November 9, 2025 • 8 mins
For Barbara Eden, bringing Jeannie to life in the Sixties made her a pop culture icon. Now, more than six decades after she first blinked her way into our hearts, we're celebrating her timeless magic.
For more, Barbara Eden joins.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Imagine creating one of the most beloved characters in television history.
For Barbara Eden, bringing Jeanie to life in the sixties
made her a pop culture icon.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Now, more than six decades after she first blinked her
way into our hearts, we're celebrating her timeless magic.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
When it comes to casting a spellover audiences, Barbara Eden
has always been in a league of her own. Whether
it's classic Hollywood films or making TV history, she always
had the ability to stop everyone in their tracks. Hi
(00:48):
from guest spots in I Love Lucy to a thrilling
turn in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Barbara
showed incredible range, even sharing the screen with Elvis Presley
in Flame Mean Start.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Well, I was little, I liked you a lot. He
was the only girl I ever liked a whole lot
I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Then came the role that changed everything, bringing magic, mischief,
and a whole lot of fun in one hundred and
thirty nine episodes as the small screen's favorite Genie.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
In a book, I do not want to sweep in
a drawer. Well, look, I think I will take your bedroom,
but mine, Well, where when I stay in the drawmaster Genny.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah, the amazing.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Barbara en joins us Life from Beverly Hills in California.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
High Barbara, love me to see you.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Hi, good to see you.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Do you love watching back all that footage? We love
seeing it again?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (01:49):
I love seeing it again. I haven't seen it in years.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Oh it's fantastic. How did you initially get the role
of Jeannie?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
And when did you know you had such great chemistry
with Larry Hagman?
Speaker 5 (02:02):
Well, I to get the role, it was kind of complicated.
I had been reading in the trades about all these
wonderfully beautiful women who were all dark haired, tall, and
they were Miss Italy, Miss Israel, miss all all dark
(02:24):
haired and very beautiful. And so one day my agent
called and said here's a script.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
And I read.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
It and I went, oh my, what is this? And
he called and then said ask me if do you
like the script? And I said, yes, I do. He said, well,
they're offering you the job.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Wow. Did you what I.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Look like.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
When when you read the script?
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Because it was so funny for us to watch, did
you think it was funny or did you think it
was just playing crazy? Oh?
Speaker 4 (03:05):
I don't think I thought either. You know, an actor
doesn't go into a job like that without knowing what
they're going to do or be. I don't know what
do you think she was?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I think she was.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
It was very, very funny, and looking back at it
now you can I think there's so many laughs still
in there for us today in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Yes, indeed it makes a lot of people happy.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
I have been fans always fascinate, I think by the
outfit that was so much part of Jamie's character, the hair.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
How much of a.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Process was that every day?
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Well, you wouldn't want to do it every day.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
I'll tell you that it took me what an hour
at least to get everything going. Yeah, that's a right.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
It takes me three hours to get out here. So
you're still ahead of the game.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Is it true?
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Is it true you were once accidentally left trapped inside
the big Genie bottle on the set?
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Oh my, it wasn't accidentally, absolutely not. I was starving
and it was lunchtime.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
And I had been in the bottle with water up
to my waist.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Genie was stuck in her bottle.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
So at lunchtime everyone left and left me in the bottle.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
I don't like that.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I forgot about you.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
I think I remember reading once, so I think I
knew this at the time that you weren't allowed to
show your navel, your belly button.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
So that was covered. That was like a modesty thing,
wasn't it. In the day.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Well it was interesting again.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
There was a writer on Hollywood Read Order and he'd
come down on the set visit and he say, where's.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Your belly button? And I said what he said, I
don't believe they have one any.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
And so you began to write about it. The stringers
across the country were caught it, and the studio suddenly
realized I had a belly button.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
It wasn't it wasn't there. I mean it was covered up,
but if I put my arms up in the air,
it would peek out. They were horrified. Horrified.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Now we think we saw in that setup that that
guest appearance you did on I Love Lucy. What was
it like U two icons in a room at the
same time. That must have been an amazing day of filming.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Well, I certainly wasn't an icon.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Then.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
That was my third job in Hollywood. She was wonderful.
Speaker 5 (06:04):
She was just the kindest, nicest person I've ever worked with.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
And then Elvis Presley as well.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
We just saw the clip you start off as Elvis
Presley that was Inflaming Star.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Is it true he wants to turn to you for
relationship advice about Priscilla?
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Well, we were We talked a lot, and of course
at the time I was married to Michael and Sarah
and he was a big fan of Elvis's and Elvis
was a big fan of his.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
So Elvis would ask me, how do.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
You do it?
Speaker 5 (06:41):
How do you maintained a wedding or a marriage in
this Mayeu, in this group of people, And I well,
first of all, it's our job, and we know that
we both go our separate ways on our job and
my guard job. So if you love her and she
(07:05):
loves you, you should get along. Of Course, I wasn't
thinking about the fact that Mike and I were both
actors and knew what we were in for.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Poor Priscilla, she was, you know, coming from a home.
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah, we can't let you go without mentioning that you're
an incredible Nati fool. Is you look fantastic If you
could summon Janie's palace to grant yourself one real life
wish today?
Speaker 3 (07:33):
What would that be?
Speaker 5 (07:37):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (07:38):
My, I have too many. I have too many. I yes,
I would want all my family back.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Everyone, my grandmother, my son's, my mother. I would like
to get them all back wherever.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Family, family is everything.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Barbara.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
So I lovely to catch up with you. It's terrific
seeing you and Janie. I dream of Jeanie was just
my favorite show growing up. So I just to be
here talking to you. The little Kylie would never have
imagined that she would be doing this today.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
So thank you. It's been such a treasure and such
a treat.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Thank you. I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
So I love it meet you this morning. Thanks for
joining us.
