Barbra Streisand became an American icon through her many talents. From her start
as a Broadway star to her foray into television, this award-winning legend
dominated in all forms of entertainment. Here's a look at her transformation.
Barbra Streisand was born in New York City in the middle of World War II. And sadly, her father,
Emanuel, died when she was barely a year old. She grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with her
older brother Sheldon and her mother, Diana. And Streisand became known around town as the,
quote, "girl with no father and a good voice," according to The New York Times. That's because
she was already singing as a five-year-old. Some of her talent comes from her mother,
who was known for having a powerful voice but didn't sing professionally.
Her mother remarried, which gave Streisand her half-sister
Roslyn Kind. But something seemed off for the young Streisand.
She told The New York Times,
"I didn't really like my life as a child. I thought, 'This can't be it.'"
But looking back at her childhood, Streisand felt that growing up without her biological father
affected her habits. As a collector of fine art, she said of her hobby,
"Sometimes I think it's all connected to the loss of a parent. You'd do anything
to get that mother or father back. But you can't."
While going to school in Brooklyn, Streisand excelled at her schoolwork.
And she spent some downtime with another future celebrity. She went to Erasmus Hall High School
at the same time as singer Neil Diamond. He told The Daily Mirror about his former classmate,
"We were two poor kids. We hung out in the front of Erasmus High and smoked cigarettes."
In addition to smoking with Diamond, Streisand was gifted enough to even graduate high school early.
For a career, the young woman decided to move to Manhattan and try to make it as a performer.
Streisand's mom wasn't fully behind her decision, The New York Times reported.
Streisand said her mother told her,
"I didn't look like the movie stars I read about in magazines."
While in Manhattan, Streisand started out working for a printing company — a job that allowed her to
audition for acting roles. But she was fired from her job and didn't initially get the acting gigs.
At this turning point, Streisand started to show off her vocal talents,
singing in Greenwich Village nightclubs, according to The New York Times.
In 1963, Barbra Streisand commercially kicked off her music career with the release of her
debut album, The Barbra Streisand Album. The album cover features a photograph of Streisand singing
on stage at a club in New York. The singer was only in her early 20s, but Streisand had a major
part in the release of her album. Despite being her debut, the singer won contractual control
over the album, including the photo for the cover art, according to The New York Times.
In a statement for her Release Me 2 album, Streisand said,
"When I first started out in the early '60s, by necessity and circumstance, we worked fast.
We didn't have the time, budget or technology to record an infinite number of tracks. As a result
of these so-called 'limitations,' we had fewer decisions to make about the best takes or mixes."
The result worked — the album was a critical success and earned Streisand a nomination
at the 6th Grammy Awards. Her debut went on to win "Album of the Year."
Streisand's super year continued when she landed in Washington D.C.
for one of the most prestigious events in politics. She sang
for then-president John F. Kennedy at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Streisand's first big acting break also came through singing. A Manhattan gay bar called
the Lion held a talent contest, with the winner allegedly earning $50 and a free steak dinner,
The New York Times reported. Streisand sang two songs and won the competition.
She continued to perform weekly at the bar, and then in another club in Manhattan. A director,
Arthur Laurents, spotted the talented young singer and hired her to appear in the musical
I Can Get It for You Wholesale. With her incredible performances now for the masses,
Streisand "became a Broadway star." But her breakout role was in the 1964 musical
Funny Girl — and she almost never even had the chance to star in the show. According to The
New York Times, the producers hired her only after Anne Bancroft and Carol Burnett refused the role.
At the 2001 AFI awards, Streisand earned the Life Achievement Award.
Phyllis Diller, a famous singer and comedian, appeared on stage to introduce Streisand.
She explained how Streisand opened for her a long time ago, saying, according to Variety,
"So, I thought that I'd open for her tonight."
In 1963, Barbra Streisand married actor Elliott Gould. The red-hot youngsters quickly became
the "It" couple of the early sixties. Soon after, Streisand found something else to love — a huge
TV deal. In 1964, she signed a 10-year contract with CBS for $5 million, according to Jewish
Women's Archive. The singer and actor began to craft what would become her first TV special
called My Name is Barbra. And Streisand allegedly had full control over the creative process.
According to the Jewish Women's Archive, Streisand said a few of her choices scared CBS.
She said,
"You can imagine how nervous that made the network
when they learned that there would be no major guest stars,
not even any minor ones — just me and a bunch of great songs and some wonderful musicians."
The special featured Streisand singing alone with only a backing chorus and dancers for certain
parts. In 2018, Streisand posted a video clip from the special on her Twitter account. The show was a
huge success for Streisand, and the special earned five Emmys and a Peabody Award. As a result,
CBS gave Streisand two additional specials to continue to show off her wide variety of talents.
As Barbra Streisand's recognition increased as a talented singer and stage actor,
she set her sights on Hollywood. At the time, even a rising star like Streisand
had a difficult time breaking into the film industry. In the 1960s,
Judy Garland spoke with Streisand on the downfalls of being a woman in Hollywood.
According to The New York Times, Garland reportedly told the young singer,
"Don't let them do to you what they did to me."
