Barbara Eden turned 92 recently, still looking as gorgeous as she was while filming I Dream of Jeannie in the ‘60s. Her signature blonde hair and beautiful smile are still as endearing as ever. Before starring in the famous series, Eden got her big break in the ‘50s as a sketch performer on The Johnny Carson Show.
Eden’s time as Jeannie on the NBC series shot her into the limelight, making her a fan favorite even decades later. She is also remembered for her roles in other series like The Andy Griffith Show and others. “I also did one episode of ‘I Love Lucy,’ and fans remember that, too,” she said. “When I was doing it, I just didn’t think about it, that it would ever live that long or people would remember it.”
Eden’s plans for 92
Eden told People she wanted to spend her birthday dining with her husband, Jon Eicholtz, and close friends at a steakhouse in Beverly Hills, after which she and Jon would go back home to spend time with more family—alongside her Labradoodle, Bentley, running around the house, too.
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The actress, who is also a writer, said she would love to publish another children’s book to follow her 2021 release, The Djinn. “I would like to do another children’s book. That would be fun. As a child, I was always encouraged to read, and I find that it is a true gift that you can give to your child or to other children,” she shared. Over a decade ago, she also released a memoir, Jeannie Out of the Bottle: A Memoir.
Fans are dear to Eden’s heart
Eden cherishes opportunities to interact with her fans, such as the Hazard Fest Autograph Convention Show and Rhode Island Comic Con scheduled for the coming months. “They’re the best fans in the whole world. They’re very well-read. They’re good, nice people. When I get up on the big stage, I speak, and then I do the Q&A, I’m sometimes surprised. They know more than I do about my work!” she gushed.
Being a down-to-earth celebrity, Eden has managed to create good relationships with her fans, some of whom have become friends. “I have a dear friend who started out as a fan, but now he and his husband are my dear friends,” she said.
She also spoke of another loyal fan who frequented conventions and knew so much about her she could trust him to take questions in her stead. “Then a question will come up, and I don’t know the answer, and I say, ‘Well, will you ask Bernard, please? He’ll know,” she said. “And he does. He knows exactly the day, the date, everything.”