THE British actress Joan Collins won a legal battle yesterday against Random House when a jury decided she could keep a $1.2 million (£764,400) book advance that the publishing giant had fought to get back.
Collins, best known for playing the scheming Alexis Carrington in the TV series Dynasty, smiled when the foreman announced the decision of the jury, which deliberated for less than two hours.
The jury ruled that Collins had submitted a complete manuscript, A Ruling Passion, and could keep not only her advance but possibly additional money as well. Her attorneys estimated the publisher may owe her another $800,000 (£509,600).
Asked about a second manuscript Collins had promised to Random House, however, the jury voted in favour of the publisher, which had claimed that both manuscripts were unfinished and unpublishable.