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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The Barbra Streisand Timeline 1960-1969


SPRING 1960
Barbara is cast in the off-Broadway play "The Insect Comedy." During rehearsals, she meets fellow actor Barry Dennen and they become romantically involved.

MAY 8, 1960
"The Insect Comedy" opens at the Jan Hus Theatre, and closes after just three performances. Barbara asks Barry to listen to her sing. He likes her voice and encourages her to become an actress in song.

JUNE 6, 1960
Barbara enters a talent contest at The Lion, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. She sings "When Sunny Gets Blue" and "A Sleepin' Bee," and is declared the winner. Her prize is an engagement at the club. She officially changes her name, dropping the middle "a" from Barbara ("...because you don't need the extra 'a'"), becoming Barbra Streisand.

AUGUST 1, 1960
After her success at The Lion, Barbra develops enough material to audition at another Greenwich Village nightspot -- the Bon Soir. She's hired.

SEPTEMBER 9 - NOVEMBER 20, 1960
Barbra appears at the Bon Soir as Phyllis Diller's opening act. Her first review in Variety is positive.

APRIL 5, 1961
Streisand makes her television debut on "The Jack Paar Show" thanks to guest host Orson Bean, who'd seen her at the Bon Soir.  

MAY 9 - JUNE 6, 1961
Backstage at the Bon Soir, Barbra meets Martin Erlichman, who becomes her personal manager.

JUNE 22, 1961
Barbra makes her first television appearance on Mike Wallace's New York talk show, "P.M. East."

AUGUST 1, 1961
Barbra auditions and wins a role in an off-Broadway musical-comedy revue called "Another Evening With Harry Stoones."

SEPTEMBER 1, 1961
Barbra auditions at the swanky, uptown Blue Angel nightclub. Erlichman tries in vain to convince Columbia Records to sign Barbra to a recording contract

OCTOBER 21, 1961
"Another Evening With Harry Stoones" opens at the Gramercy Arts Theatre… and closes on the same night.

NOVEMBER 16 - DECEMBER 13, 1961
Barbra plays the Blue Angel. She also records an audition album for RCA Records, doing most of the material she's been doing in the clubs.

NOVEMBER 29, 1961
Barbra auditions for a Broadway show, "I Can Get It For You Wholesale," singing "A Sleepin' Bee," "Value" ("I'm in Love With Harold Menget"), a cast-off from "Harry Stoones," and "Have I Stayed Too Long At The Fair."
Elliott Gould, "Wholesale's" leading man, watches the audition and telephones her that night to say she was brilliant. Barbra's cast as Miss Marmelstein and begins dating Elliott.

WINTER 1962
Ray Stark and David Merrick continue to develop a musical based on the life of Ziegfeld Follies' star Fanny Brice (Stark's mother-in-law). Composer Jule Styne is interested in Barbra playing Fanny based on her appearances at the Bon Soir. At the time, Anne Bancroft is the lead candidate to play Fanny. When Stephen Sondheim passes on writing the lyrics, Styne asks songwriter Bob Merrill to collaborate with him. They write a handful of song. After hearing them -- which written with Barbra in mind -- Bancroft decides she wants no part of the show.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 1962
"Wholesale" previews in Philadelphia.
Barbra is nearly fired because of her chronic lateness. However, her second act solo, "Miss Marmelstein," stops the show and her role is expanded. The show moves on to Boston.

MARCH 22, 1962
"I Can Get It For You Wholesale" opens at the Shubert Theatre on Broadway, receiving middling reviews. Barbra, however, receives all the praise.

SPRING 1962
Elliott moves into Barbra's apartment -- a tiny, $62-a-month railroad flat on Third Avenue above  Oscar's Salt-of-the-Sea Restaurant.

APRIL 1, 1962
Because of her work on "Wholesale," composer Harold Rome invites Barbra to participate in the 25th anniversary cast album of his show "Pins and Needles," a special Columbia Records product. Columbia president Goddard Lieberson appreciates Barbra's voice, but still feels her appeal will never go beyond "cult" status.

APRIL 29, 1962
Five days after her 20th birthday, Barbra attends the Tony Awards, where she's the favorite to win "Best Supporting Actress in a Musical." Barbra loses to Phyllis Newman who was in "Subways Are For Sleeping."

