Looking back on the life of Barbara Eden

Barbara Eden, the iconic figure who brought the enchanting world of genies to life, is set to celebrate her 92nd birthday on August 23, and she continues to look remarkable.

Eden, who inspired countless fans to dream of their own wish-granting genie, has remained a beloved figure nearly six decades after her debut in the classic series I Dream of Jeannie. While she captivated audiences with her on-screen charm, she faced profound personal challenges, including the tragic loss of her son to a heroin overdose in 2001.

Born during the Great Depression, Barbara Eden transformed her early struggles into a successful career, making her film debut in 1956 with titles such as A Private’s Affair and Twelve Hours to Kill, as well as appearances on television shows like The Johnny Carson Show and I Love Lucy.

In 1960, she gained international fame alongside Elvis Presley in the western film Flaming Star. Five years later, she became a household name as Jeannie, the captivating genie freed by astronaut and U.S. Air Force Captain Tony Nelson, portrayed by Larry Hagman, in the beloved sitcom I Dream of Jeannie, which ran for five seasons.

During the height of her fame, Eden welcomed her son, Matthew Ansara, with her then-husband, actor Michael Ansara, known for his role in the 1960s series Broken Arrow. However, after their 15-year marriage ended when Matthew was just nine years old, Eden reflected on how this pivotal moment may have influenced her son’s struggles with substance abuse.

Eden recounted her concerns for Matthew beginning in 1984, when he moved in with his father after her remarriage. Upon returning home after her second divorce, she noticed troubling signs, including excessive sleeping and dishonesty about his college enrollment.
Matthew never disclosed to Mike and me that he was using heroin, as he wished to spare us from pain. However, we deduced the truth due to his sluggish behavior, significant weight loss, and late-night absences. I urged him to enter a rehabilitation facility, and I welcomed him back home after he completed a month of treatment.

The star of The Stepford Children recounted, “Unfortunately, he relapsed. Experts informed us that when a child becomes involved with drugs, they essentially transform into the substance; they are no longer the child you once knew and no longer belong in your home. Consequently, I made the difficult decision to lock him out when he turned 20, which remains the most challenging choice I have ever faced.”

Matthew began using drugs at the tender age of 10 and spent the subsequent 12 years oscillating between rehabilitation and home, with his parents striving to support him.

“When he came to visit, he would sometimes joke, ‘Here I am, better secure everything.’ Yet, during his sober moments, he would express, ‘I’m so sorry. I love you more than anyone in the world,’” Eden reflected on her son, who frequently stole from them during his visits.

Barbara Eden, the American actress, is depicted in a publicity portrait for the television series ‘I Dream of Jeannie,’ circa 1967, where she portrayed the character Jeannie. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

During a brief period of sobriety at the age of 27, Matthew married and pursued creative writing at UCLA, but “the cycle resumed,” leading to his wife’s departure.

Eden recounted a pivotal moment when she confronted her son, resulting in his anger and subsequent departure. After a prolonged search, she discovered that he had been living on the streets for most of that time.

“Shortly after their separation, he called me, sounding utterly defeated, and said, ‘Mom, I’m sick.’ Accompanied by Mike’s wife and another friend, I drove to a troubled area of Venice, California, where we found him in his apartment, unconscious from an overdose.”

Eden described the conditions of his living space as “filthy.” She continued, “He weighed 200 pounds, but the three of us managed to get him up and into the car, taking him to the hospital.”
At the age of 29, he received a diagnosis of clinical depression and was prescribed medication, which proved ineffective.

By the time he turned 31, Matthew had regained his sobriety and was following in his parents’ footsteps, securing a leading role in the 2001 film “To Protect and Serve” and a supporting role in “Con Games,” which was released posthumously that same year.

In September of that year, he was planning to marry a “wonderful girl.”

“One day he told me, ‘Life is great, Mom. I can’t believe I spent so many years not being awake to how green the trees are,’” recalled Eden.

Shortly after that conversation, on June 26 at 3 a.m., Eden was awakened by a phone call regarding her son.

Just six hours prior to the call, police discovered 35-year-old Matthew, an amateur bodybuilder, slumped over the steering wheel of his truck, where they also found vials of anabolic steroids that he had used to enhance his physique for competitions.

The autopsy results indicated that Matthew’s death was due to an accidental drug overdose.

“Then he was dead. He had injected a dose of unusually pure heroin, which was too much for his heart,” Eden stated. “Even when he was getting in shape, he approached it like an addict—obsessively. He struggled to do anything in moderation.”

In her grief over the loss of her only child, the author and singer, who has been married to Jon Eicholtz since 1991, continues to seek answers.

“Matthew took it very hard. He wanted his mommy and daddy to stay together. If I could do it all over again, I would have waited until he was older. However, I remind myself that many children from divorced families do not become addicts.” She added, “He won many battles, but ultimately, he lost his personal war.”

Eden’s father, who passed away in 2013 at the age of 91 due to complications from Alzheimer’s, is interred alongside his son at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

As for Eden, who has retired Jeannie’s iconic pink harem suit, she has made appearances on television shows such as “Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition” and in the 2019 film “My Adventures with Santa,” where she portrays Mrs. Claus.