Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman starred together in the sitcom “I Dream Of Jeannie” from 1965-1970, and the actress just spoke out to say that she has nothing but fond memories of working with Hagman.

The legendary television show tells a story of a NASA astronaut (Hagman) whose life was changed forever when he opened a bottle containing a genie (Eden). One of the best parts of the show was the chemistry that Eden and Hagman shared, and the 87 year-old actress opened up about their bond in a new interview.

“I loved working with him,” Eden said. “It was not work. It was just — our timing was right. I can’t even explain it. It was wonderful.”

Though Eden enjoyed working with Hagman, it was not without it’s challenges, as his drug and alcohol use was “an open secret.”

“He was very unhappy in the show,” Eden admitted. “[But] the minute we’d get in front of the camera, he was there. He was awake, he was there and he was doing it.”

Unfortunately, Hagman’s problems got so bad that producers nearly replaced him with actor Darren McGavin, but Eden would not allow it.

“My big brain said, ‘No,’” said Eden. “He was the best person for that part. He was wonderful in that part. It would have been a huge mistake. I’m sorry for him because he didn’t like doing it. But he thanked me for saving his house. He said, ‘Thank you for saving my house!’”

Eden added that it was not Hagman’s personal problems that ended the show. Instead, the program ended because their characters got married, therefore ridding the show of it’s sexual tension.

“I personally think when we got married, that was the end of the show,” said Eden.

The two actors remained friends and later worked together again when Hagman asked Eden to guest star on his hit show “Dallas.”

“It was fun!” Eden remembered. “It was a little strange, but it was fun. Yes, it was.”

Back in 2017, Eden revealed a favorite memory she had of Hagman that still brings a smile to her face, and it involved a lion.

“I had done two feature films with lions and I’ve been told how to treat them,” she said. “They’re male lions, they’re lazy. If they’re well fed, they don’t really want to eat you. But they do want to play with you if you run around! You have to be very quiet with them. So I went over and I told Larry, ‘We have to go make friends with the lion.’ He goes, ‘I’m not going to make any friends with any bleep lion!’ And walks off!

“And so, I walked over and I did the usual things I’ve been trained to do. I scratched him behind the ears. Never the ears, just behind the ears,” Eden continued. “And I rehearsed with the cat. He was 600 pounds, a big male lion. They put a little bowl of raw meat beside me. He put his head down and nom, nom, nom. Oh boy, that was good. He looks around and he’s very happy. Very, very happy. And then Larry came in. They started the scene.

“They put the meat down and he ate his meat. He turned around, looked at Larry, and let out a huge roar! It was the loudest roar you have ever heard in your life,” Eden said. “Larry was on the next set. He was gone! But not only was he gone, every single man on that set ran. They broke the camera, one of the pieces fell over and I had a 600-pound lion on my lap purring. He put his head in my lap and started to lick my arm, like a great, big pussycat.”

Check out Eden’s latest interview below.