MAY 22 - JUNE 3, 1962
Barbra returns to the Bon Soir where one night she meets lyricists Marilyn and Alan Bergman. It's the beginning of a beautiful friendship that will lead to many collaborations, including "The Way We Were" and "Yentl."

MAY 29, 1962
Barbra appears on "The Garry Moore Show." She sings "Happy Days Are Here Again" for the first time and becomes a standard in her repertoire.

AUGUST 21, 1962
Guest-host Groucho Marx welcomes Barbra to "The Tonight Show."

SEPTEMBER 1, 1962
Atlantic Records is interested in signing Barbra tor a recording contract and Capitol also makes an offer. Erlichman gives Columbia, his top choice, one last chance to sign Barbra.

FALL 1962
Barbra auditions for three new Broadway shows: "Hot Spot," "New Faces of 1962," and "Bravo, Giovanni."

MID-SEPTEMBER 1962
To keep her from signing with Capitol, and despite his reservations, Goddard Lieberson gives Barbra a contract with Columbia Records.

OCTOBER 1, 1962
Barbra officially signs her contract with Columbia Records. The initial deal is modest, but Marty negotiates to get her creative control. Barbra would be able to choose her own material, dictate the cover art and title her albums.

OCTOBER 4, 1962
Barbra does the "Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson behind the desk.

OCTOBER 16, 1962
In her first, solo recording session for Columbia, Barbra records "Happy Days Are Here Again," "Right As the Rain," "When the Sun Comes Out," and "Lover Come Back to Me."

OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 18, 1962
Barbra does her final Bon Soir engagement.

NOVEMBER 2, 1962
Streisand's first single is released, "Happy Days Are Here Again"/"When The Sun Comes Out."

NOVEMBER 5 - 7, 1962
Streisand is recorded live at the Bon Soir for her first album. The quality was not good enough for a debut album, but the material is eventually released as part of "...Just For The Record."

DECEMBER 9, 1962
"I Can Get It For You Wholesale" closes at the Broadway Theatre. (It had moved from the Shubert Theatre mid-run).

DECEMBER 16, 1962
Streisand makes her first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" singing "My Coloring Book" and "Lover, Come Back to Me."

JANUARY 8 - 28, 1963
Barbra plays her final engagement at the Blue Angel.
The comedy team of Stiller and Meara are her opening act.

FEBRUARY 1, 1963
Barbra's first album, "The Barbra Streisand Album" is released. The album stays on the Billboard charts for 101 weeks, and wins Grammys for Best Album and Best Female Vocalist (for "Happy Days Are Here Again").

FEBRUARY 11 - 15, 1963
Barbra is the week-long guest host, sharing the stage with Mike on "The Mike Douglas Show."

MARCH 5, 1963
Barbra appears for the very last time on "The Tonight Show."

MARCH 19 - 23/ 25 - 26, 1963
Streisand appears at the Eden Roc in Miami Beach. In the midst of the engagement, she flies to New York for her second appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

MARCH 27 - APRIL 20, 1963
Barbra appears at the hungry i in San Francisco.

APRIL 1, 1963
Following her successful TV appearances, Columbia re-releases the "Happy Days" single to get disk jockeys to begin playing Barbra's music on the radio.

MAY 12, 1963
Streisand appears on "The Dinah Shore Show." President John F. Kennedy sees her and she's invited to perform at the White House Correspondents Dinner.

MAY 13 - JUNE 1, 1963
Streisand debuts at Basin Street East in New York, opening for legendary bandleader Benny Goodman.

MAY 24, 1963
Barbra entertains at the White House Press Correspondents Dinner and sings for President Kennedy. She croons "Happy Days Are Here Again," the traditional Democratic party theme song, to the President. When she's introduced to JFK, Barbra asks for his autograph...for her mother. He obliges and asks her how long she has been singing. "About as long as you've been president," she answers, making him laugh.

JUNE 1, 1963
Elliott Gould appears in London in the musical "On The Town." Barbra joins him for a short vacation.

