Elvis Presley Asked This TV Star for Advice When He Was Dating His Future Wife Priscilla Beaulieu
Music legend Elvis Presley headlined the 1960 film Flaming Star with I Dream of Jeannie star Barbara Eden. The two became pals, with Eden later praising the iconic singer for his down-to-earth demeanor and southern charm.
When Presley began dating young teenager Priscilla Beaulieu, he often turned to Eden for some words of wisdom.
Barbara Eden was nervous to meet the King of Rock n’ Roll
In her 2012 memoir Jeannie Out of the Bottle, Eden described her trepidation at meeting the rock n’ roll idol after being cast in Flaming Star.
“By now, I’d met countless stars,” Eden shared. “But the prospect of meeting the great Elvis Presley and working alongside him was still daunting. … He told me he couldn’t leave his hotel room at night for fear of being mobbed, so he stayed locked inside and watched TV for most of the night.”
The I Dream of Jeannie star soon discovered Presley was more than approachable and down to earth, where they formed a solid friendship.
“It took only a couple of seconds with Elvis for me to recognize that he was really just a nice southern boy who had been taught by his momma to mind his manners,” Eden explained. “Just as I’d been taught to do by mine.”
Elvis Presley spoke to Barbara Eden about Priscilla Beaulieu
Beaulieu was just 14 years old when she met Presley in 1959. Living in Germany at the time due to her stepfather’s military deployment, the teenager was introduced to Presley at a party held at a local base.
The singing star was 10 years older than Beaulieu. Their age difference, along with the pressures of fame, caused him some concern about their relationship. Eden, who was married to actor Michael Ansara at the time, often provided a sounding board for Presley on the potential future of his romance.
“Elvis also confided in me about his new love, Priscilla Beaulieu, an army colonel’s daughter who was only 14 when they met while he was stationed in Germany,” Eden recalled. “Subtle as always, he broached the subject delicately by asking how Michael and I managed our marriage when one of was away on location.”
With the massive amount of attention from women that Presley received, he wasn’t sure how Beaulieu would deal with his being the object of female adoration.
“‘How do you handle being married to a man other women like so much?'” Eden recalled being asked by Presley. “Of course, he was thinking of Priscilla and whether or not she would be able to cope with the armies of female fans forever pursuing him.”
Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu and later divorced
Eden offered support where she could, sharing her own view of being married to a handsome actor.
“I did my best to reassure [Presley] that so far, I had been able to rise above any jealousies or insecurities I might have because Michael was so damned attractive to legions of women,” she remarked. “But Elvis was still concerned. ‘I’m really worried she’s too young,’ he said.”
The I Dream of Jeannie star noted the sad turn Presley’s relationship with Beaulieu took. “Time, of course, would prove him right,” Eden wrote. “When Priscilla grew up, she would ultimately leave him.”
Presley married Beaulieu in 1967, though their marriage lasted only six years. They divorced in 1973 and shared their only child, daughter Lisa Marie. Presley died in 1977.
