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Barbara Eden Didn’t Need to Wish for an Impressive Net Worth — She Earned It Herself!
Don’t sleep on Barbara Eden! Even though the star’s August 2021 birthday will mark her 90 incredible years on earth, Barbara is still as active in showbiz as she was back in the day. Thanks to her work in countless classic films and TV shows, the I Dream of Jeannie actress has accrued a huge net worth.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the beloved Hollywood icon is valued at $10 million. Barbara started racking up a lot of dough when she landed the lead role in I Dream of Jeannie in 1965.
According to Herbie J Pilato, author of Glamour Girls, and the Girl Next Door: Television’s Iconic Women from the 50s, 60s and 70s, Barbara loved doing the show so much she “embraced” everything about her character. “[Actors generally] want to break the mold or want to establish themselves, but once they do establish themselves, they want to move away from it. Barbara never seemed to want to move away from Jeannie,” he exclusively told Closer in 2019. “Barbara never pushed it away.”
The Golden Globe nominee starred in I Dream of Jeannie for five seasons until 1970. Looking back at the program, Geoffrey Mark, author of The Lucy Book: A Complete Guide to Her Five Decades on Television, said Barbara made the show so entertaining because she wasn’t a predictable actress.
“Initially, she was riding the tail end of the Marilyn Monroe sex symbol thing,” he shared with Closer. “She was a beautiful, young, busty blonde with a great behind, and she could have gotten stereotyped into that early on … but she didn’t, because as it turns out, she’s a wonderful comedian, a good actress and a genuinely nice person.”
With all the success that came with I Dream of Jeannie, it’s no surprise Barbara reprised the iconic character in multiple spin-offs, including I Dream of Jeannie … Fifteen Years Later in 1985 and I Still Dream of Jeannie in 1991. That wasn’t all Barbara was working on, however, as she had already become known for several other projects by the time the comedy flicks hit the air.
Throughout the ’70s, Barbara landed roles in TV movies like The Toy Game, The Stranger Within, How to Break Up a Happy Divorce and The Amazing Dobermans. Following her portrayal of Stella Johnson in 1978’s Harper Valley P.T.A., she reprised her role in the movie-turned-TV series, which ran from 1981 to 1982. She later snagged reoccurring parts in A Brand New Life from 1989 to 1990; Dallas from 1990 to 1991; and Sabrina the Teenage Witch from 2002 to 2003.
In recent years, Barbara has had one-time stints on hits like George Lopez, Army Wives and Shimmer and Shine. Per IMDb, the blonde beauty’s latest acting credit is in 2019’s My Adventures with Santa. That same year, she completed a cross-country tour of the play Love Letters alongside Barney Miller alum Hal Linden.
In addition to acting, Barbara has made her big bucks in other ways. In 1997, she authored her first book, The I Dream of Jeannie Cookbook, followed by Barbara Eden: My Story in 1986. Her latest book, Jeannie Out of the Bottle, was released in 2011.
Out of all the incredible things Barbara has accomplished in her career, the star said her favorite memory will always be playing Jeannie. “It was so exciting and wonderful,” the Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea alum gushed to Closer, noting she’s grateful for everything she’s experienced in life. “I think I’ve been very lucky,” Barbara marveled. “I’ve been surrounded by love, by family and people. I feel it. I know I’m lucky.”