JUNE 9, 1963
Streisand appears on "The Ed Sullivan Show," this time singing "When the Sun Comes Out."

JULY 2 - AUGUST 4, 1963
Barbra appears in Las Vegas for the first time, opening for Liberace at the Riviera Hotel. Liberace had become a fan after seeing her at the Bon Soir and on "Ed Sullivan."

JULY 26, 1963
After months of speculation, Barbra is announced as the winner of the coveted role of Fanny Brice in the Broadway musical "Funny Girl."

AUGUST 1, 1963
"The Second Barbra Streisand Album" is released. It stays on the Billboard charts for 74 weeks.

AUGUST 21, 1963
Streisand opens a two-week engagement at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, attracting movie-studded audiences who were dazzled by her. Judy Garland goes to see Barbra and asks her to appear on "The Judy Garland Show" in the next few weeks.

SEPTEMBER 13, 1963
Barbra marries Elliott Gould (nee Goldstein) in Carson City, Nevada, near Lake Tahoe. Marty Erlichman is the best man. The couple honeymoons at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

OCTOBER 4, 1963
Barbra tapes "The Judy Garland Show." The two singers hit it off and the show is riveting. CBS network executives like the show so much, they decide to broadcast it that Sunday, just two days later, October 6, 1963. Streisand is nominated for an Emmy -- the first time a guest appearance was ever honored in such a way.

OCTOBER 5, 1963
Streisand performs at the Hollywood Bowl on the same bill with Sammy Davis, Jr.

NOVEMBER 22, 1963
Streisand hears the news President Kennedy has been assassinated in Dallas. During a rehearsal with pianist Peter Daniels, she's overcome with emotion while singing "Happy Days." She was supposed to return to the White House on December 5, less than two weeks away, to perform for JFK once more.

DECEMBER 10, 1963
In New York City, pre-production on the new Broadway musical "Funny Girl" commences with Sydney Chaplin playing Nick Arnstein and Kay Medford as Fanny's mother, Rose.

DECEMBER 27, 1963
Barbra is presented with the Cue Magazine Entertainer of the Year.

JANUARY 13, 1964
In the midst of a snowstorm, "Funny Girl" has its first public showing in Boston. It's a disaster, with the curtain not falling until 2:00 a.m. The reviews are awful and the producer contemplate closing the show out of town. Director Jerome Robbins leaves the show and Garson Kanin takes over.

JANUARY 21, 1964
Columbia Records releases Barbra's latest single, "People," a romantic ballad from "Funny Girl." It's the "B" side, with "I Am Woman" designated the "A" side. Because Capitol Records is producing the original cast album rather than Columbia, Barbra's label is reluctant to promote Barbra's Broadway show.

FEBRUARY 4, 1964
"Funny Girl" opens in Philadelphia. Jerome Robbins returns to the show to "doctor" the production. Under his supervision, the show continues to improves -- he puts the burden on Barbra to carry the show, giving her more songs and comedy. The producers determine that the musical will rise or fall on Barbra's performance.

MARCH 26, 1964
"Funny Girl" opens on Broadway. Barbra receives glowing notices and the show's a hit. She is nominated for a Tony award as Best Actress in a Musical.

APRIL 6, 1964
The cast gathers to record the "Funny Girl" original cast album. Capitol Records releases the vinyl three days later. It sells 400,000 units in one month, the fastest selling Capitol record up to that time.

APRIL 10, 1964
Time Magazine hits the stands with Barbra on the cover.

APRIL 12, 1964
Barbra appears as the mystery guest on "What's My Line?"

MAY 1, 1964
Barbra appears on the cover of Life magazine.

MAY 12, 1964
Barbra attends the Grammy Awards at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. She wins two Grammys, Best Female Vocalist and Album of the Year for "The Barbra Streisand Album," her first solo album. She is 22, the youngest person to date to win Album of the Year. The album also wins Best Album Cover.

JUNE 22, 1964
Barbra signs a $5 million deal with CBS Television to do as many as ten musical specials in a ten-year period. CBS outbid NBC for an exclusive deal with Barbra.

SEPTEMBER 1, 1964
The "People" album is released.

OCTOBER 6, 1964
Barbra guests on the radio show "Let's Talk to Lucy," chatting hostess Lucille Ball.

