Barbara Eden TURNS 90!

As she hits a major milestone, the I Dream Of Jeannie actress looks back on her extraordinary life in Hollywood

It seems we were the ones who blinked – more than 50 years have passed and now I Dream Of Jeannie’s bubbly blonde star Barbara Eden is celebrating her 90th birthday!

And after all this time, the actress still has that special spark that made her a household name back in the 1960s.

“I think the secret to feeling great is to keep active, do things that you love and have a good sense of humour,” says Barbara, who’s still acting in theatre shows and recently released her first children’s book, Barbara And The Djinn.

Despite starring in several hit 1960 films such as Flaming Star and From The Terrace, the star will always be best known for her role as effervescent Jeannie alongside Larry Hagman in the sitcom that aired from 1965 until 1970, and then in reruns for decades after.

“I never thought about being typecast because I was always working,” says Barbara of her classic role, which earned her two Golden Globe nominations.

DOUBLE THE HAPPY

NEWS But the actress admits she feared she’d lose the part as quickly as she landed it.

“I found out I was pregnant the day the show was sold,” says Barbara, who married actor Michael Ansara in 1958 and welcomed their son Matthew in 1965. “His [show creator Sidney Sheldon] face fell. He was very upset. But God bless him – he worked it out.”