Barbra's Star Glows Brightly

July 11, 1964

Billboard Magazine

Barbra Streisand, who has already earned a vaunted position in show business through three best selling LP's and a starring Broadway role, is mapping further plans to insure her star glowing brightly for the next 10 years.

The 22-year-old vocalist-actress from Brooklyn is well on the way toward fulfilling the prediction of her manager Marty Erlichman “that she would be the richest girl from Brooklyn by the time she's 25.”

Miss Streisand, currently starring in Funny Girl, will earn approximately $500,000 this year, according to Erlichman, who has directed her career for the past three years.

By way of indicating Barbra's mercurial rise, Erlichman notes that in 1963 she earned $225,000; in 1962, $23,000, and three years ago he was working for $250 a week. She will earn in excess of $25,000 for a July 12 concert at Forest Hills, N.Y., demanding $5 more than the promoters are paying the Beatles.

A recently signed TV deal with CBS provide the vocalist with “several million dollars,” in Erlichman's own words. The contract calls for Barbra's exclusive services with CBS for 10 years, including a special a year and at the end of two seasons, a series by mutual agreement. Miss Streisand earns $1 million alone for her first two seasons with the network, which will obviously offer Columbia Records additional material by the performer.

Manager Erlichman, who negotiated with NBC and CBS before choosing the latter, said the reason for Barbra's success is careful planning and providing her with “roots” in all areas of show business.

This meant securing night club bookings slowly to allow Barbra to again savvy and polish. Marty revealed his client wanted to record seven months before she joined Columbia, but he felt the timing wasn't right because she wasn't ready to back up records with in-person appearances.

Erlichman believes overproduction of product and overexposure on TV are to be avoided, hence Barbra's hesitancy to merely cut LP's and the once-a-year TV deal.

Before signing for Funny Girl, Erlichman had Barbra spend three months on the road “to build confidence,” getting back again to having solid roots in the business.

Erlichman claims he's never booked a date Barbra couldn't sellout in advance. He is keenly aware of timing and is not in a rush to take advantage of her current popularity, but rather is planning her career in long-range terms.

End.

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