OCTOBER 31, 1964
All five Barbra Streisand albums, including the "Funny Girl" cast album, are on the Billboard Top 100 Albums chart.

MAY 17, 1965
Encyclopedia Britannica names Barbra as one of two fashion trendsetters of the year.

JANUARY 18, 1965
Barbra is one of the entertainers at the Democratic Inaugural Gala for President Lyndon Johnson.

APRIL 4, 1965
At a Civil Rights fundraiser in Selma, Alabama, Barbra sings "That's A Fine Kind of Freedom."

APRIL 13, 1965
Barbra attends Grammys where she wins for the third year in a row as Best Female Vocalist for "People."

APRIL 14, 1965
Taping is completed on Barbra's first TV special, "My Name Is Barbra," a one-woman musical program. CBS fears the program will be a disaster because she did not have guest stars and follow the traditional format for musical specials of that era.

APRIL 24, 1965
The cast of "Funny Girl" throws a birthday party for Barbra at the Spindletop Restaurant where she receives as a gift white poodle puppy named Sadie.

APRIL 28, 1965
"My Name Is Barbra" airs. Despite CBS's apprehensions, the critics call it an instant classic. It's nominated for five Emmy Awards.

JUNE 11, 1965
Backstage at "Funny Girl," a disgruntled Sydney Chaplin, Barbra's leading man, tangles with her and he leaves the show before his contract is up.

SEPTEMBER 12, 1965
"My Name Is Barbra" wins five Emmy awards, including two for Barbra.

OCTOBER 1, 1965
Barbra meets French composer Michel Legrand ("The Umbrellas of Cherbourg") and they discuss collaborating on an album.

OCTOBER 10, 1965
Elliott Gould opens in a new Broadway musical called "Drat! The Cat!" The Goulds invest in the show, but it's a flop, closing in a week. Barbra records two songs from the show -- "He Touched Me" and "I Like Him."

NOVEMBER 22, 1965
At composer Harold Arlen's invitation, Barbra agrees to be a guest on his solo album, "Harold Sings Arlen (with friend)." She does two songs, a solo rendition of "House of Flowers" and a duet with Arlen on "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead."

DECEMBER 1, 1965
Barbra is compelled to sign a four-picture contract with Ray Stark to ensure that she's cast in the film version of "Funny Girl." Stark announces that Barbra will play Fanny in the big screen adaptation of "Funny Girl."

DECEMBER 26, 1965
On Broadway, Barbra plays Fanny for the last time. As an encore, Barbra sings Fanny's classic theme, "My Man."

JANUARY 1, 1966
"Color Me Barbra," Streisand's second TV special, begins pre-production in New York and Philadelphia.

FEBRUARY 1, 1966
Barbra attends Paris fashion shows, shopping for clothes to wear on her next TV special, but mostly publicizing the upcoming show.

MARCH 30, 1966
"Color Me Barbra," Barbra's second TV special, airs and garners even better reviews than "My Name Is Barbra."

APRIL 13, 1966
The London version of "Funny Girl" opens at the Prince of Wales Theatre with Barbra duplicating her Broadway success. The show is sold out for the entire fourteen-week run. On opening night, Barbra learns that she's pregnant.

APRIL 19, 1966
Barbra and husband Elliott Gould announce the impending birth of their first child. Barbra's planned U.S. concert tour of 26 cities for the summer and fall is cut back to just four dates.

JUNE 26, 1966
While in London, Barbra begins recording "A Christmas Album."

JULY 21, 1966
Barbra performs for record-sellers at the Columbia Records sales convention.

JULY 30-AUGUST 9, 1966
Barbra does concerts in Newport, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago, before retiring at home in New York to wait for the baby to arrive.

SUMMER 1966
Barbra and Elliott rent a house in Long Island for the season.

FALL - WINTER 1966
After Sidney Lumet walks out on preparations to direct the film version of "Funny Girl," Oscar-winning filmmaker William Wyler agrees to do the film because of his fascination with Barbra.

