Bo Derek

Mary Cathleen Collins, known as Bo Derek, was born on November 20, 1956. She was born to executive Paul Collins and hairdresser-makeup artist Norma in Long Beach, California. Her mother remarried later, after her parent’s divorce, to Bobby Bass, a stunt performer. She has a brother and two sisters. She attended Narbonne High School as well as the George S. Patton Continuation School. With a movie role under her belt, she dropped out of high school at age 16.

At 16 years old, Derek got into a relationship with John Derek, who was 30 years older than her and a married man. John eventually divorced his spouse, Linda Evans, an actress. To avoid controversy, the couple relocated to Germany. Derek then worked on “Fantasies,” directed by John in 1973. The movie had several controversial scenes. However, the movie was only released in 1981. Derek and John got married in 1976 and the name ‘Bo Derek’ was slowly getting established in Tinseltown. After receiving a role offer for “Orca” in 1977, she was cast in “10” in 1979, and this turned out to be her big break, especially for the well-known scene when she sprints in a swimsuit. She then appeared in the 1980 film “Change of Seasons” and was photographed for “Playboy Magazine” in 1980 by her husband. Then came Derek’s “Tarzan, the Ape Man” in 1981. The movie was controversial but made huge profits. With his wife playing the lead, John produced the contentious film “Bolero” in 1984, earning an ‘X’ rating in the process. Derek was given a part in “A Knight of Love,” a 1987 film that was never released. In 1989, she contributed to “Ghosts Can’t Do It,” the final project she collaborated on with her husband as the director. She also appeared on T.V. in “Hot Chocolate” and “Shattered Image” in 1992 and 1994, along with the “Woman of Desire.” Between 1998 and 2000 and thereafter, she made several guest appearances on T.V. programs about movies. She also appeared in “The Master of Disguise” and “Frozen with Fear” in the 2000s, as well as the 2015 film “Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! ”

Derek is an Andalusian horse owner and a passionate activist for several campaigns. She also published an autobiography in 2002, titled “Riding Lessons: Everything That Matters in Life I Learned from Horses.” She is the national honorary chairperson at the Veterans Affairs National Rehabilitation Special Events. She received an honorary Green Beret, the highest honor, in 2003. She has also been actively supporting WildAid for many years. She married Derek in 1976, and they remained together until he died in 1998. Then after, she wed John Corbett, with whom she had been seeing since 2002. The couple lives on a Santa Barbara ranch in California. They got married in 2020.

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">1.</span> First Actress to Appear on the Cover of Playboy</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Bo Derek was the first actress to appear on the cover of Playboy magazine in 1980.</p></div>

    <div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">2.</span> Wrote, Produced and Starred in a Film</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">In 1999, Bo Derek wrote, produced and starred in her own film titled “Tommy Boy” which was released direct-to-video.</p></div>

    <div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">3.</span> Married at 18</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Bo Derek married her high school sweetheart, John Derek, at the age of 18 in 1976.</p></div>

    <div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">4.</span> Played a Bond Girl</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Bo Derek played the role of a Bond girl in the James Bond movie “A View to a Kill” (1985) starring with Roger Moore.</p></div>

    <div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">5.</span> Appeared on “Murder She Wrote”</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Bo Derek appeared on an episode of the popular TV show “Murder She Wrote” (1989) playing the role of a jewel thief.</p></div>