Barbara's talks the idea of replacing Larry early on:

Fox News: It’s been reported that Darren McGavin was being considered as a possible replacement for Larry. However, it was you that put a stop to that.

Eden: Sidney Sheldon, who of course was our creator, producer and everything, came to me and said that Larry was troubled. We all knew that he was personally troubled, but never on the set. When we worked, it was work and it was good. On film, he’s wonderful.

I simply said, "He can’t get along with people. That’s all. You can get around that. I think it would be foolish to switch him in the middle of the show." I love Darren but I didn't know it was Darren McGavin. You've told me something I didn't know. But all I knew was they wanted to get rid of Larry and I didn't think it was the wise thing to do.

Fox News: It sounded like Larry gained a friend in you.
Eden: We just got along. I don’t think it was a surprise to him. Larry always had a friend. He knew that.

Original director Gene Nelson apparently made the demand that either Larry go or he would. Sidney and Barbara chose Larry.

Watching the dreadful "I Dream of Jeannie 15 Years Later" you can see how important Larry was to the show and its concept. His absence is greatly missed.


Full interview - https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/jeannie-barbara-eden-larry-hagman-childrens-book

Darren McGavin, Yipes! That would have been trading one headache for another. Burt Reynolds who worked with McGavin on the series Riverboat described McGavin this way, "he came down off the cross to do that series". McGavin was constantly complaining on the set of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, can you imagine what he would have been like coming into a series he was not the star of and worse still being constantly compared to the actor he replaced. They really dodged a bullet.

Larry Hagman was perfect for the role of Major Nelson! I know he was personally troubled, but he was a damn good physical comedian who helped make that show really funny! He could not have been successfully replaced.

Darren could have had the best of both worlds toward the series end, beautiful Barbara in the workplace and beautiful Kathie Browne at home...!

I can't think of any actor working television at the time that could have handled the part any better than Hagman. This is what Agnes Moorehead said about Dick York's performance in Bewitched, and the same (more so in my opinion) applies to Hagman:

"If you ask me, the most demanding role is that of Darrin, Samantha's mortal husband. This part demands acting, not comedy antics and cute mannerisms. Sustaining this character is darned hard work. It is difficult to play one who reacts naturally to unnatural elements surrounding him. It is the actor at work here, not the comedian".

The act of blinking a sea craft into Tony Nelson's living room isn't funny per se, it's the reaction by Tony (Larry) and his trying to explain the whole thing to Dr. Bellows that's funny.

I though Larry was perfect for Tony. He was a very talented actor who could do both comedy and drama. JR was such a pistol. Loved both roles.

I can't think of any actor working television at the time that could have handled the part any better than Hagman. This is what Agnes Moorehead said about Dick York's performance in Bewitched, and the same (more so in my opinion) applies to Hagman:

"If you ask me, the most demanding role is that of Darrin, Samantha's mortal husband. This part demands acting, not comedy antics and cute mannerisms. Sustaining this character is darned hard work. It is difficult to play one who reacts naturally to unnatural elements surrounding him. It is the actor at work here, not the comedian".

The act of blinking a sea craft into Tony Nelson's living room isn't funny per se, it's the reaction by Tony (Larry) and his trying to explain the whole thing to Dr. Bellows that's funny.

Agnes was so right. York and Hagman knew how weave the drama and comedy together expertly. Wayne Rogers admitted that he didn't understand that kind of acting which is probably why he was so flat and dull in I Dream of Jeannie 15 Years Later. He talks about it here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=180&v=wWMPspS-VWw&feature=youtu.be

What was Larry so troubled about???

Talk about people seeing IDoJ even MORE similar to Bewitched, if a Mg. Nelson no. 2 was brought in lol

What was Larry so troubled about???

Barbara described it as:

“Larry himself has made no secret about the fact that he was taking drugs and drinking too much through many of the I Dream of Jeannie years. And that he has regrets about how that impacted him. And I, of all people, know that I can’t afford to be judgmental about the lure of drugs and the dreadful repercussions of taking them.”

I would guess a troubled childhood and a perceived competition with a very famous mother.

McGavin was constantly complaining on the set of Kolchak: The Night Stalker,

That was because he was more than just the star, he was the producer under a verbal agreement. He just never got the credit or the salary. He was the one who made Kolchak the cult classic that it is, and not just because of his iconic acting in the role. He chose Gil Melle to do the moody theme. He brought in the snappy narration and the humor. Ironically, official show runner Cy Chermak hated the humor and fought him over it but didn't object when he produced CHiPs. And can you blame him for not liking having to stay up late every single evening so they could do the frequent nighttime shots?

Wow, that would have made this show even more similar to Bewitched if they'd brought in a Major Nelson number 2 lol