Barbara Eden Says Controversy Surrounding Her ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ Outfit in the ‘60s Was ‘Silly’

When Barbara Eden made her debut as Jeannie in I Dream of Jeannie in 1965, folks had a lot to say about her ab-baring outfit. The actress reflected on the controversy surrounding her famous look back then and how she feels about the matter today.

“I had on tights, plus panties, plus a full bra,” Barbara, 92, told Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday, July 10, of Jeannie’s outfit, which she wore for five seasons of the show.

Barbara noted that the chatter about her showing her belly button on TV first began when a journalist visited her on the set of the show.

“It became a thing. I’ve told people, I said, ‘Other people are known for very glamorous parts of their body — I’ve got a belly button,’” she remarked. “[It’s] not the sexiest thing in the world, but then the standards and practices for films suddenly realized I had a belly button I had never shown before.”

“It was silly,” she added of the subject, reiterating that the outfit would not have been a big deal in today’s time.

In May 2013, Barbara put the costume back on at age 78 for an appearance at the Life Ball charity event in Vienna. That night, stars in attendance included Elton John, Fergie, Bill Clinton and more. Wearing Jeannie’s outfit again was a total blast from the past and she looked great while up on stage in front of the audience!

I Dream of Jeannie ended in 1970 after 139 episodes. Working on I Dream of Jeannie with costar Larry Hagman led them to form a lasting friendship and memories to last a lifetime.

“I’ve never worked with anyone with whom I’ve been so in tune and on the same level, acting-wise,” Barbara told Closer in February of their bond. “It was a joy and a challenge working with him. He was so talented and so very sweet to me. But he was his own worst enemy.”

After collaborating on the fantasy sitcom, Barbara and Larry reunited again on Dallas in 1990, when she appeared as a guest star. He, of course, played J.R. Ewing on the soap opera for 14 seasons.

“The first day on the stage, everyone was watching us,” she recalled. “Larry looked at me and said, ‘Isn’t this the strangest thing? It’s like we’ve never stopped working together.’”

Larry died in 2012 at age 81 from complications of cancer. He appeared in the first two seasons of the Dallas revival before his passing.

“The last time I saw him, I was in Australia and he was great,” Barbara said. “He didn’t look sick. It was a shock to me when he left us.”

For Barbara, losing Larry after knowing him for more than four decades was a hard pill to swallow, as she considered him a close friend.

“I think we were just meant to be together,” Barbara explained. “We clicked. He was a very kind man when he was feeling well. He really was, and I loved him a lot.”