season 1 of i dream of jeannie

[reactor]

grumpy

Laundress,

I have read much about Bewitched and Agnes Moorehead and I get the impression she is (or was) much like the character she portrayed in the film "Showboat." Very straight forward, professional/businesslike, but occasionally a little too gruff. But under it all she had a good heart. She just said what she thought and didn't often think to mince words to prevent hurt feelings.

If I recall in an interview Erin Murphy (one of the Tabitha twins) had fond memories of Agnes Moorehead and said Agnes doted over her as a child and played with and entertained her on the set between takes.

My favorite quote of Agnes Moorehead, was when she said that Elizabeth Montgomery was, "A wee bit spoiled." Although from what I read they got with no problems on the set.

I think Agnes was just raised very, very strictly and developed a rigid personality
which might explain why she wasn't married.

Not to judge, but comparing her to another rigid actress, Francis Bavier (Aunt Bea), I get the impression that Francis thought she was better than Andy Griffith and the other actors and gave them all a hard time. It is said that she thought of herself as a film actress and not a TV actress.

I don't think Agnes thought she was better, but was just a natural grump. She never caused problems on the set as Francis sometimes did. Agnes was always right on time, knew her lines and delivered them as a professional. But when the cameras weren't rolling she was mostly a no-nonsense gal.

In Debbie Reynolds two biographies, she speaks with much kindness about Agnes Moorehead, they were close friends. Too bad Agnes's lawyer absconded with virtually all of her estate after she died. The lawyer stated Agnes left it all to him, Debbie says she, knowing Agnes, thinks that was absolutely not true.

 

[launderess]

Ms. Moorehead's former Los Angeles home finally sold not to long ago:

https://la.curbed.com/2017/4/14/15307178/agnes-moorehead-tony-duquette-beverly-hills-mansion

@reactor

Ms. Moorehead was married twice:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_Moorehead

You can see from above link that only her home and contents went to the attorney, rest of estate was divided among others via final will and testament.

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Agnes_Moorehead

https://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder...l-bewitching-muskingum-university/3235750002/

Attorney Franklin Rohner died in 2007, and as noted above Ms. Moorehead's former home only sold in 2017, so all that money didn't go to him but his estate.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=franklin-rohner&pid=99609367

 

[reactor]

will

I hope Debbie was wrong in her feelings that something was amiss in Ms. Moorehead's final wishes.

I guess Agnes's two husbands found her a little too abrasive, ha.

Like her character in "Show Boat" I think she had a good heart that lied beneath a rather gruff exterior.

 

[reactor]

cut-off

My last line did not get finished in the previous post:

It was supposed to say: "Like her character in the film Show Boat I think Agnes had a gruff exterior but a good heart, under it all."

BTW, back to Jeannie's appliances. Wasn't there a dishwasher in her/Tony's kitchen? Seems like I recall a brief shot of one in an episode.

 

[vacerator]

Anyone being brought up

in a religious family or in church has nothing to do with their orientation nor preference of the same or opposite sex. I was. Catholic school, and scouting too.
We studied all religions there also. It gave us very open minds, well I'm sure most of us. I am the eldest son, ans so is my gay nephew of my brother, also brought up in a Baptist and a church of Christ, God, or some other. My brother and sister in law do not attend either of those now either, as they gave them guff about my nephew. He has a great partner, who is also Christian. No way is the only way.

 

[sudsomatic]

Launderess...

Enjoyed the informative trivia, gossip, and the fun links for both shows.

 

The bit about Barbara Eden's hair is interesting to me, not because I'm fascinated with hair or anything, but rather the mechanics of production and "celebrity". Her handlers must have worked really hard at keeping her "Jeannie" persona in check even when she was out of costume by having her wear wigs for off stage appearances too.

 

I've been watching Buzzr Network (similar to Game Show Network but they only show truly vintage game shows)  for last couple years and really enjoy the classic Password eps. A little less than a year ago they started airing the color filmed episodes from mid 1960's and Barbara pops up on there a few times. Each appearance she has her long blonde hair from the show, not her Jeannie ponytail with the fez hat but rather the hair style she would wear when she was out in public (on the show) as a human woman.

 

Both Irene Ryan and Carolyn Jones appear in other episodes and of course neither wear their (then current) characters hair, Irene looking a few decades younger without Granny's grey bun and Carolyn looking older somehow without Morticias long black hair. I get that their wigs altered their appearances to conform to a specific character and they wouldn't appear as themselves on a game show in character unless it was for fun as Carol Burnett and Vicki Lawrence would several years later as Mama and Eunice.

 

It's just interesting that Barbara kept her Jeannie look even in non Jeannie appearances, almost as if they were trying to keep up the illusion.