Mary Cathleen Collins, was born 20th November 1956 in Long Beach California. Derek is the oldest of four children followed by her brother and two sisters. Her father Paul Collins was a Hobie Cat advertising executive, and her mother Norma Bass a make-up artist and hairdresser to Ann Margret. Collin’s parents divorced, and her mother went on to marry American stunt man Bobby Bass.
Collins and her siblings attended Narbonne High School and George S Patton Continuation School, both in Harbor City, California.
Even as a youngster, Collins was the adored mermaid of the Californian waters taking full advantage of the “Toys” her father would bring home as prototypes via his work in advertising. Taking particular care, her father always managed to find work, which involved the ‘toys’ he liked, the family spoils of his chosen career.
As a teenager, Collins wasn’t very ambitious and had no big plans for her future. She certainly never dreamed of going into films, her main interest being sport, water sports in particular. She just assumed she would end up working in a surf shop somewhere one day.
Growing up, she often had to deal with unwanted advances from men and constant jibes about her natural beauty from women. Close friends often told Collins she should be a model, due to her height, natural blonde hair, blue eyes and slender figure. Modelling didn’t particularly interest Collins at first, that was until she worked out that the money she would earn would help buy a new surf board.
So at the age of 15, Collins got her first modelling job in Hawaii working with her father, who at the time was running an ad campaign with a boat company. Collins was a natural. She showed years of experience, that of course she didn’t have, when placed next to a motor boat, dirt bike, or whatever was in need of being promoted at the time.
Collins next move was a television commercial, advertising deodorant. She only had to say three words, but it was enough to make sales of the product reach and all time high. Soon afterwards, backstage at one of Ann Margret’s shows in Las Vegas, Collins met a theatrical agent. “You should be in movies”, he told her and immediately went about signing her to a contract.
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 Linda Evans, who shared a remarkable striking resemblance to young Collins. The couple moved to Germany so that John Derek would not be subject to the American statutory rape law due to Collins young age. They returned to the US when she was 18 and they married in 1976.
During her time in Germany, John began making a film titled ‘Fantasies’, starring Collins. It would be a low budgeted English language romantic drama that cast her alongside several unknown German actors and actresses. Trying to capitalise on his wife’s good looks, he worked several risqué scenes into the film, showcasing her as the then unknown actress in revealing outfits, and at times even naked. Due to the fierce controversy that surrounded the movie, John had to re-edit it twice before trying to sell it to studios. The film went unreleased, until 1981, some time after Collins, now Derek had already achieved sex symbol status.
By 1976, John had discussed with his wife about changing her name for the purposes of her ongoing career. It was decided she would take the name Bo Derek.
In 1977, she caught the eye of Michael Anderson a director, who offered her a small part in his upcoming horror flick, Orca, which was his answer to the hit film some years before titled Jaws. The film was a box office disappointment, but it was all experience for Derek.
In 1979, Derek was selected over Melanie Griffith, Heath Thomas and several others for the role of Jenny Hanley in the romantic comedy firm titled ‘10’ alongside Dudley Moore, who plays a middle aged man who finds Derek’s character to be the ideal woman for him, even though he is madly in love with an older woman, played by Julie Andrews.
Derek’s presence in a dream sequence racing towards Moore in a flimsy flesh-coloured 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. The film would give Derek the much needed boost into the Hollywood Movie scene.
Derek would have a ongoing career in films and television to this very day. Some of her credits include, ‘A Change of Seasons’ (1980), Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981), ‘Bolero’ (1984), ‘Ghosts Can’t Do it’ (1990), ‘Woman of Desire’ (1993), ‘Tommy Boy’ (1995), ‘Sunstorm’ (2001), ‘Frozen with Fear’ (2001), ‘Horror 101’ (2001), ‘The Master of Disguise’ (2002), ‘Malibu’s Most Wanted’ (2003), ‘Boom’ (2003), ‘Life In The Balance’ (2004), ‘Crusader’ (2005) and ‘Highland Park’ (2012).
Derek has achieved three awards through her acting career:-
- 1982 Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress in Tarzan, Ape Man
- 1985 Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress in Bolero
- 1991 Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress in Ghosts Can’t Do It
Politically, Derek describes herself as ‘independent’ and threw her support behind George Bush Senior in 1988 and 1992, and then also campaigned for his son George W Bush in 2000 and 2004.
As a horse riding enthusiast, she owns Andalusian horses and is a spokesperson for the Animal Welfare Institutes campaign to end horse slaughter through federal and state legislation. She also finds time to serve as a member on the California Horse Racing Board.
Derek remained married to John Derek right up until his death from heart failure in 1998. She has since been linked romantically with actor John Corbett which she confesses, “it was love at first sight”.
