Dr Bellows
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Dr Alfred Bellows is a fictional character in the popular nineteen-sixties situation comedy I Dream of Jeannie, which ran for five seasons, starring Barbara Eden as Jeannie, Bill Daily as Roger Healey and Larry Hagman as Tony Nelson. Dr Bellows is portrayed by Hayden Rorke. Hayden Rorke is perhaps most memorable for his role of NASA medical officer in this sixties sitcom. He reprised this role in the movie "I Dream of Jeannie - 15 years later" and it was sadly his last role as he died of cancer soon afterwards. As Dr Bellows, he appeared "Tall, well postured and handsome with a kindly face, wavy greying hair, steely blue eyes and a friendly smile". He was also prolific as Dr Bellows.
Rorke portrayed Dr Bellows from 1965 to 1970.
[edit] Overview
Dr Bellows from the first season onwards is the psychiatrist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). I Dream of Jeannie is set in the town of Cocoa Beach in Florida. Dr Bellows' is a colonel.
Dr Bellows is a shrewd and cautious man who is inevitably and unfortunately used as a scapegoat. Tony Nelson and Roger Healey become the fascination of Dr Bellows when they are caught in a web of inexplicable situations resulting from the magic of a genie, appropriately named Jeannie. Tony Nelson in particular baffles Dr Bellows because of his peculiar behaviour. He observes, records and ponders their activities, determined to uncover the cause.
Dr Bellows is always made to look foolish and he never proves that he is right about Tony Nelson. Generals Hadley, Peterson and Schaeffer in turn reluctantly accompany Dr Bellows when he attempts to prove Tony's strange "tricks". Fortunately, thanks to Jeannie, none of these generals witness the strange events and Tony is saved from being fired from the space programme. This means that the generals are more wary of Dr Bellows than Major Nelson or Major Healey. Nevertheless, Dr Bellows relentlessly devotes his entire life to "figuring out" Major Nelson.
In season 2, it is revealed that Dr Bellows is married. His wife, Amanda Bellows, is an inquisitive woman who shares his interest in Major Nelson and Major Healey. Despite wanting to unravel the mystery around Tony and to some extent Roger, Dr Bellows remains a true and loyal friend to Tony though he is never as close to Tony as Roger is. That is understandable, since Roger is the only character other than Tony who knows and understands Jeannie's true identity.
Yet his manner causes Tony and Roger to sometimes make fun of him in private. Jeannie is often sorry for him as her attempts to help her master often result in landing Dr Bellows in trouble as well as Tony and Roger. Dr Bellows is quite smart. Fans of this 1960s sitcom created a journal in which Dr Bellows recorded his psychiatric observations of Tony Nelson.
Dr Bellows never discovers Jeannie's true identity, although in season 5, after her marriage to Tony, Tony dreams that Dr Bellows discovers and accepts his wife's true identity.
