Dame Joan Collins has described the late Conrad 'Nicky' Hilton Jr. as "quite volatile" during their relationship after dating him following his marriage to Elizabeth Taylor.
The 91-year-old actress had a brief dalliance with the late hotel heir - who was commonly known as Nicky - in the late 1950s following on from his marriage to Elizabeth. Speaking in the new BBC documentary series Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar, Joan said: "I did [date him]. He was nuts. He was quite volatile. Once we were lying in bed and he took out this gun from the side table and shot it to the ceiling. Nicky Hilton had a problem with being too good-looking and too rich, and I don't think he got a lot of love from his father!"
In her 1988 memoir, Elizabeth Takes Off, Elizabeth reportedly recalled that her first marriage began to crumble after just eight months as Nicky - who eventually died of a heart attack in 1969, aged 42 - became "sullen, angry and abusive, physically and mentally." And according to Bang Showbiz, earlier this year, it was stated in Nanette Burstein's documentary Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes - which assembles hours of the famed actress discussing her life in unearthed recordings - that she had received a split lip at the hands of Nicky, and that he once kicked her in the stomach so hard that she suffered a miscarriage.
Dynasty star Joan has discussed her friendship with late Cleopatra star Elizabeth - who died in 2011 at the age of 79 - as part of Kim Kardashian's documentary on the Golden Age star and recalled that she and her friends would idolise Elizabeth and try to emulate her looks. She said: "My friends and I, we all wanted to look like her. We all did big eyebrows like her. But I know that she had a difficult time."
Nicky was Elizabeth's first husband and following their split in 1951, she was married to Michael Wilding from 1952 until 1957, Mike Todd from 1957 until his death in 1958, Eddie Fisher from 1959 until 1964 and then to Richard Burton for two separate stints in the 1960s and 1970s. Her final two marriages were to John Warner from 1976 until 1982 and then finally to Larry Fortensky from 1991 until their divorce in 1996.
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at the Miscarriage Association. You can call them on 01924 200799 or email info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk.
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