Charles Donald Fegert: Biography, Career, Marriage to Barbara Eden, and Life Story
Charles Donald Fegert was an American newspaper advertising executive who became widely known as the second husband of actress Barbara Eden, the star of I Dream of Jeannie. Long before his marriage brought him into Hollywood’s social circles, Fegert had established a career in Chicago’s newspaper industry. He held senior advertising and management positions associated with the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News, two major American newspapers. His professional life and his marriage to Eden offer two distinct perspectives on a businessman whose career unfolded during an important period in the history of American print media.
Who Was Charles Donald Fegert?
Charles Donald Fegert was a Chicago-based businessman who worked in newspaper advertising, marketing, and executive management. His career included positions at the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News, both associated with the publishing company Field Enterprises.
He became more widely recognized after marrying Barbara Eden on September 3, 1977. At the time, Eden was already an established television actress, having achieved international recognition for her starring role in the NBC sitcom I Dream of Jeannie.
Fegert’s professional career, however, was independent of his wife’s entertainment success. Contemporary records establish that he held an important advertising management position several years before their marriage.
Charles Donald Fegert: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Charles Donald Fegert |
| Profession | Newspaper advertising and marketing executive |
| Nationality | American |
| Associated city | Chicago, Illinois |
| Known for | Newspaper executive and Barbara Eden’s second husband |
| Major employers | Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Daily News |
| Corporate association | Field Enterprises |
| Spouse | Barbara Eden (1977–1983) |
| Marriage date | September 3, 1977 |
| Death | 2002 |
Charles Donald Fegert’s Career in Newspaper Advertising
His Work at the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News
Fegert built his professional identity in Chicago’s newspaper business, working on the commercial side of publishing rather than in journalism or editorial management.
By February 1972, he was the advertising manager of both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Daily News. His responsibilities were connected to two established newspapers operating in one of America’s largest metropolitan media markets.
Newspaper advertising was an essential source of revenue during this period. Department stores, automobile dealerships, entertainment businesses, and other local companies relied heavily on daily newspapers to reach customers.
Advertising managers were responsible for the commercial relationships that supported this business model. Their work involved coordinating advertising operations, maintaining relationships with advertisers, and overseeing policies governing commercial content.
Fegert’s position placed him within the business operations of two important Chicago publications at a time when newspapers remained central to local advertising.
His Role in Newspaper Advertising Policy
An interesting episode from Fegert’s career occurred in February 1972, when the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News adopted a policy concerning offensive advertising.
The decision attracted attention beyond Chicago. During proceedings in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman George E. Danielson discussed the newspapers’ advertising policy and identified Fegert as the advertising manager of both publications.
Danielson also acknowledged publisher Marshall Field’s involvement in the decision.
The episode provides a concrete example of Fegert’s responsibilities. Newspaper advertising executives did more than sell advertising space; their decisions could also affect the types of commercial messages that appeared in widely circulated publications.
Advancement Into Executive Management
By the late 1970s, Fegert was occupying senior positions within Chicago’s newspaper industry.
Contemporary descriptions identified him as a marketing executive for the Chicago Sun-Times and a vice president of Field Enterprises, the company associated with the Sun-Times and Daily News.
His professional standing was particularly clear by 1980, when he was identified as executive vice president of the Chicago Sun-Times.
The same executive designation appeared in contemporary coverage in 1981.
His advancement from advertising management into senior executive leadership established him as an important figure on the commercial side of Chicago newspaper publishing.
The Newspaper Industry During Fegert’s Career
Fegert’s career coincided with a period of significant change in American newspapers.
During the 1960s and 1970s, metropolitan newspapers competed for readers and advertising revenue while television became an increasingly powerful medium for both news and commercial advertising.
Afternoon newspapers faced particular challenges as changing commuting patterns and evening television news altered Americans’ media habits.
The Chicago Daily News, one of the publications associated with Fegert’s career, closed in 1978.
Its closure reflected the financial difficulties affecting many established afternoon newspapers during this period.
The Chicago Sun-Times continued publishing, and Fegert remained associated with its executive leadership into the early 1980s.
His professional history therefore belongs to an important chapter in American newspaper publishing, when established print businesses were adapting to changing competition and consumer habits.
Charles Donald Fegert and Barbara Eden’s Marriage
When Did Charles Fegert Marry Barbara Eden?
Charles Donald Fegert married Barbara Eden on September 3, 1977. Their marriage brought together two different professional worlds: Chicago’s newspaper industry and Hollywood entertainment.
Eden had become a household name through I Dream of Jeannie, which aired from 1965 to 1970. She had previously been married to actor Michael Ansara, with whom she had a son, Matthew Ansara.
Her marriage to Fegert was her second.
Although Fegert was not an entertainment professional, the couple attended social events together. Their appearances occasionally attracted coverage because of Eden’s celebrity status and Fegert’s position in newspaper publishing.
Why Did Charles Fegert and Barbara Eden Divorce?
Fegert and Eden’s marriage ended in the early 1980s, with their divorce recorded in 1983.
Eden later discussed the relationship in her 2011 memoir, Jeannie Out of the Bottle. The book explores her personal experiences, marriages, acting career, and family life.
Her account describes difficulties during her marriage to Fegert, including problems involving alcohol and their relationship. These descriptions represent Eden’s personal recollections of their time together.
Following their divorce, Eden continued her acting career. In January 1991, she married real estate developer Jon Eicholtz.
Charles Donald Fegert’s Later Life and Death
Charles Donald Fegert died in 2002. His professional career remains documented through contemporary newspaper coverage and historical records associated with Chicago’s publishing industry.
His life is frequently discussed in connection with Barbara Eden, but his work in advertising and executive management was an established part of his identity long before their marriage.
His career also offers an example of the business leadership behind major American newspapers during the decades before digital publishing transformed the industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who was Charles Donald Fegert?
Charles Donald Fegert was an American newspaper advertising and marketing executive associated with the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News. He was also the second husband of actress Barbara Eden.
2. What did Charles Donald Fegert do for a living?
He worked in newspaper advertising and executive management. By 1972, he was advertising manager for two major Chicago newspapers. By 1980, he held the position of executive vice president of the Chicago Sun-Times.
3. When did Charles Donald Fegert marry Barbara Eden?
Charles Donald Fegert married Barbara Eden on September 3, 1977. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1983.
4. Did Charles Donald Fegert and Barbara Eden have children together?
Charles Fegert and Barbara Eden did not have children together. Eden had one son, Matthew Ansara, from her previous marriage to actor Michael Ansara.
5. When did Charles Donald Fegert die?
Charles Donald Fegert died in 2002.
6. Was Charles Donald Fegert an actor?
No. Unlike Barbara Eden, Fegert did not pursue an acting career. His professional background was in newspaper advertising, marketing, and executive management.
Conclusion
Charles Donald Fegert was an established Chicago newspaper executive whose marriage to Barbara Eden introduced him to a wider audience. His career at the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News placed him in senior commercial and management roles during a changing period in American journalism. Although his marriage to Eden remains a familiar part of his biography, his professional achievements provide an equally important perspective on his life.
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