DECEMBER 29, 1966
Barbra checks into Mount Sinai Hospital on December 28 as Angelina Scarangella, her acting school alias, so the press won't know that she's there. Jason Emanuel Gould is delivered by Caesarian section on December 29. He weighs 7 lb. 12 oz.

JANUARY 1, 1967
Barbra announces that she will star in Paramount Pictures adaptation of the Broadway musical "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever."

APRIL 26 - 29, 1967
Streisand tapes her third CBS special, "The Belle of 14th Street" in New York. Unlike her previous one-woman shows, this program will have guest stars and a theme -- an homage to vaudeville at the turn of the century. CBS doesn't like the finished product and shelves the show until October.

MAY 1, 1967
Barbra signs to play the iconic role of Dolly Levi in the film version of "Hello, Dolly!" It causes an uproar because many assumed Tony-winner Carol Channing, who originated the role on Broadway, would get the part. Critics deem Barbra too young to play the matchmaker.

MAY 5, 1967 
At the Tony awards, Barbra presents the Best Musical award to "Cabaret."

MAY 10, 1967
Barbra arrives in Hollywood to begin shooting "Funny Girl."

MAY 14, 1967
"Funny Girl" producer Ray Stark throws a party for Barbra to introduce her to Hollywood's biggest stars.

JUNE 1, 1967
In reaction to the trouble in the Mideast, Barbra gives $400,000 to the Emergency Campaign for Israel.

JUNE 11, 1967
Barbra sings at a Rally for Israeli Survival at the Hollywood Bowl.

JUNE 17, 1967
Barbra gives a free concert in New York's Central Park. Over 135,000 people show up. The concert, "A Happening In Central Park," is taped as a CBS-TV special. Streisand reveals years later that she had received death threats because of her pro-Israeli stance. Her nerves caused her to forget the lyrics while singing "When the Sun Comes Out" and Barbra develops debilitating stage fright.

JULY 9, 1967
Barbra does a second live concert, this one at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, which is also recorded for the album in case its needed.

JULY 18, 1967
In New York, Barbra films the "Don't Rain on My Parade" musical sequence for "Funny Girl."

FALL 1967
Streisand and her "Funny Girl" co-star Omar Sharif reportedly have a brief romance.

OCTOBER 1, 1967
Barbra re-signs with Columbia Records for five more years.

OCTOBER 11, 1967
"The Belle of 14th Street" finally airs on CBS. It's Streisand's third TV special, and her first disappointment. Columbia Records decides not to release the soundtrack.

DECEMBER 1, 1967
Barbra wraps "Funny Girl."

WINTER 1967
Back home in New York, producer Valentine Sherry sends Streisand a story to read which he would like her to make into a film. It's Isaac Bashevis Singer's short story, "Yentl, the Yeshiva Boy." Barbra loves it and wants to do it as her next project, but her agents -- David Begelman and Freddie Fields -- advise her to put it off.

JANUARY 21, 1968
Streisand sings at the "Broadway For Peace 1968" rally, a fundraiser for members of Congress who are opposed to the war in Viet Nam.

FEBRUARY 23, 1968
"Our Corner of the Night"/"He Could Show Me" is released as a single, signaling Streisand's early forays into pop music.

APRIL 10, 1968
Barbra appears at the Academy Awards for the first time to present the Oscar for Best Song. The award is accepted by Sammy Davis, Jr. for the Leslie Bricusse song, "Talk To The Animals."

APRIL 15, 1968
"Hello, Dolly!" begins filming in Garrison, New York.

JUNE 1, 1968
"Funny Girl" is sneak-previewed and both Barbra and the film receive high marks from audience members.

JUNE 7, 1968
While shooting in Garrison, Barbra and co-star Walter Matthau get into a heated argument and insulting words are exchanged. Director Gene Kelly minimizes the incident when the press asks what happened. Years later, Matthau blames his hot temper on the fact that it was the day after Robert F. Kennedy was shot and he was distraught.

LATE JUNE 1968
Clive Davis, Columbia Records president, meets with Streisand to convince her to shelve her next album, "The Singer," in favor of a more contemporary sound. He asks her to work with record producer Richard Perry.

AUGUST 14, 1968
The "Funny Girl" soundtrack is released. It stays on the Billboard chart for 108 weeks -- Barbra's longest run.

