Barbara Eden (born Barbara Jean Moorhead in Tucson, Arizona on August 23, 1934, although some sources give 1930 as her year of birth) is an American actress. She was also known as Barbara Huffman, following her mother's re-marriage. Eden made an early featured appearance on an I Love Lucy episode, playing a pretty girl who, Lucy feared, would catch Ricky's roving eye at a party. Lucille Ball was impressed with Eden's work and promoted the young actress. Eden made her film debut in Back from Eternity (1956), and the following year starred in the television series How to Marry a Millionaire, playing the role Marilyn Monroe had played in the film version. Eden had a notable part in Flaming Star (1960), an Elvis Presley movie. The following year, she played in a supporting role as Lt. Cathy Connors in Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, one of many successful science fiction outings by "The Master of Disaster". She played supporting roles in films over the next few years, including a notable, if odd, movie, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, with Tony Randall, before being signed to play the character of Jeannie in the television series I Dream of Jeannie, opposite Larry Hagman. The show proved to be a huge success, running from 1965 until 1970 and during this time Eden was nominated twice for Golden Globe Awards. |
