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Financial advice rubs Barbara Eden the
right way
By Larry
Getlen • Bankrate.com
 Barbara
Eden created what is surely one of television's great icons. The
title character of "I Dream of Jeannie" was America's
fantasy woman from 1965-1970, as viewers relished Eden's manipulative
domestic dominance over her "master," Maj. Anthony Nelson,
played by Larry Hagman. With the success of "Jeannie,"
it's easy to forget that she had a substantial career before and
since.
Eden did her first film in 1956, when small parts
in movies such as "Back From Eternity" and "Will
Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" led to almost 20 roles of various
importance in films of various quality. After "Jeannie,"
Eden became something of a TV-movie queen and appeared or starred
in several other series. These included "Harper Valley P.T.A."
and "Dallas," where she guest-starred opposite Hagman
as an old flame of J.R. Ewing's out to settle a score.
In addition to her vast TV career and the movies,
Eden has also spent much time on stage, most recently as Florence
Unger in an all-female version of Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple."
Speaking to her proves her to be as charming and friendly
as one would expect from Jeannie. She dwells on the happy moments,
is warm and almost bashful -- so it's jarring to hear of the tragedy
that has marked her last year.
In June 2001, Eden's only child, 35-year-old Matthew
Ansara, was found dead in his car of an accidental heroin overdose.
Since then, Eden has spoken out frequently against the dangers of
drugs and addiction, appearing on shows such as "20/20"
to share her story.
Eden spoke with Bankrate about some of the business
lessons she's learned throughout her career.
BANKRATE.COM: The type of money top performers
make from sitcoms now is outrageous.
Barbara Eden: I think it's wonderful. They
deserve every penny they're making.
Bankrate: During Jeannie, were you making money
on that level?
Eden: Oh, it was peanuts. But I was very well
paid for the time.
Bankrate: What type of money would top sitcom
actors make back then?
Eden: Everything's relative. When I think about
what my dad made working for the telephone company, my salary was
outstanding. For actors who work six weeks a year, it's a good living.
Bankrate: You often hear about unscrupulous
people trying to take advantage of young, successful performers.
Did you encounter that?
Eden: No. My success came later. I truly was
very well known before I did Jeannie. I did a lot of feature films.
And, I was married to a man who was no dummy, and a good actor.
After I got Jeannie, I acquired a manager, but that was only because
I spread out to other things. I needed a manager to hold the fort
for all the different things I was doing. It wasn't just acting.
So I didn't have that problem. But also, I did a film -- two films,
actually -- with Peter Lorre, and I would always have lunch with
him. He would talk to me like a Dutch Uncle. He would say to me,
"At this time in my life, I shouldn't have to be working. I
should be able to take it easy now." But, he said, "I
trusted a business manager, he was my friend, and I gave him power
of attorney." He said to never, ever let anyone sign your checks
but you. Know exactly what's going on. Make your own mistakes. I
knew that, but it was good to hear it from someone, and it stayed
with me through the years.
Bankrate: So you always had good financial
advice?
Eden: I have tried to, yeah.
Bankrate: Are you into investing?
Eden: No. I'm in bonds. I've been in munis
all my life. I don't gamble. My husband (Los Angeles developer Jon
Eicholtz) gambles. He follows the stock market, he has his own money,
he does with it as he wishes. But I don't think actors should do
that because our business is gambling. We never know when we're
going to work. Although I've been very lucky, as people point out
to me. I have always had an income. I always worked. But actors,
in general, I don't think you should. I think you should be very
conservative and cautious.
Bankrate: So you never got into the whole tech
stock craze?
Eden: Never. My retirement fund is a
bit more of a maverick than my personal trust fund, but even that
is T-Bills ... things like that.
-- Posted: April 18, 2002
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