I've long thought that a better comparison for Elizabeth Montgomery is Jane Fonda.
Both are daughters of celebrity actors, roughly the same age, emerged as working actresses around the same time.
Fonda mostly in film though, Montgomery primarily on TV. Though neither of them is a slouch, Barbara Eden is a consummate professional, a success on film, TV, and the stage; drama, comedy, musical comedy the whole nine yards. I read once that she is a direct descendant of Benjamin Franklin, wit5b4h an !Q to match, my kudos to her any day.

what I am wondering is why Eden didn't get the high-profile dramatic roles that Montgomery did post-sitcoms. I never thought Montgomery was exceptionally strong dramatically, so couldn't Eden had done equally well? Did Liz have more clout?

Jeanne and Samantha "lived" down the street from each other. In one episode of Jeanne, when she moves Tony's car and he's chasing it, you can see the distinctive Stevens house down the street, awnings and all.
That is some terrific trivia!! Does anyone know the exact episode?
Re Barbara Eden and Elizabeth Montgomery, people are always trying to create a "Bette Davis-Joan Crawford" feud when two similar stars work together or have parallel careers. Usually it's just the fans who are behind it, obsessed with one and not liking the other. I doubt there was any ill will between these two actresses who were both pros and well-liked. There probably weren't friends but they probably weren't enemies either. I am curious though if Barbara will mention Elizabeth in her book since people keep mentioning them together like the Garbo and Dietrich of the small screen.

Earth child, you are in idiot. Liz and Barbara were actually friends. Both women were gorgeous and down to earth. Neither had an attitude. Barbara wore great wigs and falls and Liz's hair was all natural on the show.
You cannot compare apples and oranges. Both were great.

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Jeanne and Samantha "lived" down the street from each other. In one episode of Jeanne, when she moves Tony's car and he's chasing it, you can see the distinctive Stevens house down the street, awnings and all.

Liz? lol Fanboys. smh
Life is pain. Anyone who says differently is selling something.

I agree.
I've posted similar comments about Liz on her board,and they wouldn't hear of it. Thanks

My perception is that Ms Eden was primarily a TV actress who was a load of fun in roles written with her limitations well in mind. She was hard working and fortunate enough to do as well as she has.
I believe Ms Montgomery thought herself capable of O'Neill or T. Williams, something beyond Eden's reach. Elizabeth Montgomery saw herself doing Patrica Neal-like roles.
When she looked at Eden who was her chief rival in that particular medium (TV sitcoms) she had to think of herself as no better. I think Montgomery thought herself capable of doing better work and couldn't have been happy with the equivalence.
Seems I'm making a mess here so I'll quit.
Sorry not to be clear and reasonable.
LL

'Consequently, perhaps Montgomery was unhappy with herself and looking at Ms Eden would remind her that she was just another working stiff, so to speak.'

What?
If Liz had the the more prolific career, why would you say that? Liz was a working stiff?

It is difficult to imagine as her father was an outstanding man. However, I think she'd counted on a New York theater career with top drawer stage actors. Ms Eden was the opposite of that career model. Consequently, perhaps Montgomery was unhappy with herself and looking at Ms Eden would remind her that she was just another working stiff, so to speak.
LL

I enjoyed both shows, but Bewitched has always been my favorite for a few reasons
I enjoyed both shows, but I Dream of Jeannie has always been my favorite for a few reasons.

I enjoyed both shows, but Bewitched has always been my favorite for a few reasons. I Dream of Jeannie was funny thoughand I do agree about Major Nelson being obviously a nice guy even when he's angry with Jeanniehe always had that nervous laugh.

I watched the Biography episode about herand didn't think that at all. She adored her dad and did a lot for Aids because of the "2nd Darrin" Dick Sergeant. She seemed like a great person to me. I love both Jeannie and Bewitched! Great shows I grew up watching.

Yeah, but Bewitched had higher ratings. Jeannie was big with children, Bewitched with adults. So that shows what you are.
Life is pain. Anyone who says differently is selling something.

I would have rather been with Samantha than Jeannie. Barbara Eden may have looked nicer, but her character wasn't what I would have been attracted to. And Elizabeth Montgomery was not hard on the eyes.
This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

Elizabeth was just jealous cuz Barbara is awesome and she's a cranky old prude. Besideswho would want to watch that annoying Bewitched show with a lame witch (who BTW has the worst hair dew ever) when they can watch a nice show about a pretty genie?? Darrin screamed at her because she was dumb and Jeannie had a nice master who also screamed but didn't come across as being mean. I always thought Darrin was a butt-head. lol.
Barbara knows she's awesome. Elizabeth thought she was. but she wasn't. NO ONE wanted to be Samantha. EVERYONE wants to be Jeannie. Why do you think people dress like her on Halloween? SHE'S COOOOOOL!!!!
c/o 2011 wooh!
bipody bopody boo!

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I will try to catch Elizabeth Montgomery's biography on The Biography Channel.
It will be easier to make my own judgement once I have seen her bio, but in any event I will not be describing her in the terms that you do.
jimrobbins

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This wasn't according to the authors of the book. This was according to the people they interviewed people who worked with Montgomery on Bewitched.
Also, when has nepotism ever been a stirling endorsement for good manners?

Well I would view that as the opinion of the author(s) of the book. It's hard to imagine Elizabeth Montgomery being snooty or self-centered. The daughter of screen legend Robert Montgomery, she died tragically at age 63.
jimrobbins

According to the "Dreaming of Jeannie" book (which I just got via Interlibrary Loan), Elizabeth Montgomery apparently deigned to ignore the fact that IDOJ was filming across the lot. Indeed she comes off as a bit snooty in the book, looking to always be the center of attention and the star of the show. There are a few comments sprinkled in the book of various Bewitched producers/etc who say that Montgomery never mentioned Jeannie. Barbara Eden, by the way, comes off as great in the book every person interviewed had nothing but good things to say about her.

I'm sure they did. "Bewitched" and "Jeannie" were filmed by the same company - Screen Gems - at the same studio and backlot, where shows shared dressing rooms, makeup and hair people, etc. It would have been odd if they
didn't
run into each other at some point during the five 1908years when their series overlapped.