{"id":45917,"date":"2025-08-13T15:41:48","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T19:41:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=45917"},"modified":"2025-08-13T15:41:48","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T19:41:48","slug":"i-dream-of-jeannie-star-barbara-eden-says-she-was-very-upset-over-this-major-storyline-with-larry-hagman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2025\/08\/i-dream-of-jeannie-star-barbara-eden-says-she-was-very-upset-over-this-major-storyline-with-larry-hagman.html","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I Dream of Jeannie\u2019 Star Barbara Eden Says She Was \u2018Very Upset\u2019 Over This Major Storyline With Larry Hagman"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Public Domain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fans of \u201cI Dream of Jeannie\u201d still remember the magical chemistry between Barbara Eden\u2019s playful genie and Larry Hagman\u2019s straight-laced astronaut, Tony Nelson. But even after five seasons of laughter and lighthearted adventures, Eden says there was one major storyline she wishes had played out differently\u2014and it involved the show\u2019s ending.<\/p>\n

In a recent interview, the 93-year-old actress revealed she was \u201cvery upset\u201d when producers decided in Season 5 to have Jeannie marry Tony. While it might have seemed like a sweet, romantic resolution to viewers, Eden felt it went against everything her character had come to represent.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was a very independent creature. And very strong,\u201d Eden explained, adding that many women told her over the years that Jeannie empowered them. \u201cI said, \u2018This is ridiculous. She can\u2019t marry you. It\u2019s ridiculous.\u2019 But it was okay. It was still funny. People could relate, one way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n

Interestingly, the show\u2019s creator, Sidney Sheldon, agreed with her. He later admitted that the marriage storyline was not his idea, but something the network insisted on. \u201cI Dream of Jeannie\u201d ran from 1965 to 1970, with the wedding episode airing on December 3, 1969.<\/p>\n

Eden also shared another behind-the-scenes secret that might surprise even the most devoted fans\u2014she was pregnant during the first season of \u201cJeannie.\u201d<\/p>\n

She and her then-husband, actor Michael Ansara, had been hoping for a baby for years. \u201cFinally, I was pregnant,\u201d Eden recalled. \u201cI was so happy. I sat down there with a big grin on my face and said, \u2018You know, I\u2019m pregnant, and I can\u2019t do your show.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

But Sheldon didn\u2019t want to recast. Instead, the production team found creative ways to hide her pregnancy. That meant costumes with extra layers, props strategically placed in front of her, and even an unusual on-set fix. She remembered being asked to wear a bikini for one scene. \u201cI said, \u2018I can\u2019t wear that. I am pregnant.\u2019\u201d Eventually, they padded her tummy with a \u201ctire\u201d and covered it with towels.<\/p>\n

Eden gave birth to her son, Matthew Ansara, in August 1965. Tragically, Matthew died in 2001 at age 35 from an accidental drug overdose. \u201cWhen Matthew was clean and sober, he was such a beautiful human being, inside and out,\u201d she said in 2021. \u201cDrugs are inexplicable. It\u2019s so frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Eden didn\u2019t agree with every creative decision on the show, she has nothing but gratitude for the role that made her a household name. She\u2019s embraced the joy \u201cI Dream of Jeannie\u201d brought to millions\u2014and the encouragement it gave women in a changing era.<\/p>\n

More than five decades later, the image of Jeannie popping out of her bottle with a sparkle in her eye and a heart for fun still delights audiences. For Eden, that magic\u2014rooted in strength, charm, and a little mischief\u2014will always be worth celebrating.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fans of \u201cI Dream of Jeannie\u201d still remember the magical chemistry between Barbara Eden\u2019s playful genie and Larry Hagman\u2019s straight-laced astronaut, Tony Nelson. But even after five seasons of laughter and lighthearted adventures, Eden says there was one major storyline she wishes had played out differently\u2014and it involved the show\u2019s ending. In a recent interview,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":462,"featured_media":45920,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018I Dream of Jeannie\u2019 Star Barbara Eden Says She Was \u2018Very Upset\u2019 Over This Major Storyline With Larry Hagman<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2025\/08\/i-dream-of-jeannie-star-barbara-eden-says-she-was-very-upset-over-this-major-storyline-with-larry-hagman.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018I Dream of Jeannie\u2019 Star Barbara Eden Says She Was \u2018Very Upset\u2019 Over This Major Storyline With Larry Hagman\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Fans of \u201cI Dream of Jeannie\u201d still remember the magical chemistry between Barbara Eden\u2019s playful genie and Larry Hagman\u2019s straight-laced astronaut, Tony Nelson. 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