‘I Dream Of Jeannie’ Star Barbara Eden, 94, Shares Rare Details of On-Set Accident

Barbara Eden shared behind-the-scenes stories about her years on “I Dream of Jeannie.”

In an August 2025 interview with Remind magazine, the sitcom legend, 94, recalled an on-set accident involving her co-star Larry Hagman.

“One thing I do remember is Larry breaking a tooth on my knee,” she told the outlet. “It was during regular shooting, and they had me standing on the arms of an upholstered chair and then jumping into his lap.  

Hagman ended up with a chipped tooth following the failed stunt, but the two co-stars continued to work together.

From 1965 to 1970, Eden played 2,000-year-old Jeannie in “I Dream of Jeannie,” while Hagman played Air Force Officer Major Tony Nelson in the NBC sitcom.

Barbara Eden Said The ‘I Dream Of Jeannie’ Accident Was Messy

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In 2017, Eden addressed her on-set accident with Hagman in an interview with Closer Weekly. “In one case, Larry was sitting on the sofa and I had to jump in the air and land on it with my hand under my chin,” she recalled. “We rehearsed it and it worked beautifully.”

Eden added that when they filmed the scene, she landed on Hagman’s knee and his tooth cracked. “Oh, it was awful!” she said. “Blood all over the place… We didn’t do anything like that again.”

Despite the incident, Eden got along with Hagman. In an interview with The Television Academy, she said, “He was one of the best actors I ever worked with, but he was his own worst enemy. He acted out, and that didn’t make him too popular with the crew and others. But he was always kind to me. When I’d see one of those acting-out episodes going on, I’d just turn around and go into my dressing room. I got out of the way.”

Hagman died in 2012 at age 81.

Barbara Eden’s ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ Outfit Was Also a Problem

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Back in the 1960s, Eden made headlines for her “genie” costume. The billowy pink costume was a two-piece, but it carefully covered her navel, per NBC’s Standards and Practices department’s strict rules.

Early on, Eden noticed that her costume, made of chiffon, needed an update because the material was so sheer it would rip easily. “My heel would rip it, or Larry, or somebody,” she told Remind in the interview.

She also addressed all of the controversy over her costume.

“I’ve often said that women in the film are often known for their beautiful eyes or their other body parts, but I ended up with the belly button,” she shared. “In this day and age, you would not believe that. But at the time, even I was giggling about it because it was silly. Not only did I have pants on that were like a bathing suit pant, I had everything covered except my arms.”