"You're so thrilling, so absolutely thrilling.
I must say that we've got all your albums at home, you know."
But similar to her first record deal, Streisand was able to play a major role
in the creative process, even when the odds seemed against her. For Streisand's debut film,
she starred in the adaptation of the Broadway musical Funny Girl in 1968.
During the filming process, Streisand learned alongside Oscar-winning director, William Wyler.
Streisand said that actresses generally did not direct during that era,
but she found a way to do it anyway. And when it came time for her salaries, she also didn't
take no for an answer. In Streisand's film The Way We Were, the male lead Robert Redford reportedly
earned $400,000 more than her. For the sequel, Streisand asked for $400,000 more to make up the
pay difference. When the producer refused, Streisand simply backed out of the project.
The 1954 film A Star is Born starred Judy Garland and James Mason as lovers and singers. Over twenty
years later, Barbra Streisand reprised the role as the female lead alongside Kris Kristofferson.
More than just bringing in audiences, Streisand helped start a new mindset in the film industry.
Until that time, male actors often asked for part of a film's gross revenue, rather than the, quote,
"often nonexistent net profit," according to The New York Times. Streisand became one of the few
female actors who negotiated the same for herself in the 1976 remake. One of Streisand's former
agents, Michael Ovitz, told The New York Times how Streisand was able to land the contract, saying,
"It wasn't easy. The business didn't value women as much as men. Barbra could be tough
as nails. She stood up for what she believed in, with enormous integrity."
For the 2018 remake with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, Streisand gave advice to Lady Gaga on how to
succeed in the role, specifically referencing the musical aspects of the movie. Streisand told E!,
"I told her to do it live, and she wanted to do it live,
so that's good because that's the best way to do it."
Streisand also shared her comments on the updated version, saying,
"It's a good movie, it's gonna be a hit."
"What'd you say?”
“I thought that might be you.”
“That's me."
As an already established singer and actor, Barbra Streisand soon showed that she was more
than a one-hit wonder in film and had even more ways to express her talent. In 1983,
Streisand made her directorial debut with the film Yentl. The film was based
on a short story by Isaac Bashevis Singer called Yentl the Yeshiva Boy. Streisand
bought the rights to the story with the intention to make a non-musical art film,
according to The New York Times. But according to Streisand, the film industry wanted her
star power on full display to help push audiences to see the film. She remembered,
"The only way I could get 'Yentl' made was to sing in it."
Not only did she direct and star in the film,
but the multitalented Streisand also co-wrote the screenplay and produced the musical.
The film was a hit and made over $40 million. Streisand was also recognized by critics beyond
her singing and acting abilities. At the Golden Globes, Streisand won the award
for "Best Director." But this high praise still came with limitations due to Streisand's gender.
Since she didn't receive any nomination from the mostly male Directors Guild of America,
Streisand reportedly said during her acceptance speech,
"Maybe in the next few years, with more women directing, they'll get used to us."
As Barbra Streisand's fame grew, she became more interested in politics and started to use her
influence to help put more Democrats in office. After the Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion in
1986, Streisand was, quote, "very upset," she told George magazine. She began to dive into the topic,
researching nuclear power. This included reportedly reading books about the Reagan
administration's nuclear policies and talking with various experts on the topic. Her friend, Marilyn
Bergman, a composer, was also interested in the topic and urged Streisand to take action. She
reportedly gave Streisand the idea that she could help get liberal Democrats elected to the Senate.
Streisand continued to stay active and even helped Bill Clinton on his way to becoming president.
In 1992, Streisand participated in a concert that helped raise a reported $1.5 million for Clinton.
Once he became president-elect, Streisand sang at his inaugural gala. The two remained close
and she continued to support Clinton with her influence. In 1996, she once again participated
in a benefit for the president and helped raise almost $4 million. And in addition to Clinton,
she helped dozens of other Democrats get elected to the House and the Senate. In 1995,
Streisand spoke at Harvard University, telling an attentive audience her
thoughts about the artist's role as a politically-engaged citizen.
"Well, art does not exist only to entertain, but also to challenge."
Having been in show business for about thirty years, Barbra Streisand began to receive lifetime
honors in the early '90s. In 1992, the singer won the "Grammy Legend" award. Stephen Sondheim,
the lyricist behind the musical West Side Story, presented Streisand with her honor. And
three years later, the Recording Academy also presented her with its "Lifetime Achievement
Award." In 2004, Sony Pictures Entertainment dedicated a historic scoring stage to Streisand.
According to Sony, this famous studio had been used in Hollywood to record some of the most
recognizable scores in the history of cinema. Prior to Streisand's name being put on the
building, the scores for Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and ET were recorded in the space.
Howard Stringer, Sony America's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at the time,
explained at the opening why Streisand deserved her name on the studio.
In a press release featured in the Barbra Archives, Stringer was quoted as saying,
"Through her artistry, passion and incomparable talent, Barbra Streisand
has redefined the very nature of both music and motion picture entertainment in our time."
According to the executive, her career and contributions to entertainment,
quote, "is without equal, and we are proud to honor her work with the dedication."
