Barbara Eden And Larry Hagman: The Magic Behind 'I Dream Of Jeannie'

When Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman first met for their iconic 'I Dream of Jeannie' screen test, neither knew how much their lives were about to change. "We started doing this scene, and I threw my arms around his neck," Barbara reveals to Closer in an exclusive interview. "Later, he told me, 'You scared the bejesus out of me!' That’s just how Larry was—he was always so honest, always saying exactly what came to mind."

That initial meeting marked the beginning of a legendary on-screen partnership. 'I Dream of Jeannie,' which aired for five seasons from 1965 to 1970, introduced Barbara as the enchanting 2,000-year-old genie and Larry as the charming astronaut Tony Nelson. Though it wasn’t a ratings juggernaut, the show cemented their places as television icons and continues to captivate new generations through syndication and streaming platforms.

Barbara, now 92, reflects fondly on her time with Larry. "I’ve never worked with anyone with whom I was so in tune, acting-wise," she says. "Working with Larry was a joy and a challenge. He was incredibly talented and such a sweetheart to me. But let’s be honest—he was his own worst enemy sometimes."

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From Screen Test to Stardom

While their on-screen chemistry was undeniable, fans often wondered if there was more to the story off-screen. Barbara sets the record straight: "No, Larry and I never had a romance." During the show’s run, she was married to her first husband, Michael Ansara, and even pregnant with her son Matthew during the first season. "I was a walking tent back then," she jokes, "but they just kept draping chiffon over my head to hide it."

When the cameras weren’t rolling, Larry was known for his perfectionism. He demanded long rehearsals and script rewrites, which didn’t always sit well with the writers. "Sometimes comedy isn’t funny when you’re trying to figure it out," Larry explained. "You might get something on paper that doesn’t read funny, so you have to tweak it, make some adjustments. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it."

But Larry wasn’t all seriousness. He had a playful side that often surprised his co-stars. "He had a fantastic sense of humor," Barbara remembers. "One day he showed up in a train engineer’s uniform, and another time in a gorilla costume. He loved being the center of attention—that’s why we’re actors, right?"

Co-star Bill Daily, who played astronaut Roger Healey, believed Larry’s antics masked deeper insecurities. "I think what bothered Larry a bit was that Barbara became a superstar," Bill said. "Sometimes he’d get quiet and retreat to his trailer. It was like he felt overshadowed."

Larry’s mood swings became more pronounced in the second season, especially after he decided to clean up his act. "I had been addicted to tobacco and Bontril, a mild form of amphetamine," Larry admitted. "I quit smoking and stopped taking speed at the same time. It was brutal." The abrupt withdrawal left him angry, nervous, and physically ill. In one memorable incident, he tried to silence a noisy air conditioner with a fireman’s ax, accidentally cutting off power to the entire soundstage. At the time, he feared it might cost him his career.

The network even considered replacing Larry with Darren McGavin, but Barbara intervened. "Switching him mid-show would be foolish," she argued. Eventually, Larry agreed to seek therapy, and he later thanked Barbara for saving his career. "He told me he owed me his house!" she recalls with a laugh.

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Conflict resurfaced in the fifth season when the network suggested Jeannie and Tony should tie the knot. "I told them that marrying us would end the show," Larry explained. His despondency grew so severe that he stopped speaking to everyone, including Barbara. "He flatly refused to talk to me or anyone else," she wrote in her 2012 memoir, 'Jeannie Out of the Bottle.'

A Lifelong Friendship

Despite Larry’s behavior, Barbara’s affection for him never wavered. In 1990, she reunited with him for a five-episode arc on 'Dallas,' the nighttime drama that made Larry a superstar as J.R. Ewing. "The first day on set, everyone was watching us," Barbara remembers. "Larry looked at me and said, 'Isn’t this the strangest thing? It’s like we’ve never stopped working together.'"

Larry overcame many personal battles before his cancer-related death in 2012 at age 81. After a liver transplant in 1995, he largely stopped drinking and embraced a healthier lifestyle. "The last time I saw him, he was in Australia and looked great," Barbara recalls. "It was a shock when he passed away."

For Barbara, Larry will always remain a cherished friend and brilliant actor. "I think we were just meant to be together," she says. "We clicked right away. When he was feeling well, he was such a kind man. I loved him deeply."