Melissa From I Dream Of Jeannie Is Almost A Centenarian & Thriving

The glamorous Melissa Stone's engagement to Anthony Nelson may have been ruined by a meddling genie on "I Dream of Jeannie," but the actor who played her is doing just fine IRL. In fact, actor Karen Sharpe has led quite the interesting life, and now in her 90s, she's still doing what she loves too. As an aside, even before her time on "I Dream of Jeannie," Sharpe led a very intriguing life. She already had a successful acting career, including winning a Golden Globe in 1955 for her performance on "The High and the Mighty," had been married and divorced, and even inherited her father's successful businesses in Texas. 

Far from selling quickly, Sharpe ran them herself for years. While speaking to the Philadelphia Daily News in 1965, she confirmed that doing so was great for her. "I found business exciting and challenging, and I worked hard at it for four years despite the attitude the men had toward me down there. I kept all the businesses prosperous and finally last year I sold out," Sharpe reasoned. "I Dream of Jeannie" was one of her first gigs upon returning to Hollywood. Although she wasn't there for long, the actor nonetheless continued to have a strong presence in the industry. 

Post-"I Dream of Jeannie," Sharpe worked in a few other productions, though she ultimately stepped away from acting after marrying famed producer-director Stanley Kramer in 1966. Even then, though, she played a role behind the scenes in Kramer's movies, like the award-winning social commentary film, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." Sadly, Kramer passed away in 2001, just over three decades after his relationship with Sharpe began. In the time since, she's dabbled in acting again while dedicating her life to being one of his biggest and most vocal supporters.

Once Karen Sharpe wed Stanley Kramer in the mid-1960s, the actor basically disappeared from Hollywood for a second time. However, she did appear in the award-winning 2019 short film "Fate's Shadow" and its 2021 sequel, "Fate's Shadow: The Whole Story." And yet, during a 2008 interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the "I Dream of Jeannie" star made it clear that she had no regrets about spending more time behind the scenes. "I never looked back. You know, I loved acting when I was involved in it, but it is a very narcissistic profession," Sharpe explained.

It's clear she adored her late husband, and despite initially not wanting to get involved with him (Kramer waited a whole year for a date with her), "It was a phenomenal marriage." Notably, the Golden Globe winner was just as passionate about Kramer's work as he was, so it's no surprise that she's dedicated much of her life since his passing to celebrating it. Sharpe has played a key role in having his films screened at various film festivals, honored what would have been his 100th birthday with screenings in different locations, played a pivotal role in re-releasing a boxset of his work, and even endorsed a biography about the prolific producer. 

Sharpe also makes the odd podcast appearance, to highlight her late husband's legacy. In November 2025, in her 90s, Sharpe was a panelist at her daughter Kat Kramer's "Films That Change The World" event, which included a double feature of two of the Hollywood legend's movies. Sharpe looked radiant in a patterned suit, and as one photographer pointed out on Facebook, she still had a ton of spark while, "Cheering on women while she was on the panel."