Charles Donald Fegert was a Chicago newspaper advertising executive who became known around the world because of his marriage to actress Barbara Eden. But long before he met the star of I Dream of Jeannie, he had built a successful career in the newspaper business. This article looks at his life, his work, and his time in the public eye.
Quick Biography
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Charles Donald Fegert |
| Nickname | Chuck |
| Born | November 8, 1930 |
| Birthplace | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Died | September 25, 2002 |
| Age at Death | 71 years old |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Loyola University Chicago, business administration, graduated 1955 |
| Parents | Charles “Moon” Fegert and Virginia A. Henold Coppinger |
| Sibling | Craig Lewis Fegert (died June 1980 at age 24) |
| Marriages | Three times |
| First Wife | Not publicly identified |
| Second Wife | Trish Althaus (model); married at Kraft Chapel’s North Shore Baptist Church; divorced in the 1970s |
| Third Wife | Barbara Eden |
| Married Barbara Eden | September 3, 1977, in Long Grove, near Chicago |
| Divorce | Finalized in 1983 (some sources say 1982) |
| Children | Three: daughter Lisa; sons Michael and Chip |
| Net Worth | Not publicly known; online estimates are unreliable |
| Resting Place | Not mentioned in public records |
Who Was Charles Donald Fegert?
Charles Donald Fegert was born on November 8, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois. He died on September 25, 2002, in the same city at age 71. Most people called him Chuck. He spent his whole career in Chicago’s newspaper industry, starting as a salesman and rising to vice president of advertising and marketing.
He was married three times. His third wife was actress Barbara Eden. He had three children from earlier marriages and seven grandchildren. His life was full and successful, but today his name is mostly searched because of his famous wife.
Charles Fegert’s Career in Chicago’s Newspaper Industry
Fegert began working at the Chicago Sun-Times in 1955 as an advertising salesman. He learned how to work with businesses that wanted to buy ad space in the newspaper. Over the years, he earned promotions. By 1969, he was advertising manager. In the early 1970s, he became vice president of advertising and marketing for both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Daily News.
Both papers were owned by Field Enterprises, controlled by the Marshall Field family. They shared a building in downtown Chicago. Fegert’s job was to bring in advertising money at a time when television was taking away readers and advertisers from afternoon newspapers. The Chicago Daily News closed in 1978. Fegert had been dealing with that pressure for years.
Colleagues remembered him as someone who built real relationships with advertisers, not just someone who sold ad space. He was also a popular master of ceremonies at banquets and charity events around Chicago.
His Role at the Chicago Sun-Times
- Advertising salesman (1955): Started his career selling ad space.
- Advertising manager (1969): Took on more responsibility for the paper’s ad operations.
- Vice President of Advertising and Marketing (early 1970s): Managed advertising for both the Sun-Times and the Daily News.
- Executive Vice President (1980): The Washington Post called him an executive vice president of the Sun-Times.
- Ad policy involvement: A 1972 Congressional Record shows he helped make decisions about advertising policy for both papers.
- Master of ceremonies: Known for hosting business and charity events, using humor and speaking skills.
How Charles Fegert Met Barbara Eden
Charles Fegert met Barbara Eden in 1977 in Chicago. Eden had recently divorced actor Michael Ansara in 1974. She was going through a difficult time. At first, Eden thought Fegert was rude and too aggressive. But he did not give up. He called her often and sent flowers every morning and evening with a card signed only with the letter “C.”
Over time, she saw a different side of him. They dated long-distance for about four years. Fegert flew more than 30 times to see her. He told her she had always been his dream girl. He also admitted he had never watched I Dream of Jeannie. He got to know her as a person, not just a TV star. They married on September 3, 1977, in Long Grove, near Chicago.
Charles Fegert and Barbara Eden’s Marriage
The wedding took place in a garden ceremony. After the wedding, Eden made a big change. She left Los Angeles and moved to Chicago to live with Fegert. She gave up her custody arrangement for her 12-year-old son, Matthew, who stayed in California with his father. Eden later said she cried a lot during that time.
The couple lived in a luxury condominium on the 47th floor of the Water Tower complex on the Magnificent Mile. It overlooked Lake Michigan. At the time, the home was worth more than $250,000. During the early years, they attended many public events together. Photos showed them at charity dinners and restaurant openings. To the public, they looked happy. But behind the scenes, problems were growing.
Why Charles Fegert and Barbara Eden Divorced
In her 2011 memoir, Jeannie Out of the Bottle, Barbara Eden wrote about the marriage. She said that after they married, Fegert became insecure and started spending time with people who drank heavily and used cocaine. She described him as verbally abusive and said he struggled with drug addiction. “He then became abusive, so I left,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2011. Eden also wrote that Fegert wanted attention and found it hard when the spotlight was not on him.
These are Eden’s own accounts. Fegert died in 2002, years before the memoir was published, so he never publicly replied. The couple separated in March 1982. Their divorce was finalized in 1983, according to Crain’s Chicago Business. Some sources say 1982, but the early 1980s is clear. Another story of a public figure’s marriage and life after it is covered in our article on June Baranco.
What Happened to Charles Fegert After His Divorce?
After the divorce, Fegert stepped away from public attention. He did not give interviews or try to stay in the spotlight. He continued working in Chicago advertising in a consulting role. He stayed in the city where he was born and never remarried. He lived a quiet life.
His family remembered him as a fun father and grandfather. His daughter Lisa said he was the “most fun” father and grandfather. He kept family gatherings alive with impressions, songs, and humor. He had seven grandchildren. After he died, they gathered and sang the songs he had taught them. These personal memories show a different side of him from the one in Eden’s memoir. Both can be true. He was a complex person seen from different angles.
When Did Charles Donald Fegert Die?
Charles Donald Fegert died on September 25, 2002, in Chicago, Illinois. He was 71 years old. He died peacefully in his sleep. No official cause of death was made public. His death received no press coverage. He died nine years before Barbara Eden’s memoir was published. By then, many people knew his name mainly through Eden rather than through his own career.
How Charles Donald Fegert Is Remembered Today
Charles Donald Fegert is remembered in two ways. Many people know him as Barbara Eden’s second husband. Others remember him as a successful advertising executive who helped build the newspaper business in Chicago. His career spanned three decades. He worked at two of the city’s biggest papers. He was a vice president before the newspaper industry fully understood how television would change it.
His name is searchable today because of a five-year marriage that ended badly enough to appear in a memoir. The thirty years he spent building a career and the twenty years of quiet life after the divorce are less known. His family remembers him with warmth. He was a businessman, a father, and a grandfather.
Final Words
Charles Donald Fegert lived a life that mixed business success with public attention. He built a strong career in Chicago newspaper advertising long before he met Barbara Eden. Their marriage brought him into the national spotlight, but it also became the most talked-about part of his life. After the divorce, he chose a quiet life. He died in 2002 at age 71.
Today, his story is about more than one marriage. It is about a man who spent most of his life away from Hollywood, even though history continues to connect his name with one of television’s most famous actresses.
FAQs
When did Charles Donald Fegert die?
He died on September 25, 2002, in Chicago, Illinois. He was 71 years old.
Did Charles Donald Fegert have children?
Yes. He had three children from marriages before Barbara Eden: a daughter named Lisa and two sons named Michael and Chip. He had seven grandchildren.
How many times was Charles Donald Fegert married?
He was married three times. His first wife is not publicly identified. His second wife was Trish Althaus. His third wife was Barbara Eden.
What did Charles Donald Fegert do for a living?
He worked in newspaper advertising for many years. He became vice president of advertising and marketing at the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News.
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