Barbra Streisand

FHsC...wktn

10 Feb 2024

Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand, born on April 24, 1942, is a renowned American singer, actress, songwriter, film and television producer, and director. Her illustrious career spans over six decades, during which she has excelled in various fields of entertainment. Streisand is among the select few performers who have been awarded an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT).

She began her career performing in nightclubs and Broadway theaters in the early 1960s. Streisand gained prominence with guest appearances on television shows before signing with Columbia Records. She insisted on retaining full artistic control and accepted lower pay in exchange, a deal she maintained throughout her career. Her debut album, "The Barbra Streisand Album" (1963), won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Streisand has achieved remarkable success in the recording industry, topping the US Billboard 200 chart with 11 albums, including "People" (1964), "The Way We Were" (1974), "Guilty" (1980), and "The Broadway Album" (1985). She has also secured five number-one singles on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Transitioning into film in the late 1960s, Streisand starred in critically acclaimed movies such as "Funny Girl" (1968), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She continued to captivate audiences with films like "Hello, Dolly!" (1969), "What's Up, Doc?" (1972), and "The Way We Were" (1973). Streisand earned her second Academy Award for writing the love theme from "A Star Is Born" (1976), becoming the first woman to receive such an honor as a composer. With "Yentl" (1983), she became the first woman to write, produce, direct, and star in a major studio film.

Streisand's global record sales exceed 150 million, making her one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. She is the second-highest certified female artist in the United States, with 68.5 million certified album units. Billboard ranks Streisand as the greatest solo artist on the Billboard 200 chart and the top Adult Contemporary female artist of all time. Her numerous accolades include two Academy Awards, 10 Grammy Awards, five Emmy Awards, four Peabody Awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and nine Golden Globes. Streisand's contributions to the entertainment industry have solidified her legacy as one of the most influential figures in music, film, and television.

Barbra Streisand, born on April 24, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York City, came from a family with a background in music. Her mother, Diana Ida, had aspirations of pursuing a music career but later worked as a school secretary. Streisand's father, Emanuel Streisand, was a high school teacher. Streisand's family, of Jewish descent, had roots in Galicia (modern-day Poland and Ukraine) and the Russian Empire, with her maternal grandfather having been a cantor.

Tragically, Streisand's father passed away in August 1943, when she was just a year old, due to complications from an epileptic seizure. His death plunged the family into financial hardship, with Streisand's mother working tirelessly as a low-paid bookkeeper to make ends meet. Streisand's childhood was marked by a sense of isolation and longing for paternal love, as she felt like an outsider compared to her peers whose fathers returned home from work each day.

Streisand remembered her mother's musical talent and recounted a significant moment when she and her mother recorded songs together during a visit to the Catskills when Streisand was 13 years old. This experience marked the beginning of Streisand's journey as an artist and served as her first moment of inspiration.

Streisand has an older brother named Sheldon and a half-sister named Roslyn Kind from her mother's remarriage to Louis Kind in 1950. Throughout her career, Streisand has drawn upon her early experiences and family background to shape her artistry and connect with audiences on a deeply emotional level.

Barbra Streisand's journey into the world of entertainment began early in her life. She attended the Jewish Orthodox Yeshiva of Brooklyn at the age of five, where her bright and inquisitive nature was evident. Despite her intelligence, she struggled with discipline, often blurting out answers in class. She later enrolled in Public School 89 in Brooklyn, where she developed a passion for watching television and going to the movies, fueling her desire to become famous and leave Brooklyn behind.

Streisand's remarkable singing voice became a defining feature of her childhood. She gained a reputation in her neighborhood for her talent and would often entertain her peers by singing on the stoop of her apartment building. Despite facing criticism from her mother, Streisand found solace and encouragement in her singing, which she practiced regularly in the echoing hallway of her building.

Her singing debut at a PTA assembly marked the beginning of her public performances. Streisand's mother, initially critical of her daughter's aspirations, eventually began to support her talent. Streisand's desire to become an actress was solidified after seeing her first Broadway play, "The Diary of Anne Frank," at the age of 14, where she admired the performance of Susan Strasberg.

Throughout her high school years at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, Streisand excelled academically and became involved in various extracurricular activities, including the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club. It was during this time that she formed a friendship with fellow student Neil Diamond and developed a crush on Bobby Fischer, the US Chess Champion.

Streisand gained her first stage experience during the summer of 1957 at the Playhouse in Malden Bridge, New York. She continued to pursue her passion for acting by taking on roles in school plays and working backstage at the Cherry Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village.

After graduating from Erasmus Hall in January 1959 at the age of 16, Streisand embarked on her quest to break into show business. She rented a small apartment in the theater district of New York City and tirelessly pursued opportunities in the entertainment industry, accepting any job involving the stage and auditioning for roles whenever possible.
Streisand's determination, talent, and unwavering passion for performance laid the foundation for her legendary career in music, film, and theater.