Marty Erlichman, the Manager Who Discovered Barbra Streisand, Dies at 97

Marty Erlichman, the talent manager who discovered Barbra Streisand and guided her career for more than six decades, has died at age 97. He died Saturday of age-related causes, according to a statement from his representatives. Over the course of his career, he helped turn a young New York nightclub singer into one of the most celebrated performers in entertainment history.

“To the world, he was a giant of Hollywood; to us, he was a deeply devoted and loving father, husband, grandfather and rock,” Erlichman’s family said in a statement. “We feel his loss deeply but are endlessly proud of the life he lived and the indelible mark he left on the world.”

Said Streisand: “Although Marty lived a long and full life, nothing can prepare you for the reality of losing someone so dear. I truly thought he would live forever. In my eyes, he was simply indestructible – always by my side, through everything. And we never even had a contract. Marty can never be replaced, and I will be forever grateful for his friendship, loyalty and unwavering support.”

From Brooklyn to the Music Business

Erlichman entered the world on Sept. 13, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, before building a career in entertainment management. His early clients included musicians who shaped the folk scene of the era.

In 1960, Erlichman began managing the pioneering Irish folk group The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, whose music went on to influence Bob Dylan. A year later, he secured the group a spot on The Ed Sullivan Show. The act was supposed to perform only two songs, but the show gave the group extra time when fellow guest Pearl Bailey failed to appear.

The group performed for 20 minutes, and the appearance helped lead to a recording contract with Columbia Records. That early success gave Erlichman a reputation as a manager who could spot talent and open doors for it.

The Night He Discovered Streisand

In May of that year, Erlichman went to the Bon Soir nightclub in Greenwich Village to support his friend, comedian Phil Leeds. The opening act was a teenage Streisand, who was performing as a singer while she tried to find work as an actress. Erlichman recalled the night in 1991.

“Out walked this eighteen-year-old singer as his opening act. She sang five songs and I had chills through all of them,” he recalled.

Erlichman went backstage to offer his compliments, and Streisand did not hesitate to correct his assumptions about her ambitions. She later described the exchange in her own words.

She later said, “I told him, ‘I’m not a singer, really. I’m an actress, and I’m only doing this because no one will hire me to act.'”

“I remember his response like it was yesterday. He told me, ‘If you’re as good an actress as you are a singer, then there’s no stopping you. I just saw you do comedy, drama. You made me laugh, you made me cry. I think you have a big career ahead of you – records, television, theater, movies.”

A Partnership Built on a Handshake

Three months later, Streisand called Erlichman from a club in Detroit, where she was earning only $150 a week. She wanted $200 a week plus dinners, and her agent was not helping. She warned him that she could not pay him any commission.

“I got on the first plane to Detroit and worked out a deal. The owners – a pair of brothers – only offered her $175 and no dinners. I told them behind her back I’d pay them the twenty-five-dollar difference if they’d throw in the dinners, which is what happened,” Erlichman said.

The brothers reportedly asked why he would fly out at his own expense when he was not even her manager, and he said he believed she would become a star. That decision proved to be money well spent and the start of a partnership that lasted more than 60 years. As Streisand noted in her statement, the two never even signed a contract.

Shaping a Landmark Career

Erlichman oversaw the business side of Streisand’s career, negotiating her recording, theater, film, television, licensing and concert agreements. He executive produced 10 of her television specials, from her first, My Name Is Barbra in 1963, to her most recent, Barbra: The Music… The Mem’ries… The Magic! in 2017. He won Emmy Awards for Barbra: The Concert in 1995 and Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments in 1974.

He also conceived and executive produced her concert appearances and tours, including the 2000 Millennium Concert and the 2006-07 world tour. His work on the 1994 HBO special Barbra: The Concert also earned him a Peabody Award.

Other Clients and Film Credits

Streisand was not Erlichman’s only client. His roster also included heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, record producer and songwriter Bob Crewe, the 1960s pop group Gary Puckett & the Union Gap and comedian and actor Chevy Chase.

Erlichman also worked as a film producer. His credits include Streisand’s 1974 comedy For Pete’s Sake, the 1978 psychological thriller Coma, directed by Michael Crichton, and the 1983 romantic thriller Breathless, starring Richard Gere.

Survivors and Remembrance

His wife, Miko Mayama Erlichman, their son, J.J., daughter-in-law Talia and four grandchildren survive him. The family asks that those who wish to honor his memory make donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the National Kidney Foundation.

Erlichman’s legacy rests on a simple belief he acted on in a Detroit club six decades ago: that a gifted young performer deserved a champion. His instinct, his loyalty and a partnership sealed without a contract helped build one of the most accomplished careers in entertainment.