Emmaline Henry (November 1, 1928 – October 8, 1979) was an American actress best known for playing Amanda Bellows, the wife of Dr. Alfred Bellows, on the hit 1960s situation comedy I Dream of Jeannie.
Henry first appeared during the first season of I Dream of Jeannie, 1965, episode #18, "Is There An Extra Genie In the House?"[1] playing a magician's assistant named "Myrt". She then made 33 appearances as Amanda Bellows until the fifth and final season in 1970.[1]
Henry began her career as a singer,[1] appearing on local radio in her teens. She went to Hollywood in the early 1950s and found her way into the choruses of several musicals. Producers began noticing, however, that her comic skills were superior to her singing.[citation needed] She toured in musicals like Top Banana, and later appeared in the film version of the show. She succeeded Carol Channing in the play Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Henry made her television debut in a 1955 episode of the ZIV production, I Led Three Lives. This was followed by appearances in another ZIV TV show, as a gun moll robber in Highway Patrol. She appeared on The Red Skelton Show in 1961 and, subsequently, made guest appearances on various sitcoms, including The Farmer's Daughter, The Munsters and Petticoat Junction. Her first starring role was as John Astin's wife in I'm Dickens, He's Fenster. In 1964–65, she appeared as Mickey Rooney's wife, Nora, in the short-lived sitcom Mickey and a guest appearance on Bonanza (1969).
She also made feature film appearances in Divorce American Style (1967), Rosemary's Baby (1968) and Harrad Summer (1974).
Following the cancellation of I Dream of Jeannie in 1970, Henry guest-starred on other sitcoms, including Love, American Style, The Bob Newhart Show, and in the dramatic television mini-series Backstairs at the White House. In 1971 she guest-starred in the final episode of Green Acres playing Lillian Grant, the sister of Oliver's former secretary Carol Rush (Elaine Joyce). The episode was a backdoor pilot that was rejected by CBS. On Three's Company, she appeared in the recurring role of Chrissy's boss, J.C. Braddock. Her final appearance was the Eight Is Enough episode "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do ", which first aired on September 19, 1979, just 21 days before her death in October 1979.[1]
Henry married actor Mark Roberts on November 1, 1969.[2] They divorced in 1974.[3]
Henry died of a brain tumor on October 8, 1979,[1] at the age of 50.[4] She is interred at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.[citation needed]
