Barbara Eden

Barbara Eden mini-bio: Born Barbara Jean Moorhead, in 1934, in Tucson, Arizona. Eden was a cheerleader in high school and a pop singer as a teenager. She graduated in 1949 from Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco, California. Eden is most indelibly associated with her role as the genie in the bottle in the long-running TV sitcom "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965), co-starring Larry Hagman. In "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965), Major Anthony Nelson (Hagman) is a NASA astronaut who finds a decorative purple bottle on a desert island after he splashes down in the ocean. The bottle has a beautiful blond genie in it (Eden), who immediately assumes that Nelson is her master. He brings her home to live in Cocoa Beach, Florida. In each episode, the forbidden use of Jeannie's well-meaning mystical powers alters reality in some wacky way that must be carefully explained away by Nelson. No other person knows of Jeannie's existence except for Nelson's bumbling friend, Major Roger Healey. Together, they conspire to keep her secret from everyone else, especially from Nelson's commanding officers at NASA. The sitcom gained a cult following, and Eden still appears from time to time in commercials and cameos that poke gentle fun at her former role. Before focusing on a TV career, Eden had parts in a series of unremarkable films in the 1950s and 1960s. Her first film role was in Back from Eternity (1956). In 1957, she starred on TV in "How to Marry a Millionaire" (1957) and after "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965)'s successful five year run from 1965 to 1970, she starred in "Harper Valley P.T.A." (1981) (1981-82). She published her autobiography, Barbara Eden: My Story, in October 1986. In 1997, Columbia announced plans to produce a big-screen episode of I Dream of Jeannie. Eden was slated to make a cameo appearance as the new Jeannie's aunt. The film, originally scheduled for 1998, has not yet been produced. Eden married first husband Michael Ansara in 1958 and divorced him in 1972. The couple had a son, Matthew Ansara, born August 29, 1965. She married Charles Donald Fegert on September 3, 1977, and divorced him in 1983. She married her current husband, Jon Eicholtz, in January 1991.

She was not allowed to show her belly button on "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965) because of NBC's "No Navel Edict".

Her parents divorced when she was 3 and her mother Alice later married Harrison Connor Huffman.

Although she was born Barbara Jean Moorhead, she took her stepfather's last name of Huffman when her mother Alice remarried.

Also played Jeannie's sister in "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965).

Mother, Alice Huffman (b. 13 August 1915). Barbara and her mother were very close. After her mother developed lung cancer, Barbara took care of her until she died on November 12, 1986.

Step-father, Harrison Connor Huffman (b. 19 November 1907).

Son, Matthew Ansara, (b. 29 August 1965).

Graduated in 1949 Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco, CA.

Shortly after shooting began on the pilot episode for "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965), it was learned that she was pregnant. Director Gene Nelson invented a shot he playfully called the "ATB" ("Above the Baby"). "Sometimes," he stated, "We'd have to follow Jeannie's arm across the room".

Her son Matthew Ansara (with first husband Michael Ansara) died of an accidental drug overdose. He was 35. His body was found in his car in a parking lot off a freeway in Los Angeles. [25 June 2001]

Barbara's last name was changed from "Huffman" to "Eden" by her first agent.

Measurements: 36B/C-24-36 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)

She was inducted into the California Broadcasting Hall Of Fame in a special ceremony July 18, 2003.

Her husband, Jon Eicholtz, celebrates his birthday on August 3.

She did a screen test in May, 1960 for the 20th Century Fox studios movie State Fair (1962).

After "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965) she had a nightclub act for a while. She was actually a talented singer, and she performed various kinds of songs in her act.

She's directly descended from American founding father Benjamin Franklin.

Aunt of Katherine Fugate. Barbara is not only the grandaunt of Katherine's daughter, but also her godmother.

Has a younger sister, Alison Scanlon, who is 12 years younger.

Ex-mother-in-law of Julie Ansara.

Barbara and her husband, Jon Eicholtz, were married in 1991 in San Francisco at Grace Cathedral, where Barbara attended as a child.

As a child, she had to wear glasses, an eye patch and pigtails. Because of this, she became very shy. To help overcome her shyness, her mother had Barbara get singing lessons.

Miss San Francisco of 1951.

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Lucille Ball became her mentor and wanted to put Barbara under contract, Barbara signed with 20th Century Fox, instead.

Best remembered by the public for her starring role as the fun-loving Jeannie in I Dream of Jeannie (1965).

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