Barbara Eden was recently spotted on the streets of Los Angeles wearing a hot red blazer with black pants and a white shirt. The actress, known for playing the title role in the ‘60s series I Dream of Jeannie, looked chic as she made for the door after enjoying lunch with friends in a restaurant. The 92-year-old rocked a pair of wedge sandals and glammed up her outfit with a gold choker necklace with a black pendant and matching earrings. She kept her makeup minimal but not without soft pink lips.
Her hair also stole the show as she kept it in a half bun, and the rest of her blonde locks fell to her shoulders. Eden looked undeniably cheerful and smiled at the cameras as she walked towards a waiting limousine. Her appearance was a pleasant delight and a reminder of how much time has passed since her breakthrough role as Jeannie six decades ago.
Barbara Eden stuns at 92
Before I Dream Of Jeannie, Eden was already a promising actress, having made TV appearances in series such as The Johnny Carson Show, Burke’s Law, and How to Marry a Millionaire in the late ‘50s. Her career took off with her first major role in A Private’s Affair, after which she starred alongside Elvis Presley in 1960’s Flaming Star and played Cathy Connors in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.
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Eden was also a talented singer and she explored her musical side via stage and TV performances, releasing her debut album, Miss Barbara Eden, under Dot Records in 1967. The multi-talented icon, who has her star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, is also an author with a few published books, including Jeannie Out of the Bottle and Barbara And The Jinn. Many years and accomplishments later, Eden still enjoys working regardless of age and promises to “do what I do until I can’t.”
How many times did Barbara Eden get married?
Eden is currently married to her third husband, Jon Eicholtz, and they have remained inseparable since their wedding in 1991. Her first marriage to Michael Ansara failed due to his alcoholism and abusive nature, coupled with the loss of their second baby in 1971. Like her, Ansara was a talented actor and proved to be Eden’s supportive husband and present father to their son, Matthew Ansara. Sadly, their union lasted for 15 years. However, they remained friends and co-parents until Matthew’s death from a heroin overdose in 2001.
Eden met Chicago Sun-Times executive Charles “Chuck” Fergert six years later, and he famously called her his fantasy dream girl. Theirs was a short-lived union that lasted only five years and without kids. Their relationship was also strained by Charles’ drinking and addiction to cocaine, leaving Eden with no choice but to walk away once again. Eden held good memories of her ex-husband, who died from natural causes in 2002, and she credited him with being romantic and generous. Nonetheless, Charles was also an insecure man who felt threatened by her success and boasted about domesticating her. She admitted to being lonely and needing companionship when they met, leading to her decision to marry Charles.
Eden decided to stay single into her 50s and found love with Jon when she least expected it. It was not love at first sight for the duo; however, they “slowly” fell in love and bonded over matching interests in traveling and pets. In January 1991, they held their private wedding in Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, followed by an intimate reception party at the Fairmont Hotel. Like his beau, Jon was previously married before they met but chose to keep his personal life private. They both live in Beverly Hills, California, and share an adorable labradoodle dog named Bentley, who Eden once called “a brat!”
Eden confesses to feeling “lucky” and is grateful to have a restful life with Jon after a challenging love life in the past. Being her longest marriage yet, Eden attributes the longevity of their romance to liking “each other a lot.” She also noted that they do not share the same interests all the way through, but compromise is how they meet in the middle. They do have disagreements, and unlike him, she does not like golf, baseball, or watching The Angels. Nonetheless, she has had the best time with him in the last four decades. For her 92nd birthday last August, she spent it at home with family, including Jon and their furry friend, complete with lemon meringue pie just like she had planned.
How old was Barbara Eden when she played Genie?
Eden was born to Hubert Henry Morehead and her mother, Alice Mary, a descendant of the United States’ founding father, Benjamin Franklin. She was a shy child but became comfortable in the spotlight after her acting coach enrolled her in the Miss San Francisco beauty pageant of 1951. By winning the contest, Eden got access to opportunities such as meeting her co-star, Elvis, who was also an upcoming act. She recalled Elvis discussing his worries about Priscilla Presley and how well she would handle his imminent fame. The Rock and Roll king also asked how she managed to stay married to her then-husband, Ansara, as an actress, to which she simply replied that “acting was a job, and we both approached it as professionals.”
She was 33 when I Dream Of Jeannie began filming, and at 34, Eden already had over 40 TV and film credits to her name. Interestingly, she was pregnant during the first set of episodes and had to cover her bump with many veils. The next season will feature a costume change showing off Eden’s belly, which was considered controversial in Hollywood at the time. Sadly, the series got canceled in May 1970 due to declining ratings after her character and Larry Hagman’s Tony Nelson tied the knot. Years after her hit show, Eden is still remembered as the attractive wish granter and still lives up to her reputation as a stunning beauty in her nineties.
Despite being a celebrity, Eden does not fancy makeup and prefers to be out and about in “a mask and dark glasses.” She still lives a physically active life and has a personal trainer for resistance training and walks on most days. She indulges in snacks like gumdrops and marshmallow circus peanuts but balances things out with lots of vegetables and protein. Eden does not joke with her skin and never leaves the house without wearing sunscreen. She also credits her glow to a simple morning and night routine of cleansing and hydrating with Estee Lauder serum drops. Eden has no plans to retire soon, noting that it is “a gift to be able to work in an arena that you really love.”