Barbara Eden

Barbara Eden is an American film, stage, and television actress, comedian, and singer born on August 23, 1931. She is known best for her starring role of "Jeannie" in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie. Eden's first public performance was singing in the church choir, where she sang the solos. When she was 14, she sang in local bands for $10 a night in night clubs. At age 16, she became a member of Actor's Equity. She studied singing at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and acting with the Elizabeth Holloway School of Theatre. She graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco in the Spring Class of 1949 and studied theater for one year at City College of San Francisco. She was then elected Miss San Francisco, as Barbara Huffman, in 1951. Eden also entered the Miss California pageant, but did not win. Eden made featured appearances on television shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The West Point Story, Highway Patrol, Private Secretary, I Love Lucy, The Millionaire, Target: The Corruptors!, Crossroads, Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, December Bride, Bachelor Father, Father Knows Best, Adventures in Paradise, The Andy Griffith Show, Cain's Hundred, Saints and Sinners, The Virginian, Slattery's People, The Rogues, and the series finale of Route 66 playing the role of Margo. She guest-starred in four episodes of Burke's Law, playing different roles each time. She was an uncredited extra in the movie The Tarnished Angels with Rock Hudson, in partnership with 20th Century Fox studios. She then starred in the syndicated comedy TV series How to Marry a Millionaire. The show was based on the film of the same name. Discovery in the Hollywood sense came when she starred in a play with James Drury. Film director Mark Robson, who later directed her in the movie From the Terrace, had come to the play and wanted her for 20th Century Fox studios. Her screen test was the Joanne Woodward role in No Down Payment. Though she did not get the role, the studio gave her a contract. Eden did a screen test for the role of Betty Anderson in the 1957 film version of Peyton Place, but Terry Moore got the role. She had minor roles in Bailout At 43,000, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, and The Wayward Girl, and then became a leading lady in films and starred opposite Gary Crosby, Barry Coe, and Sal Mineo in A Private's Affair, and had a co-starring role in Flaming Star (1960), with Elvis Presley. Then she signed to play "Jeannie" a genie in a bottle rescued by an astronaut in the television sitcom I Dream of Jeannie. She played this role for five years and 139 episodes. Eden also played Jeannie's evil sister in eight episodes and Jeannie's hapless mother in at least one. In 1978, she starred in the feature film Harper Valley PTA, based on the popular country song. This led to a namesake television series in 1981; in both the movie and the TV series, she played the show's heroine, Stella Johnson. The show won 11 of its 13 time slots during its first season. It was a comedy version of Peyton Place, with Anne Francine playing wealthy villain Flora Simpson Reilly. Eden had three marriages (to Michael Ansara from 1958 to 1974, Charles Fegert from 1977 to 1982, and Jon Eicholtz from 1991 to the present). In her memoirs, Jeannie Out of the Bottle, and she openly discussed her "emotional breakdown" following the death of her only child, Matthew Ansara, from a drug overdose.

[@dunning234]

She to me is the most beautiful woman in the world ever.

[@antoniobramante7187]

I do not think many people would ever disagree with that comment.

[@MrQbenDanny]

Thank you for your words and tribute to the famous Eden. She for me was the ultimate "Americana" blond, gorgeous, sexy and sweet. Much like another one that I fell in love with when I was 10 yrs old, Anne Francis, my Honey West. They suffered the pains of type casting and who knows what actual acting range they had. There is a picture here @42 that I'm sure is a publicity shot from her appearance in I Love Lucy where she was hilarious playing a southern Belle in a club event when the Ricardos, moved from New York to the country I think in Connecticut. This tight fitted 50's cocktail dress was often worn by Cuban women in Habana, when they went to parties, including my mother!

[@antoniobramante7187]

I do not recall if that picture is from the I Love Lucy episode or from the movie "From the Terrace" with Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman. She is definitely a beautiful woman and she did do several "serious" roles however, they were unfortunately more like cameos with only a few lines. But she does shine in comedy and her sweet disposition still comes through in any scene. Anne Francis was another one of those beauties that never quite got the recognition she deserved unfortunately.

[@derekellis9927]

Barbara Eden made such an impression on me growing up watching "I Dream of Jeannie." I fell in love with her back then and she is still the most beautiful woman I ever saw.

[@Tomsjamb]

Sydney Sheldon writer for "I dream of Jeanie" and Bewitched My in law, did all the special efx for Wow many years at Columbia Studios Richard "Dick" Ablain "Three Stooges etc.."

[@antoniobramante7187]

Sydney Sheldon was great! His shows were so popular. Let me ask you did he also write for "The Beverly Hillbillies", "Green Acres" and "Petticoat Junction"? All of those shows were so funny and wholesome and they truly showed good family values. I think that period was televisions truly golden age more so than the 1950s.

[@Tomsjamb]

Bibliography[edit] Novels[edit] The Naked Face (1970) The Other Side of Midnight (1973) A Stranger in the Mirror (1976) Bloodline (1977) Rage of Angels (1980) Master of the Game (1982) If Tomorrow Comes (1985) Windmills of the Gods (1987) The Sands of Time (1988) Memories of Midnight (1990) The Doomsday Conspiracy (1991) The Stars Shine Down (1992) Nothing Lasts Forever (1994) Morning, Noon, and Night (1995) The Best Laid Plans (1997) Tell Me Your Dreams (1998) The Sky Is Falling (2001) Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2004) Novels - extrapolation by other authors[edit] Sidney Sheldon's Mistress of the Game by Tilly Bagshawe (2009) Sidney Sheldon's After the Darkness by Tilly Bagshawe (2010) Sidney Sheldon's Angel of the Dark by Tilly Bagshawe (2012) Sidney Sheldon's The Tides of Memory by Tilly Bagshawe (2013) Sidney Sheldon's Chasing Tomorrow by Tilly Bagshawe (2014) Sidney Sheldon's Reckless by Tilly Bagshawe (2015) Autobiography[edit] The Other Side of Me.. Broadway plays[13][edit] The Merry Widow (1943) Jackpot (1944) Dream with Music (1944) Alice in Arms (1945) Redhead (1959) Roman Candle (1960) London plays[edit] Gomes Films as Writer[edit] Mr. District Attorney in The Carter Case (1941) She's in the Army (1942) The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) Easter Parade (1948) The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) Annie Get Your Gun (1950) Nancy Goes to Rio (1950) Three Guys Named Mike (1951) Rich, Young and Pretty (1951) No Questions Asked (1952) Just This Once (1952) Dream Wife (1953) (also director) Remains to be Seen (1953) You're Never Too Young (1955) Pardners (1956) Anything Goes (1956) The Birds and the Bees (1956) The Buster Keaton Story (1957) All in a Night's Work (1961) Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962) The Other Side of Midnight (1977) Bloodline (1979) Television[edit] The Patty Duke Show I Dream of Jeannie Nancy Hart to Hart (Co-wrote pilot: 1979) Rage of Angels (1983 miniseries, based on his book) Master of the Game (1984 miniseries, based on his book) If Tomorrow Comes (1986 miniseries, based on his book) Windmills of the Gods (1988 miniseries, based on his book) Memories of Midnight (1991 miniseries, based on his book)

[@mosesbullrush8051]

Dreadful piano playing.