Barbara Eden (born Barbara Jean Morehead; August 23, 1934) is an film and television actress and singer who is best known for her starring role in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie.

Eden was born Barbara Jean Morehead in Tucson, Arizona. Her parents divorced when she was three; she and her mother moved to San Francisco where later her mother married Harrison Connor Huffman, a telephone lineman.

The Great Depression deeply affected Barbara’s family. Barbara’s mother entertained the children by singing songs.

Barbara began taking acting classes because she felt it might help her improve her singing.

She studied singing at the Conservatory of Music in San Francisco and acting at the Elziabeth Holloway School of Theatre.

She was elected Miss San Francisco in 1951. Barbara also entered the Miss California pageant, but did not win.

Barbara acted in many TV shows, including I Love Lucy, with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez.

Then she signed to become Jeannie, a genie in a bottle rescued by an astronaut—played by Ventura County resident Larry Hagman—in the television sitcom I Dream of Jeannie. She played this role for five years and 139 episodes. Barbara also played Jeannie’s sister in nine episodes and Jeannie’s mother in two.

Barbara has been married three times—first husband was actor Michael Ansara. Barbara and Michael had a son, Matthew Ansara,

Barbara’s second husband was Chicago Sun-Times executive Charles Donald Fegert.

Her third, and current, husband is Los Angeles real estate developer Jon Trusdale Eicholtz.

Barbara has written a memoir titled Jeannie Out of the Bottle. It chronicles the magic she’s created throughout her life.