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Barbara Eden, everyone's favorite genie, is a most
beloved, endearing and enduring leading lady Great star of stage, TV,
movies, radio, and records with credits long and varied. She is is an
actress/singer who is always in demand for live stage productions. She has
starred in such popular national touring productions like "Woman Of
The Year", "Nite Club Confidential", "Gentlemen Prefer
Blondes", and her acclaimed nite club act "A Magical Evening
With Barbara Eden". She also starred in "The Odd Couple
Couple...The Female Version".
In addition Barbara does TV and starred in "The Great American Quiz
Show". Though She is best known and most famous for her role of
"Jeannie" she also played Jeannie's sister and Jeannie's
mother.She also starred in both the movie and TV show "Harper Valley
P.T.A." She starred in a string of TV movies begining in 1970 making
at least one annually each year for the networks and the most recent was
filmed in 1995 and starred in many theatrical movies begining in 1956.
Barbara starred in commercials for "L'Egg's" and the TV special
"The Best Of Everything".
Her captivating guest starring role in 5 episodes of CBS'
"Dallas" reunited her with her "Jeannie" co star.
She enjoyed her guest starring role of the Great Aunt in 3 episodes of
"Sabrina".
Barbara is 5 feet 3 3/4 in height.She graduated Abraham Lincoln high
school in 1949.She entered and won the Miss San Francisco Pageant.She
entered the Miss California Pageant.She became a member of Actor's Equity
when she was 16.She studied acting with Elizabeth Holloway School Of
Theatre and singing at the San Francisco Conservatory Of Music.She also
went one year at the San Francisco City College Of Theatre.
Her Grandfather was born in 1872 in Germantown,Pennsylvania and was a
direct decendent of Benjamin Franklin
Her Grandfather was a builder,a cabinet maker.Her Grandparents married in
1899.Her mother Alice was a jewlery store credit manager born August
13,1915.
She made her movie debut in the 1956 RKO movie "Back From
Eternity" in a uncredited role playing the "Blonde College Girl
From The School Paper".
Discovery in the Hollywood sense came her way when she was in a play and
Fox Film Director Mark Robson came to the play and saw her in the play and
met with her after the show.He brought her to the 20Th Century Fox studios
in 1956 where she did a screen test and they were going to put her in the
movie "Peyton Place" though they put her in the movie "Will
Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" playing the uncredited role of "Miss
Carstairs" in a scene with Tony Randall.Her 3rd movie "The
Wayward Girl" a Republic picture was the first movie she was listed
in the credits for her role of "Molly".She guest starred in
"I Love Lucy" and Lucy was going to give her a contract only she
received a call from 20Th Century Fox while she was on the set and Fox
studios put her in the syndicated TV comedy "How To Marry A
Millionaire" that was in production from 1957 until 1959 and produced
52 episodes.While at Fox studios She dated actors Robert Vaughn and Barry
Coe.Then in October,1957 she met Actor Michael Ansara and married him
January 17,1958 (they were married 15 years).They had a son Matthew
Michael Ansara born Sunday,August 29,1965 at 6:59AM.
When she was a contract player at 20Th Century Fox, she had dance lessons.
She did a 1 minute scene with Paul Newman in the movie "From The
Terrace".She did a screen test for the 20Th Century Fox movie
"State Fair" in May,1960 though didn't get the movie.Fox studios
instead put her in the movie "Flaming Star" with Elvis
Presley,Steve Forrest,and Dolores Del Rio.She was introduced 20 minutes
into the 1961 movie "Voyage" dancing while Frankie Avalon played
the trumpet.Other leading lady roles in movies like "Swingin'
Along" and "Five Weeks in A Balloon" followed.She guest
starred in many shows like "Adventures in Paradise" (playing
"Ginny Grant"),"Cain's Hundred" (playing "Terri
Emson"), and "Saints And Sinners" (playing an actress named
Nora).Then in 1963 after starring in the movie "The Yellow
Canary" (playing "Lissa Paxton") Fox studios let many of
their contract players go because of financial reasons and so she went to
star in movies for Universal,MGM and Columbia Pictures.From 1963 until
1965 She guest starred in 4 episodes of "Burke's Law".She did
the last episode of "Route 66" (playing "Margo").She
did a movie with Ginger Rogers and she did an episode of "The
Virginian" and guest starred in other shows like "Slattery's
People".Then came her most Famous role of the genie the one named
"Jeannie" that is.Sidney Sheldon called her on the phone and she
met with him and got her now famous role of "Jeannie".She loved
the genie costume.The only influence she had was the color of the
costume.She chose the pink color.The woman who made the genie costume won
an award for it.The show ran for 5 years and 139 episodes and continues in
reruns.During the whole run of the show, NBC forbade her to display her
navel.In addition to playing "Jeannie" she also played the role
of Jeannie's sister "Jeannie" in 9 episodes and she played
Jeannie's mother "Mrs Jeannie" in a few episodes.After
"Jeannie" in 1970 she began starring in made for TV movies
making at least one a year for one of the networks.
During the run of "Harper Valley" she did commercials for
"L"Egg's" and hosted the Country Music Awards Show and
enjoyed hosting the special.She likes country music and the country
entertainers.She likes their honesty.They are sincere.She guest starred in
more than 50 musical specials and 21 Bob Hope specials.
She did her nite club act "The Barbara Eden Show" December
27,28,28,30,31,1980 and Recently She was in the movie "Loco
Love"
She starred with Don Knotts in a 11 city touring production of the comedy
play "The Last Of The Red Hot Lovers".
She was nominated for Golden Globe Awards in the 1960's for her role of
"Jeannie" and she won the Golden Bell Award for the most popular
actress in the world in 1983.
Her son Matthew was an actor.Her niece Katherine Fugate is a writer.
She received the Pioneer Broadcasters Award in 1985 and received the
Hollywood Walk Of Fame sidewalk star November 17,1988.
She began 1990 hosting the Tournament Of Roses Parade for NBCTV.She
received an honorary law degree in 1990.
She hosted "The 40Th Annual Miss USA Pageant" with Dick Clark
for CBS February 22,1991.
She reprised her most famous role of "Jeannie" in TV Movie
Reunions and in the movie "A Very Brady Sequel" and a TV
commercial for Lexus that debuted on TV July 15,1998 though the commercial
was not shown alot.The next month she played "Jeannie" again for
a TV commercial for "Old Navy Stores" that debuted August
8,1998.
She hosted the Miss Florida Pageant in July,1998.She was inducted into the
California Broadcasters Hall Of Fame July 18,2003
She won the 1st Annual TV Land Award For Best Dual Role for playing
"Jeannie" and Jeannie's Sister "Jeannie" in 2003.
She met Charles Donald Fegert in 1974 and married him September 3,1977
(until 1983).
She met Jon Trusdale Eicholtz in 1989 and married him January 5,1991.They
have a pet dog named Djinn Djinn. |
