At 93 years old, Barbara Eden has been acting for an astounding seven decades and is still going strong.
The actress, singer, and producer is most remembered for her appearance in “I Dream of Jeannie,” which debuted in 1965, although she had been on our screens for ten years prior to landing that position.
I Dream of Jeannie, the iconic 1960s sitcom about an astronaut who brings home a 2,000-year-old female genie, has been viewed by generations of TV viewers.
Despite the premise’s silliness, fans tuned in and laughed because of Barbara Eden, the attractive and brilliant actress who played Jeannie.
Fans may find it difficult to comprehend, but Barbara is currently 91 years old!
Although she hasn’t been seen on television in her infamous harem costume in a while, she’s still going strong and keeping active.
However, Barbara’s life hasn’t always been simple.
In 1931, Barbara Eden was born in Tucson, Arizona, in the US. She relocated to San Francisco after her parents got divorced, where she started her singing studies at the Conservatory of Music.
As a youngster in Golden Gate City, Barbara performed in local bands in neighborhood nightclubs. But eventually, she also made the decision to pursue acting.
‘Barbara, you don’t sound like you mean a word you’re singing,’ my mother told me. I believe you ought to pursue acting studies as well,’” Eden recalled to Closer Weekly.
She then relocated to Los Angeles and started performing on some of the top shows of the 1950s after deciding that acting was a good fit for her.
She initially appeared on our television in 1955 as a semiregular guest on The Johnny Carson Show, but it was her part in the enduring fantasy sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie” that catapulted her to fame.
The native of Arizona portrayed Jeannie, a seductive genie that astronaut and United States Air Force Captain Anthony “Tony” Nelson, played by Larry Hagman, let out from her bottle.
“We simply clicked. We shared the same rhythm. The same fact emerged from everything we did, Eden told Closer Weekly.
“I adored him greatly. Some actors require some effort to genuinely warm to them. then you store it in a different mental box. However, I never had to with Larry. He was present all the time.
She performed the part for five years, including appearing in the show as Jeannie’s mother and her nasty sister. Eden’s harem attire, which at the time was a little risqué for television, contributed to Jeannie’s fame.
Near the show’s 50th anniversary in 2015, she said on Today, “NBC executives got very scared.” They developed a stringent policy regarding the navel.
After her friend and columnist Mike Connolly began making fun of her about the matter, Eden claimed that it was actually a different, much earlier interview with the Hollywood Reporter that contributed to the legend’s propagation.
“When Mike entered the room and began making fun of my belly button, it quickly spread like wildfire. I would tease him back and we would have fun, but I had no idea it would turn into something.
The classic outfit also helped to establish Eden as a TV sex icon for many people, including well-known admirers like John F. Kennedy, who texted her his phone number, and Elvis Presley.
In her 2011 autobiography, Jeannie Out of the Bottle, the actress stated, “I binned the piece of paper, but I wish I still had it.”
Eden has been in more than 50 films and is still active at the age of 93.
She played Mrs. Claus in her most recent film, My Adventures with Santa, which came out in 2019. The same year the film was produced, Melissa Gardner played the lead in the stage version of “Love Letters” in its Melissa Gardner role.
“I feel young!” you exclaim. Page 6 quoted Barbara as saying that she felt fortunate to have the position she did. “I feel bad for those who have to work every day at a job they dislike, like my poor father. I enjoy what I do. Even now, I labor.
Barbara claimed that up until a few years ago, she had kept up her gym visits, spin classes, and weightlifting. Now, a trainer visits her home to assist her with resistance training, and the two of them go on a stroll.
The TV icon stated, “I have a lot of pals. I’m fairly socially active.
In fact, she is scheduled to appear in March 2022.
She playfully stated, “If I’m around, I’ll be there, I really like it.”
Along with authoring children’s books, Barbara enjoys performing. She co-wrote a book called Barbara and the Djinn about a young girl named Barbara who encounters a “charming and wizardly Genie” who takes her on adventures that are somewhat similar to those in her famous role.
Since “now all they do is look at telephones,” she thinks her books will help children remember the value of reading.
Barbara dismisses the notion that “I Dream of Jeannie” would seem a little out of date to viewers now.
This is a timeless concept, she remarked, so hurry up. How about “One Thousand and One Nights”? It’s a beautiful, great fantasy.
And let’s face it, she was in charge, you understand. She was not at all obedient.
What a remarkable life Barbara Eden has led thanks to her positive outlook and enthusiasm. She demonstrates that age is simply a number.
