Jackie Collins was a onetime actress and best selling romance novelist who made the bulk of her fortune from novel sales and movie rights. Throughout her writing career, Jackie Collins published 32 novels including her best known "Lucky Santiago" series. She sold over $500 million copies. Several of her novels were made into movies and television miniseries which Collins wrote the screenplays for and in most cases produced. Here's how Jackie Collins achieved a net worth of $180 million.

Early Life

Jacqueline Collins was born on October 4, 1937, and grew up in the artsy Hampstead neighborhood of London. Her father Joseph, was a theatrical agent. He and her mother Else had three children. Jackie had an older sister, Joan would become an actress best known for her role as Alexis Carrington in the 1980's nighttime soap opera "Dynasty". Their brother Bill became a real estate agent. Jackie once described herself as a trouble-making teenager and was expelled from Hampstead High School, an elite all-girls school. She apparently dated Marlon Brando as a teen.

Acting Career

During the early 1960's, Jackie Collins tried to make a career out of acting. Jackie moved to Los Angeles, California with her sister. Unlike her older sister, Jackie never really reached more than roles in B movies. She appeared in films including "Barnacle Bill", "Passport to Shame" and "Intent to Kill". She also had roles in some television soap operas and appeared in television series including "Danger Man" and "The Saint". Jackie also tried her hand at singing. She was briefly married to Wallace Austin with whom she had a daughter, Tracy.