Imagine creating one of the most beloved characters in television history.
For Barbara Eden, bringing Jeanie to life in the sixties
made her a pop culture icon.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Now, more than six decades after she first blinked her
way into our hearts, we're celebrating her timeless magic.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
When it comes to casting a spellover audiences, Barbara Eden
has always been in a league of her own. Whether
it's classic Hollywood films or making TV history, she always
had the ability to stop everyone in their tracks. Hi
(00:48):
from guest spots in I Love Lucy to a thrilling
turn in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Barbara
showed incredible range, even sharing the screen with Elvis Presley
in Flame Mean Start.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Well, I was little, I liked you a lot. He
was the only girl I ever liked a whole lot
I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Then came the role that changed everything, bringing magic, mischief,
and a whole lot of fun in one hundred and
thirty nine episodes as the small screen's favorite Genie.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
In a book, I do not want to sweep in
a drawer. Well, look, I think I will take your bedroom,
but mine, Well, where when I stay in the drawmaster Genny.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Yeah, the amazing.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Barbara en joins us Life from Beverly Hills in California.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
High Barbara, love me to see you.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Hi, good to see you.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Do you love watching back all that footage? We love
seeing it again?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (01:49):
I love seeing it again. I haven't seen it in years.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Oh it's fantastic. How did you initially get the role
of Jeannie?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
And when did you know you had such great chemistry
with Larry Hagman?
Speaker 5 (02:02):
Well, I to get the role, it was kind of complicated.
I had been reading in the trades about all these
wonderfully beautiful women who were all dark haired, tall, and
they were Miss Italy, Miss Israel, miss all all dark
(02:24):
haired and very beautiful. And so one day my agent
called and said here's a script.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
And I read.
Speaker 5 (02:34):
It and I went, oh my, what is this? And
he called and then said ask me if do you
like the script? And I said, yes, I do. He said, well,
they're offering you the job.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Wow. Did you what I.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Look like.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
When when you read the script?
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Because it was so funny for us to watch, did
you think it was funny or did you think it
was just playing crazy? Oh?
Speaker 4 (03:05):
I don't think I thought either. You know, an actor
doesn't go into a job like that without knowing what
they're going to do or be. I don't know what
do you think she was?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I think she was.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
It was very, very funny, and looking back at it
now you can I think there's so many laughs still
in there for us today in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Yes, indeed it makes a lot of people happy.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
I have been fans always fascinate, I think by the
outfit that was so much part of Jamie's character, the hair.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
How much of a.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Process was that every day?
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Well, you wouldn't want to do it every day.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
I'll tell you that it took me what an hour
at least to get everything going. Yeah, that's a right.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
It takes me three hours to get out here. So
you're still ahead of the game.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Is it true?
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Is it true you were once accidentally left trapped inside
the big Genie bottle on the set?
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Oh my, it wasn't accidentally, absolutely not. I was starving
and it was lunchtime.
Speaker 5 (04:19):
And I had been in the bottle with water up
to my waist.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Genie was stuck in her bottle.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
So at lunchtime everyone left and left me in the bottle.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
I don't like that.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I forgot about you.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
I think I remember reading once, so I think I
knew this at the time that you weren't allowed to
show your navel, your belly button.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
So that was covered. That was like a modesty thing,
wasn't it. In the day.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Well it was interesting again.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
There was a writer on Hollywood Read Order and he'd
come down on the set visit and he say, where's.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Your belly button? And I said what he said, I
don't believe they have one any.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
And so you began to write about it. The stringers
across the country were caught it, and the studio suddenly
realized I had a belly button.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
It wasn't it wasn't there. I mean it was covered up,
but if I put my arms up in the air,
it would peek out. They were horrified. Horrified.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Now we think we saw in that setup that that
guest appearance you did on I Love Lucy. What was
it like U two icons in a room at the
same time. That must have been an amazing day of filming.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Well, I certainly wasn't an icon.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Then.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
That was my third job in Hollywood. She was wonderful.
Speaker 5 (06:04):
She was just the kindest, nicest person I've ever worked with.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
And then Elvis Presley as well.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
We just saw the clip you start off as Elvis
Presley that was Inflaming Star.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Is it true he wants to turn to you for
relationship advice about Priscilla?
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Well, we were We talked a lot, and of course
at the time I was married to Michael and Sarah
and he was a big fan of Elvis's and Elvis
was a big fan of his.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
So Elvis would ask me, how do.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
You do it?
Speaker 5 (06:41):
How do you maintained a wedding or a marriage in
this Mayeu, in this group of people, And I well,
first of all, it's our job, and we know that
we both go our separate ways on our job and
my guard job. So if you love her and she
(07:05):
loves you, you should get along. Of Course, I wasn't
thinking about the fact that Mike and I were both
actors and knew what we were in for.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Poor Priscilla, she was, you know, coming from a home.
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah, we can't let you go without mentioning that you're
an incredible Nati fool. Is you look fantastic If you
could summon Janie's palace to grant yourself one real life
wish today?
Speaker 3 (07:33):
What would that be?
Speaker 5 (07:37):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (07:38):
My, I have too many. I have too many. I yes,
I would want all my family back.
Speaker 5 (07:45):
Everyone, my grandmother, my son's, my mother. I would like
to get them all back wherever.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Family, family is everything.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Barbara.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
So I lovely to catch up with you. It's terrific
seeing you and Janie. I dream of Jeanie was just
my favorite show growing up. So I just to be
here talking to you. The little Kylie would never have
imagined that she would be doing this today.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
So thank you. It's been such a treasure and such
a treat.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Thank you. I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
So I love it meet you this morning. Thanks for
joining us.
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