7 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘I Dream of Jeannie’
We’ve all heard the story: man becomes an astronaut, man discovers 2,000-year-old genie on a deserted island in the South Pacific, and man and genie eventually fall in love, all while trying to keep her magical powers under wraps. Hey, that’s life!
I Dream of Jeannie aired on NBC for five mystifying seasons from 1965 to 1970. Starring Barbara Eden (playing Jeannie the, you know … genie?) and Larry Hagman (who played astronaut Tony Nelson), this fantasy sitcom captured the hearts and funny bones of fans as these two crazy kids struggled to navigate their differences: He flew in space shuttles, she lived primarily in a bottle, after all.
While never a huge hit, I Dream of Jeannie maintained steady popularity throughout most of its primetime run and gained new fans following years in syndication. You’ve probably seen the show at some point, so let’s dig deeper with seven little-known facts that will blow your mind!
1 Barbara Eden Was Pregnant in the First Season
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While Barbara Eden landed the starring role in I Dream of Jeannie with ease, her dream job was threatened when she learned that she was pregnant, with the news arriving the same day that the show was officially picked up for an entire first season. Luckily, producers loved Barbara enough to bend over backward to keep her on the show, which entailed using flowing costuming and strategic camera angles while filming the season’s first 10 episodes as quickly as possible before her baby belly grew too much to hide. She gave birth during a scheduled production hiatus later that season.
2 The Show’s First Season Was in Black and White
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While color television was emerging as a growing trend during I Dream of Jeannie’s formative years, producers decided it wasn’t worth the added expense to shoot the show in color – not at first, anyway. Once the show’s solid (if unspectacular) ratings earned them a season renewal, the powers that be collectively decided to upgrade to the new color technology.
> What Happened on the Final Episode of ‘I Dream of Jeannie’?
3 The Show’s Iconic Theme Song Didn’t Exist Until Season Two
I Dream of Jeannie’s catchy theme may be the most memorable part of the show, but it didn’t emerge until after the show’s first season. The initial opening credits featured a voiceover explaining how Jeannie and Tony met, which was soon replaced by a short, animated sequence. Once the show switched to color, they created a new and improved animated version, complete with the jaunty instrumental jingle we all know and love.
4 It Wasn’t Easy Being Jeannie
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While Barbara Eden made her performances look effortless, her job was actually quite challenging – mentally, emotionally and even physically. For instance, the soundstage’s full-sized set, where they simulated a tiny Jeannie getting in and out of her bottle, was actually enormous, requiring Eden to regularly climb up and down an eight-foot ladder. Even her trademark hairstyle was an everyday hurdle, as twisting her ‘do into a ponytail was known to take up to three
5 Larry Hagman Learned the Show Was Cancelled From a Security Guard
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After wrapping up I Dream of Jeannie’s fifth season, Larry Hagman headed off to South America for a long-awaited vacation. Upon returning to the States, he decided to stop by the studio to pick up something from his dressing room. Only after chatting with a security guard at the studio gate did he first learn that the show had come to an end.
6 Jeannie and Tony Reunited Years Later on Dallas (Well, Sort of)
After years of playing the straight-and-narrow Tony Nelson, Hagman relished his career-defining role as the villainous J.R. Ewing on nighttime soap Dallas from 1978 to 1991. In a bit of fun stunt casting, Eden was brought on the show to butt heads with Hagman for a multi-episode arc in 1990. Playing Ewing’s vengeful former lover, Lee Ann De La Vega, fans got to see an edgier relationship between the two – a far cry from their more innocent dynamic on I Dream of Jeannie. Even cooler, Vega’s maiden name is revealed to be “Nelson,” an obvious tribute to the beloved sitcom.
7 One Huge Creative Misfire Killed the Show’s Ratings for Good
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Industry experts point to a decision made by NBC’s head of programming Mort Werner as the primary cause for the show’s cancellation, as he declared that the show would only be renewed if Season 5 included a wedding for Jeannie and Tony.
Seemingly a smart idea for an attention-grabbing “event” episode, many saw the marriage as the show’s death knell. No longer would Tony and Jeannie’s “will they, won’t they?” dynamic captivate viewers, nor would their wacky hijinks as man and genie in a bottle offer a completely unique blend of fantasy and comedy. Instead, the two would now live their lives out in the open as a couple, merely hiding Jeannie’s true magical nature from most of the world (an uninspired scenario that felt way too similar to Bewitched, a show that debuted one year before I Dream of Jeannie.)
Ratings tanked, fan interest waned, and I Dream of Jeannie ended soon afterwards, but continues to live on in our hearts!
I Dream of Jeannie airs weekdays on Antenna TV.
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1965
February 2025
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