Streisand said at the event,
"It really is a great honor to have this legendary scoring stage named after me,
especially when you consider all of the amazing artists who have recorded their music here."
Two years after first meeting each other, Barbra Streisand married veteran actor James Brolin.
"We met through a blind date, my husband and I."
One of the first people the couple told the big news to
was actor John Travolta, who said in an interview with People,
"After her mother, Kelly and I were the first to know the big news. We got misty-eyed,
then thrilled that we were in on it so quickly. But Barbra asked us to keep it a secret."
For her big wedding day in 1998, Streisand used several tricks to keep the ceremony as
private as possible — especially away from curious paparazzi. She reportedly told the
wedding florist to create a special bouquet of flowers to place in front of the venue's
windows that cameras couldn’t see through. On the guest list were famous actors Tom Hanks,
Rita Wilson, and Marlon Brando — plus music producer Quincy Jones.
When it came time to walk down the aisle,
Streisand had another tune in mind. Instead of the typical renditions of
"Here Comes the Bride," Streisand asked for, quote, "a more atonal version."
She claimed,
"I didn't like traditional wedding music."
At the start of the new millennium, Barbra Streisand was mostly absent from entertainment.
Her album Timeless: Live in Concert, was recorded in Las Vegas on December 31, 1999, and January 1,
2000, but it wasn't released until months later, in September 2000. At the time, the famous singer
hinted that the concert series might be her grand finale and last time performing on stage.
Then, in 2004, Barbra resurfaced in a surprising way. She starred as one of Ben Stiller's
parents — alongside Dustin Hoffman — in the comedy sequel Meet the Fockers. And for Streisand,
it was her first acting role after an eight-year hiatus, according to Today.
Meet the Fockers was such a success that all actors reprised their roles for the third movie
in the Meet the Parents trilogy. Little Fockers, came out in 2010, ten years after the original.
Following her appearance in Little Fockers, Barbra Streisand returned to the big screen
again. She stayed in the comedy genre, this time with Seth Rogan. The film,
initially called My Mother's Curse, featured Streisand and Rogan as a mother and son
on a road trip together. The film's name changed to The Guilt Trip and came out in 2012.
Though it was her last film appearance as of this video, Streisand didn't disappear from
the public eye in the years to follow. In 2015, president Barack Obama awarded Streisand the
prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom. The actor and singer was awarded for using, quote,
"her extraordinary voice to bring life to the range and humor of the human experience." The
award notes also called out her career of performances that left a, quote, "indelible
mark on American film, theater, and music — inspiring generations of fans and performers."
The president also took the opportunity to make a joke about the recipient's proud Jewish heritage.
"I didn't know you were Jewish, Barb."
Even as she approached the typical retirement age, Barbra Streisand surprised fans with her
experiences in technology. For example, in the mid-2010s, the "Siri" feature on
Apple products would dictate Streisand's last name with the second 's' like a 'z.'
“Here's what I found on the web for, 'How do you pronounce Barbra Streizand?'"
In an interview for NPR, she explained how this is a common mistake and that her last
name is supposed to be pronounced with a soft 's' like in "sand."
And because of her influence and reputation, Streisand had the power to correct the error.
She told NPR,
"I called the head of Apple, Tim Cook. And he delightfully agreed to have Siri
change the pronunciation of my name, finally."
Then, towards the end of the 2010s, Barbra Streisand made news with technology again.
This time, for cloning her dog. In an interview for The New York Times,
Streisand revealed that a close friend of hers had cloned a dog. Soon before her own dog Sammie died,
a veterinarian sent cells from the animal to a Texas cloning center.
Streisand said that while she wasn't sure the process would work, it ended up turning out
better than expected and produced four identical puppies. One puppy sadly died and Streisand gave
one of the remaining three to a friend. This left Streisand with two identical clone puppies.
She said,
"You can clone the look of a dog, but you can't clone the soul. Still, every time I look at their
faces, I think of my Samantha [...] and smile." As a philanthropist and political fundraiser
for much of her professional career, Barbra Streisand isn't afraid to share her thoughts
on political figures. This was especially true during Donald Trump's presidency, as Streisand
is a proud Democrat who is close friends with Bill Clinton. And while she usually separated
her music and political opinions, this changed as a result of her thoughts on President Trump.
In an interview for The New York Times, she spoke about how her album Walls came to be.
Streisand said,
"I would lie awake at night with Trump's outrages running through my head, and I had to do another
album for Columbia Records, so I thought, why not make an album about what's on my mind?"
In a different interview with The Guardian, the singer called the former president, quote,
"a man who is corrupt and indecent and is assaulting our institutions."
"If we are right about the fraud, Joe Biden can't be president."
When Trump ran as the incumbent candidate, Streisand voiced her support for the other
candidate, Joe Biden, on her Twitter account. She wished for a Biden win
so Trump could no longer, quote, "damage [...] our democracy, environment, health,
safety and standing in the world." And to celebrate Biden's victory,
Streisand sang at the "We the People" virtual concert event prior to his inauguration.
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