Barbara Eden–TV Treasure

Barbara Eden in her study at home, snuggling with her labradoodle Djinn Djinn. By Tobi Schwartz-Cassell Barbara TSC: I have to ask. On I Dream of Jeannie, was that your real hair? BE: (She laughs) Oh boy. I had add-ons. The ponytail itself was quite a construction. It had to stick through the hat and come out. It was pinned on my head like a hat. The ponytail was on a buckram base. TSC: Your favorite episode of I Dream of Jeannie is the pilot. TV Treasure BE: Yes, it is. Gene Nelson did a wonderful Eden job of directing it and of laying down the be nameless, but who wouldn’t even rules for what the show would be from year speak to me on the set because she to year. You have to have rules. It’s like a was very upset that I didn’t look older Constitution. And he did a beautiful job of than I was. I was very young then. And, developing it in that one episode. after all, they cast me in the part! So I was TSC: And your second favorite? a little gun-shy with the next two shows I BE: Well, I enjoyed doing the wedding and did. But they couldn’t have been nicer—both I enjoyed seeing it, but I thought it was a those women—but Lucy in particular. I went mistake to have us married. in there deciding I was just going to do my TSC: Why? This is it! The only remain- lines, do my part and not worry about what Because they should never have married. ing bottle, guaranteed to BE: be authentic! It is part of else was going on. But I was shocked. I was She wasn’t human anymore. After she was Barbara Eden’s personal just shocked at how nice Lucy was and how released from her bottle, she was an entity. collection and she took this picture exclusively caring. But she was smart. Because then you He knew it but she didn’t. She wouldn’t for Girlfriendz Magazine! have a good show, one that runs for years accept it. And that’s where you get the jokes (More info on this bottle on page 2—the Table of and years and years. and the fun and the reason for being. That Contents. It appears TSC: Tell the story of the sparkling dress fish out of water. She’s like 2800 years old! Photograph by Marius Luppino by Photograph at the bottom of the from the episode “Country Club Dance” You’ve talked a great deal about Larry page in “On the TSC: Cover.”) (Season 6, I Love Lucy). Hagman and what a very complex person BE: It was dress rehearsal and they wanted he was. You said he was brilliant, but “… me to wear a dress with ruffles and every- when Larry didn’t like a particular script, his Tobi Schwartz-Cassell: First, please accept in an episode of I Love Lucy. thing on it. I was walking across the stage answer was to throw up all over the set.” It was the most my condolences on the very recent loss of BE: You’d be surprised at how many people and Lucy said, “Hey Barbara. C’mere.” And BE: Larry was an extremely intelligent, famous navel never your first husband, Michael Ansara. know! I Love Lucy has a huge following and I thought, “Uh, oh. What did I do?!” And I extremely talented, little boy. He was more Barbara Eden: Thank you. That was really the fans know every episode. I’d done The went over to her and she looked at it and she fun than anyone I have ever known. But he seen. And it belongs awful. I knew he was ill and I’ve been wait- Andy Griffith Show, too. I played the mani- said, “Turn around. Do you like that dress?” was like the little girl with the little curl right ing for word that he had passed. He had curist, and I only was on once, but you’d And I said, “Yes! It’s fine!” I wasn’t going to in the middle of her forehead. to Barbara Eden. Alzheimer’s, so it’s been several years. We be surprised how many fans tell me about say anything wasn’t all right! So I went back TSC: How about special effects on Jeannie. The word “was” is key because on almost lost him last year and I thought I’d be little things I did on the show that I don’t in the dressing room and took it off and put What was your favorite? prepared for it but it’s a hit. even remember! Both shows—I Love Lucy my jeans on and came back and gave it to BE: I’d say the large pocket in Larry’s jacket. May 25, 2013, Ms. Eden’s b’button TSC: It was so refreshing to read your mem- and The Andy Griffith Show—are two shows her, not knowing what in the dickens she I loved being in that pocket, peeking out. I was unveiled to the public for oir, Jeannie Out of the Bottle. It doesn’t drag that I think are precious to their fans. They was going to do. But she and the wardrobe imagined I was really in there. And of course, only the second time in history. people through the mud, or take you from are avid. And they remember every single woman sat there and put those little glittery through the magic of film, it was superim- When she’s not performing on bed to bed. Was this a conscious decision episode. things on it, one at a time, with a little punch posed on his jacket so you saw him with a on your part? machine to make it look prettier. She wanted little genie in his pocket, peeking out every stage or speaking about a cause BE: Well I didn’t really go from bed to bed! TSC: What was your experience like on I it to look prettier! And I couldn’t believe it. once in a while. close to her heart, she lives hap- But yes, it was a conscious decision on my Love Lucy? It was such a lovely, lovely selfless thing to I enjoyed the cup full of great big pen- pily ever after with her husband part because I didn’t want to tell everything BE: That was the third show I had appeared do. Especially because her husband was just cils, the huge perfume bottles, the big tele- about everyone I know. That’s not nice. in on film in Hollywood. I had done two oth- flirting like mad, which he did with every sin- phone. I enjoyed feeling small with all those of 22 years, Jon Eicholtz. That’s not good manners. ers before Lucy and the first one was a ter- gle young girl who was on the show. But she b-i-i-i-g-g-g things around me. It was like TSC: Not many people know you appeared rible experience with an actress who shall was fine. Just great. She was a good woman. Alice in Wonderland. Aspirin containers, a 22 GIRLFRIENDZ MAGAZINE – September/October 2013 GIRLFRIENDZ MAGAZINE – GirlfriendzMag.com 23 big lipstick—heavy things! But unfortunately, Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman. Photo the first day my mother ever came to the set, courtesy of TDE Collection. Answers: I was in a safe and they wanted the objects to jiggle, so they pushed it. One of the objects 1. TRUE: After trying for seven years, Take the fell over and hit me on the head. (She laughs.) Barbara Eden and Michael Ansara I didn’t pass out, but practically. And my mom found out that they were going to said, “I don’t know about that, Barbara, they’re be parents (to Matthew). And just not supposed to do that! Don’t they have a moments before that phone call I Dream of double?” (More laughter). came another call saying she’d been TSC: How did you come up with the “Jean- awarded the role of “Jeannie!” Close- nie” blink? ups and lots of veils were used to BE: That was Gene Nelson. Gene was the blink. cover her growing baby bump.+ He said, “I want to see your face when the 2. TRUE: Her original bottle was a Jeannie special Christmas 1964 Jim Beam magic happens. I want the camera on your face, but it won’t always be a close-up.” So I decanter that was decorated by the said that it would be a much stronger action show’s art department. There was if I crossed my arm, blinked and nodded my more than one bottle during the life Quiz! head. And we did that. of the series. +++ TSC: In his book, Twitch Upon a Star, Herbie J 3. FALSE: The show was inspired by The TRUE or FALSE Pilato wrote that Elizabeth Montgomery had Brass Bottle, a 1964 movie in which Barbara Eden starred. Also starring 1. Barbara Eden was pregnant during the filming of Season 1. nothing against you or Larry Hagman, but was extremely upset with Sidney Sheldon for cre- in that movie were Tony Randall and 2. “Jeannie’s” bottle was actually a liquor decanter. ating a show that she felt was so similar to Burl Ives. The movie was inspired by 3. The show was based on a dream the show’s creator, Sidney Bewitched.

Load more