'Dynasty' Secrets — From the Set… Inside the Scandals and Friendship That Made Classic Soap So Unforgettable
'Dynasty' secrets reveal scandals and friendship behind the classic soap's lasting legacy.
May 25 2026, Published 2:00 p.m. ET
In their first Dynasty catfight, Alexis Colby lobbed a vase of flowers at her rival, Krystle Carrington's head, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
"If you want a rematch, just whistle," Carrington, played by Linda Evans, huffed to her nemesis, played by Joan Collins. "It was a powerful time of my life," Evans, 83, said. "Thank God Dynasty came along."
That's what 60million people who tuned in to watch the season 5 finale of the quintessential 1980s prime-time soap thought, too.
By that time, the series, about the exploits of a filthy-rich Denver oil family, had become a national obsession.
Linda Evans said 'Dynasty' marked 'a powerful time' as her character Krystle clashed with Joan Collins' Alexis.
Dynasty – which ran from 1981 to 1989 – "was spectacular," the late Diahann Carroll, who played Dominique Deveraux, once recalled. "Everyone was saying, 'Hello, Diahann,' and, 'You slapped Joan Collins! Thank you, Diahann.'"
The actors got along better than their characters did – "Joan and I were friends," Carroll noted.
But it wasn't always smooth sailing.
"Joan was jealous of Linda because she was so beloved by the rest of the cast," said Gordon Thomson, 81, best remembered as "deeply troubled jerk" Adam Carrington. "Linda was gorgeous to look at and just as glorious inside."
Collins, 92, stole the show when she arrived as Alexis in the second season.
Diahann Carroll recalled fans thanking her for slapping Collins during her time on 'Dynasty.'
"At the end of the first season, there was a trial, and someone arrived in a big white-and-black hat, and we didn't know who the face was going to be," recalled Pamela Bellwood, 74, who played Claudia Blaisdell. "Of course, Joan came in and really breathed life into it."
Still, the sexy star irked John Forsythe, aka Blake Carrington, when she posed nude in Playboy in 1983. "John stormed into producer Aaron Spelling's office and said: 'How dare she!?'" said Gordon. "John was protective of the show."
Forsythe, who died in 2010, was just as nice as Blake, his costars recall – and he insisted Blake would never cheat on Krystle with Lady Ashley Mitchell, played by Ali MacGraw, even though that had been the writers' plan.
Gordon Thomson said Collins' arrival as Alexis in season two helped 'Dynasty' take off.
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"When Ali arrived, there was a huge bunch of flowers from John. The card said, 'This is not going to happen,'" recalled Thomson.
Not all the actors enjoyed the juggernaut. Pamela Sue Martin, 73, who originated the role of Fallon, left in 1984. "She couldn't take the pressure anymore," said John James, 70, who played her husband, Jeff Colby. Emma Samms, 65, stepped in to replace her.
But the switch didn't hurt ratings. Over nine seasons, the Carringtons and their scandals won viewers around the world.
"We had an impact," admitted James, who recently met a woman named Fallon. "I said, 'Fallon? That's an interesting name.' She said, 'My mom watched Dynasty.' It's the third time I've come across somebody named Fallon.'"
