
Crusader 2005 Nicola Markham Television movie
Fashion House 2006 Maria Gianni 40 episodes
The Hunt for the I-5 Killer 2011 Seaver Television movie
Chuck 2012 Herself Season 5, Episode 10
CSI:Miami 2012 Joanna Toring Season 10, Episode 14

also played in a LMN movie, Frozen Fear

References

  1. ^ "Congressman David Dreier: Gay & Ashamed" Larry Flynt.com
  2. ^ "The Kennedy Center Activity Report for California" Kennedy Center web site
  3. ^ http://www.chrb.ca.gov/board_members.htm
  4. ^ "Bo Derek named honorary Green Beret". Retrieved 2008-01-18.
  5. ^ Vallance, Tom (May 25, 1998). "Obituary:John Derek". The Independent. Retrieved 15 January, 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ 'I'm so happy', says Bo Derek as she opens up for the first time about romance with Sex And The City's John Corbett

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