Alex Carson
I Dream Of Jeannie
I Dream Of Jeannie ran from 1965 to 1970, and the show received rave reviews. The series focused on Captain Tony Nelson, a NASA astronaut, and his wife, who was a Jeannie in a bottle. You may have watched the show, but don’t really know what happened behind the scenes. Here, you will learn a few of the secrets as well as the real reason the series was canceled.
Barbara Eden’s Pregnancy
Jennie was known for wearing her skimpy harem costumes, which wouldn’t be considered skimpy today. Barbara was pregnant during most of the first season. Other than the pilot episode, she was showing, so the producers had to hide her growing belly behind objects on the set.
Larry Hagman in the Beginning
In the early episodes, Larry’s character, Captain Nelson, was an uptight guy who focused mostly on his job. As the series progressed, he fell in love with Jeannie, and eventually married her.
Larry Hagman After the Show
When I Dream of Jeannie ended, Larry Hagman worked on a number of projects during the 1970s. His most famous role was J.R. Ewing in the 80s primetime soap, Dallas. He received two Emmy nominations and won four Golden Globe nominations for his role He also appeared in Nip/Tuck and The Simpsons.
Larry Hagman’s Drinking
Larry Hagman’s drinking increased while filming I Dream Of Jeannie. As his drinking increased, he became more crazy and belligerent. There was one day when he showed up on set wearing a gorilla suit for no apparent reason. Another time, she showed up on set with an ax and went on a tirade of profanity. In 1995, he had to undergo a liver transplant. He died in 2012.
Cancellation
After filming the fifth season of the show, Larry Hagman went on vacation to South America. When he returned, he wanted to get something from his dressing room. When he arrived on the lot, he was told by security that the show was no longer in production. Larry had no idea the show was canceled when he returned from his trip.
Bill Daily
Bill Daily played Roger Healey on the show. His character was a friend of Captain Nelson’s. His storylines often focused on Nelson trying to keep Healey from finding out who Jeannie really was and adding some comedy to the show.
Bill Daily Later
After I Dream of Jeannie ended, Bill Daily too a role on the Bob Newhart Show. He also played Larry, on Alf. Over the years, he played in I Dream Of Jeannie television movies. Sadly, Daily passed away in September 2018, and his family announced the news several days after he died.
Phil Spector
Phil Spector appeared on an episode of I Dream Of Jeannie where he tried to sing. In the credits, he was listed as playing the character Steve Davis, but during the episode, he was referred to as Phil Spector. In 2009, he was convicted of murder, and he is still in prison today.
William Rorke
I Dream Of Jeannie didn’t have a very large cast. William Rorke was one of the only semi-regular characters on the show. He played NASA psychiatrist, Dr. Bellows. While filming the show, he went by Hayden Rorke, and Hayden was his mother’s name. Before landing the role on I Dream Of Jeannie, he had a small role in this Is the Army, starring future President, Ronald Reagan.
William Later
William played Dr. Bellows the last time in 1985 during the last I Dream Of Jeannie reunion movie. After filming, he had small roles in dozens of films. Sadly, in 1987, he died at the age of 76. He had been battling multiple myeloma, which is a form of cancer, for years. In Barbara Eden’s autobiography, she called him a prince.
Barbara Eden, The Lion Whisperer
The show had a live lion on set, and Barbara got along great with him. Barbara often gave Larry Hagman tips on how to get along with the lion, but he refused to try to be friends with the ferocious beast. The lion loved Barbara, but he roared every time Larry walked by.
No Theme Song
There was no theme song on the first season. It wasn’t until the second season that we heard the song. The producers were playing around with songs, but couldn’t agree on one until the second season was ready to begin. Also, the first season was shot in black and white. The second season was the first to be filmed in color.
A Publicity Stunt Nobody Wanted
Before the episode where Jeannie and Captain Nelson were getting married, the NBC publicity department staged a fake wedding for Hagman and Eden. The wedding took place at the Officers’ Club at Patrick Air force Base, and writers from all over the country were invited. The actors and the fans hated the wedding episode. The nuptials were insincere and unpractical. It caused people to turn away from the show. It ended shortly after.
The Wedding
Barbara didn’t want Jeannie and Tony to get married on the show. She said that Jeannie wasn’t a human, and if a wedding took place, the sexual tension between the characters would be destroyed. Many fans disagreed with the wedding because genies cannot be photographed. This was The Scene That Ended I Dream Of Jeannie”
