Who knew bellybuttons could be so controversial? This comedy, airing from 1965 to 1970, was the story of a NASA astronaut who finds an ancient bottle while stranded on a desert island. More than two thousand years old and not looking a day over 25, a beautiful genie (Barbara Eden) emerges from the bottle and is so grateful for being released that she devotes her powers to serving her newfound “master”. Talk about hitting the jackpot. The show revolved around what happened when the astronaut, Tony Nelson (played by future Dallas star, Larry Hagman), and Jeannie live together at his Cocoa Beach, Florida pad. Jeannie goes out of her way to impress and help Tony due to her ever-growing love for him, yet he continuously refuses her temptations of conjured wealth while steadfastly devoting himself to the space program. Despite Jeannie’s attempts to woo Tony, their relationship remains platonic until they marry in the final season. Meanwhile, Tony’s best friend, coworker, and perpetual bachelor, Roger Healey (played by Bill Daily) discovers their secret but is only once or twice actually lured into capitalizing on Jeannie’s powers. In addition to Jeannie’s many public attempts at service gone-wrong, the secret is further complicated by Tony’s prying Air Force psychiatrist, Dr. Alfred Bellows (played by Hayden Rorke). Many episodes feature scenarios stemming from his unannounced visits to Tony’s home and his witnessing of Jeannie’s tricks. Much like the Gladys character in Bewitched (a show to which I Dream Of Jeannie was heavily likened), Dr. Bellows found himself questioning his own sanity while being made to look the fool in front of others. His wife, Amanda (Emmaline Henry), occasionally suffered the same fate. Both characters remained friends of Tony and Jeannie throughout the series. In some episodes, Eden played her own evil twin, who was also a genie. Of course, to assure the audience could tell which one was evil, this character was brunette, brash, and a man-eater. Eden also took a turn at playing her own mother in season four. The show also featured Barton MacClane as General Peterson and Vinton Hayworth as General Schaffer, the big cheeses who often supplied much of the pressure placed upon Tony, Roger, and Dr. Bellows. Gilligan’s Island’s Bob Denver guest-starred as a goofy genie (much like the character of Aunt Clara from Bewitched), and Bewitched’s own Paul Lynde also appeared on the show. Milton Berle, Don Rickles, Farrah Fawcett, and Groucho Marx were in various episodes, as well.
