The misadventures of an astronaut and a genie., 17 April 1999 Author: Patterson Lundquist I Dream of Jeannie, starring Barbara Eden as the blithe, beautiful two thousand year old blonde genie named Jeannie and Larry Hagman the perpetually befuddled astronaut Anthony Nelson. The series starts when U.S. Air Force Captain (later promoted to Major) Anthony Nelsons space shuttle launch experiences a third stage rocket malfunction causing NASA to scrub the mission. Where upon his Mercury style capsule splashes down of the coast of an uncharted South Pacific island. After washing ashore Nelson constructs an S.O.S. signal from debris on the shoreline. In this debris is an ancient sand caked bottle of Arabic origin. After noticing the bottle wont seem to stay in one spot, Tony picks it up to examine it. After pulling out the cork, and dusting it off a cloud of smoke gushes forth. The mystical fog then takes the form of a beautiful blonde girl dressed in an Arabic harem costume. After her appearance she kneels before Tony and exclaims in Arabic/Farsee "Your wish is my command master." After wishing her to speak English Jeannie summons a rescue helicopter. But when Tony realizes that he could never explain her to his superiors, his nosy doctor, Dr. Bellows or the outside world he tries to set her free.