LATE SUMMER 1968
"Hello, Dolly!" wraps production.

SEPTEMBER 15, 1968
CBS airs Barbra's first television concert, "A Happening In Central Park."

SEPTEMBER 18, 1968
"Funny Girl" has a gala premiere in New York's Times Square. In the days ahead, she attends a similar premieres in Hollywood. "Funny Girl" gets great reviews, especially Barbra's performance.

OCTOBER 1, 1968
Streisand poses for Blackgama fur ad…"What Becomes A Legend Most?"

OCTOBER 5, 1968
"On A Clear Day" begins shooting.

OCTOBER 17, 1968
At an Israel Bond luncheon at the Hollywood Palladium, Streisand sings "Hatikvah," the Israeli national anthem.

NOVEMBER 1, 1968
Producer Ray Stark announces Barbra's next film will be "The Owl & the Pussycat," a non-musical.

DECEMBER 1968
For the Will Rogers Foundation, Streisand appears in a public service announcement that's shown in movie theaters.

JANUARY 6, 1969
In honor of "Clear Day's" start, Paramount throws a Reincarnation Costume Ball. Streisand arrives as the reincarnation of Colette, the famous French writer.

JANUARY 14, 1969
Streisand meets the European press to promote "Funny Girl."

JANUARY 15, 1969
Barbra attends the Royal Premiere of "Funny Girl" in London, meeting Princess Margaret.

JANUARY 16, 1969
Maurice Chevalier escorts Streisand to the "Funny Girl" premiere in France at L'Opera de Paris.

FEBRUARY 1, 1969
"Funny Girl" garners eight Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture and one for Barbra as Best Actress.

FEBRUARY 13, 1969
Streisand and husband Elliott Gould announce that they are separating.

APRIL 14, 1969
At the Academy Awards, Streisand (with Elliott by her side) wins the Oscar in a tie with Katherine Hepburn. Barbra accepts the award from Ingrid Bergman, then greets the Oscar with the opening line from the movie, "Hello, gorgeous!"
Barbra's Arnold Scassi-designed pants suit causes a stir as one of the most memorable outfits ever worn to the show.

APRIL 17, 1969
Al Moharrer, a Beirut newspaper, demands Barbra Streisand's films be banned in the Arab world because she is a "Zionist."

MAY 16, 1969
Streisand becomes the second woman in history to be honored by the Friar's Club with one of their legendary roasts as Entertainer of the Year.

JUNE 1, 1969
Barbra, Paul Newman, and Sidney Poitier create a film company called First Artists Production to produce their own films.

JULY 2 - 30, 1969
Streisand is the first star to appear at the new International Hotel in Las Vegas. She is paid a (then) whopping one million dollars for four weeks work.

NOVEMBER 1, 1969
Barbra begins dating
Pierre Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister.

OCTOBER 6, 1969
Principal photography begins on "The Owl & the Pussycat" in New York City.

DECEMBER 1, 1969
Streisand and her mother, Diana Kind, go to see Barbra's 18-year-old sister, Roslyn Kind, sing at the Persian Room of the Plaza Hotel.

DECEMBER 1, 1969
When Barbra tries to buy a 20-room apartment at 1021 Park Avenue, the building's co-op board rejects Barbra's application. Then claim she is a theatrical type and will have loud parties, but Barbra suspects the reason for the rejection is anti-Semitism. One year earlier she had been similarly denied an apartment at 1107 Fifth Avenue.

DECEMBER 3, 1969
In response to Barbra's housing woes, State Attorney General Louis J. Lefkowitz launches an investigation into the practices of the city co-op boards.

DECEMBER 17, 1969
After delays caused by David Merrick's Broadway production of "Hello, Dolly," Barbra film finally opens. Streisand goes to the New York opening directly from filming "The Owl & the Pussycat" in Central Park. Barbra car is mobbed by overzealous fans, who break through police barriers to try and get to the star. Marty Erlichman was thrown to the ground and suffered superficial injuries.

WINTER 1969
Barbra becomes the spokesperson for the National Association of Retarded Children, appearing in commercials, on posters and in print ads. She also contributes to the United Nations' Children's Fund.

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