Stories

20+ Things Only Hardcore ‘I Dream Of Jeannie’ Fans Will Know

8. The studio insisted on black and white

Despite I Dream of Jeannie’s now classic status, NBC originally had little faith in the show’s success. In fact, Sidney Sheldon revealed in his autobiography The Other Side of Me that studio execs didn’t expect the show to survive beyond a single season. Consequently, they forced him to shoot the show in black and white as a cost-cutting measure.

NBC Television

9. Producers had trouble filming special effects

Nevertheless, shooting in black and white had its advantages. Indeed, the show’s numerous special effects – including the puff of smoke from Jeannie’s bottle – were difficult to achieve in color, and the monochromatic film stock helped the FX department iron out its kinks. It also resulted in the series being the last U.S. network show shot in black and white.

Screen Musings

10. The pilot episode was shot in winter conditions

Production on I Dream of Jeannie began in December 1964 with pilot “The Lady in the Bottle.” Much to the cast’s chagrin, though, the episode was partly shot on California’s Zuma Beach in the midst of a particularly bitter winter’s day. And Eden’s genie outfit probably didn’t afford much protection from the cold, either.

NBC Television

11. Jeannie’s bottle had humble origins

Though I Dream of Jeannie featured otherworldly themes, its most famous effects had extremely down-to-earth origins. In particular, the bottle that housed Jeannie was, in reality, a Jim Beam whiskey decanter painted to resemble a magic lamp. And, due to its fragile design, the prop kept breaking on set, which resulted in multiple copies being made.

Screen Musings

12. Barbara Eden’s costumes kept ripping

Jeannie’s bottle wasn’t her only belonging that kept breaking. Indeed, Eden often tore her pantaloons by catching the hem in the heel of her shoe. Years later, moreover, the actress admitted that the only costume she managed to snag from set was a hat – possibly due to her habit of ruining everything else.

Mirror.co.uk

13. The show’s director played pranks on Barbara Eden

Despite the often tempestuous personality of Larry Hagman, the cast and crew frequently had fun on set. To illustrate, while filming a scene of Jeannie trapped in an oversized perfume bottle, the director called a break for lunch, leaving Eden alone on set. Her shouts for help were later incorporated into the final cut.

Screen Musings

14. A lion once drove Larry Hagman from the set

Barbara Eden’s autobiography Genie Out of the Bottle contains many eye-opening on-set stories – most notably one between Larry Hagman and a trained lion named Simm. While Eden was comfortable in the creature’s presence, Hagman lost his cool when the cat let out an almighty roar. “Larry bolts off the set, out of the studio and into the street,” she wrote.

Dreaming of Jeannie

Previous 2 of 3 Next

Show comments
Share
Published by

Recent Posts

This Original ‘Beetlejuice’ Star Won’t Return For Sequel

Among the original Beetlejuice cast members was Jeffrey Jones, who played Winona Ryder’s on-screen dad,…

21 hours ago

Diana Ross’ Children Celebrate The Legendary Singer On Her 80th Birthday

The supreme career of Motown powerhouse Diana Ross began 65 years ago, and Tuesday marks…

22 hours ago

Barbra Streisand Causes A Stir With Photo Of Her ‘So Handsome’ 57-Year-Old Son

Singer and actress Barbra Streisand recently shared a photo of her 57-year-old son, Jason Gould,…

22 hours ago

’60s Bombshells Then And Now 2024

UPDATED 3/27/2023 '80s bombshells conjured up heavy metal and hot rods, and '70s bombshells were…

22 hours ago

Robert De Niro’s Newborn Baby Girl Meets Friend And Co-Star Leonardo DiCaprio In New Photo

Robert De Niro was recently spotted with his girlfriend, Tiffany Chen, as they made for…

23 hours ago

‘Married… With Children’ Cast Then And Now 2024

UPDATED 3/27/2024 In the immortal words of Al Bundy, “Let's rock.“ Everyone knew when Married...…

1 day ago