Barbara Eden is a legendary actress and singer who performed JennyA beautiful but mischievous elf from the classic sitcom I dreamed of Jenny.
She is also known for her roles in films such as Blazing Star, Finding Nemo and Harper Valley PTA, as well as her music career and stage performances.
contour
- Full name: Barbara Jean Morehead
- Date of birth: August 23, 1931
- Age: 93
- Gender: Female
- Birthplace: Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Country: United States
- Occupation: Actor, singer
- Height: 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 meters)
- Parents: Alice Mary (née Franklin) and Hubert Henry Morehead
- Siblings: Alison Scanlan (half-sister)
- Spouses: Jon Eicholtz (m. 1991), Charles Fegert (m. 1977; divorced 1982), Michael Ansara (m. 1958; divorced 1974)
- Children: Matthew Ansara (son, deceased)
- Marital status: Married
- Net worth: $10 million
Early life and education
Barbara Eden, 93, was born in Tucson, Arizona, on August 23, 1931. She is a descendant of Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States.
Her parents divorced when she was three, and she moved with her mother to San Francisco, California. She has a half-sister, Alison Scanlan, from her mother’s second marriage.
She attended Abraham Lincoln High School, where she was active in drama and chorus, and also studied voice at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and acting at the Elizabeth Holloway Theater Institute.
She won the Miss San Francisco pageant in 1951 and competed in the Miss California pageant.
Personal life
Barbara Eden was married three times in her life. Her first husband was Syrian actor Michael Ansara, whom she married in 1958. They had a son, Matthew, who was born in 1965.
However, due to their busy work schedule conflicts, the couple divorced in 1974. Matthew continued to be addicted to drugs and died of an accidental drug overdose in 2001 at the age of 35.
She married her second husband, Chicago Sun-Times executive Charles Fegert, in 1977. They divorced in 1982 amid allegations of infidelity and abuse by Fegert.
Her third and current husband is real estate developer Jon Eickholtz, whom she married in 1991. They have been together for more than 30 years and live in Beverly Hills, California.
Profession
Barbara Eden began her career as a singer, performing in nightclubs and casinos. She also appeared in television shows such as The Johnny Carson Show, The Andy Griffith Show, and Perry Mason. She made her screen debut in 1956 in the musical comedy Forever Back.
She then starred in several films, such as Flaming Star (1960), performing with Elvis Presley, Journey to the Bottom of the Sea (1961), The Amazing World of the Brothers Grimm (1962), and The Copper Bottle (1964).
In 1965, she played the character of Jenny, a 2000-year-old genie who falls in love with an astronaut, in the sitcom I Dream of Jenny, which was the breakthrough role of her career.
The hugely successful series, which ran for five seasons and 139 episodes, made Eden a household name and sex symbol, singing the series’ theme song and wearing the iconic pink harem costumes designed by Jean Louis.
After the show ended in 1970, Eden continued to work in television and film, appearing in projects such as TShe wrote The Feminist and the Detective (1971), The Amazing Doberman (1976), The Harper Valley PTA (1978), A Brand New Life (1979), and The Secret Life of Cathy McCormick (1988).
She also reprised her role as Jenny in two reunion films, I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Later (1985) and I Still Dream of Jeannie (1991).
She also pursued her music career, releasing an album titled Miss Barbara Eden in 1967, and appeared in various musicals and concerts, such as The Sound of Music, Annie Get Your Gun, South Pacific, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She also wrote an autobiography, Jeannie Out of the Bottle, which was published in 2011.
Awards
Barbara Eden was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Star (Female) twice in 1967 and 1970 for her outstanding performance in I Dream of Jeannie.
She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1998 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in 2017.
She has also received awards from several organizations including the American Legion, the United Service Organizations of America and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
net worth
Barbara Eden’s net worth is estimated to be $10 million.
She has earned her wealth through her acting and singing career as well as endorsements and appearances.
Social Media
- Instagram: @officialbarbaraeden
- Twitter: @Barbara_Eden
Filmography
- Eternal Return
- Flaming Star
- Undersea Journey
- The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
- Copper bottle
- I Dream of Jenny
- Feminists and the Police
