Barbara Eden

Barbara Jean Morehead was born on August 23, 1931, in Tucson, Arizona. Her parents divorced when she was three, and she moved with her mother to San Francisco, California. Her mother remarried Harrison Connor Huffman, a telephone lineman. Growing up during the Great Depression, Eden’s family could not afford many luxuries, and her mother would entertain her and her siblings by singing. This early exposure fostered an interest in music and performing. She began singing in local bands as a teenager and studied singing at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She also pursued acting studies at the Elizabeth Holloway School of Theatre.

Eden graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco in 1949 and attended City College of San Francisco for a year, focusing on theater. In 1951, she was crowned Miss San Francisco and later participated in the Miss California pageant. Her television career began in 1955 with semi-regular appearances on “The Johnny Carson Show.” She also made guest appearances on various other television series, including “I Love Lucy,” “The Millionaire,” and “Perry Mason.” By 1957, she secured a starring role in the comedy television series “How to Marry a Millionaire,” where she played the same character originated by Marilyn Monroe in the film version.

Throughout her career, Eden has starred in over 20 theatrical feature films and numerous made-for-television movies. Notable film roles include acting alongside Elvis Presley in “Flaming Star” (1960), “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” (1961), and “7 Faces of Dr. Lao” (1964). Her role in the film “The Brass Bottle” (1964) later inspired Sidney Sheldon to cast her in the lead role of the NBC sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie” (1965). She played the iconic character of Jeannie for five seasons and 139 episodes, achieving international recognition. After “I Dream of Jeannie,” Eden continued to work in both comedic and dramatic roles, including the film and television series “Harper Valley P.T.A.” (1978 and 1981, respectively). She released an album titled “Miss Barbara Eden” in 1967 and performed in many musical comedy tours and Las Vegas shows. In 2011, her memoir “Jeannie Out of the Bottle” became a New York Times Best Seller. She continues to make public appearances and has contributed to numerous charities.