“I Dream of Jeannie Star Barbara Eden: The Genie in Hollywood’s Golden Era”

Barbara Eden is an American actress best known for her iconic role as the genie in the TV sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie,” which ran from 1965 to 1970. Born on August 23, 1931, in Tucson, Arizona, as Barbara Jean Morehead, she began her career in the entertainment industry in the 1950s.

Eden’s early career included roles in films such as “Back from Eternity” (1956) and the TV show “How to Marry a Millionaire” (1957). She also appeared in popular shows like “I Love Lucy,” “Perry Mason,” “Gunsmoke,” and “Route 66.” Despite a series of unremarkable films in the 1950s and ’60s, her breakthrough came when she was cast as Jeannie in “I Dream of Jeannie.”

“I Dream of Jeannie” became a major success, with Eden playing the role of a genie living in a bottle alongside Larry Hagman, who portrayed Major Anthony Nelson. The show gained a cult following, and Eden and Hagman’s on-screen chemistry contributed to its popularity.

After the success of “I Dream of Jeannie,” Barbara Eden continued her career in both film and television. In 1981 and 1982, she played the lead role in the TV series “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” based on the popular country song. Eden also published her autobiography, “Barbara Eden: My Story,” in 1986, followed by her memoir, “Jeannie Out of the Bottle,” in 2011.

In her personal life, Eden has been married multiple times. Her first marriage was to Michael Ansara in 1958, with whom she had a son named Matthew Michael Ansara. They divorced in 1974. Eden later married Charles Donald Fegert in 1977, divorcing in 1983. She married Jon Eicholtz in January 1991.

Barbara Eden has left a lasting legacy in the entertainment industry, and her portrayal of Jeannie remains one of the most iconic characters in television history.