The Life and Career of Barbra Streisand
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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
Born on April 24th, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York, Barbra Streisand began singing and acting as a teenager, soon landing her 1st Broadway role. She won a Grammy for her 1st record, followed by 2 more successful albums. This was followed by an Oscar-winning turn in "Funny Girl". Due to her many talents, her popularity in film and music only increased. As such, she has become one of the world's most popular and successful artists throughout the decades. In this video, http://www.WatchMojo.com takes a look at the life and career of Barbra Streisand.
First Broadway Role
Barbara Joan Streisand was born on April 24th, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York. As a teen, she started singing in local nightclubs and acting in theatrical productions. In the early 1960s, she landed her first Broadway role in a musical called “I Can Get it for You Wholesale.”
Her Grammy-winning debut, The Barbra Streisand Album, came out in 1963. This was followed by two extremely successful records, The Second Barbra Streisand Album and The Third Album. In 1964, Streisand returned to Broadway in the musical, “Funny Girl.” Four years later she won an Oscar for reprising this role in its film adaptation.
"People"
Streisand had her first number one album with 1964’s People, and its title cut subsequently became one of her signature tunes. Up next was a string of highly successful albums that were tied-in with television specials. The most significant was the Emmy-winning program “My Name is Barbra,” which helped turn Streisand into a star.
Pop
She reached number one again in 1967 with A Christmas Album. Two years later, Streisand switched gears and recorded modern pop songs on the commercially disappointing album, What About Today? However, she proved herself a pop force with 1971’s Stoney End.
Acting
To keep up with her acting career, Streisand appeared in such films as the Oscar-winning, “Hello Dolly” and the Golden Globe-winning, “The Owl and the Pussycat.”
Movie Soundtracks
Her popularity only increased, and by the 1970s she was proclaimed the most successful female singer in the U.S. Many of the hits that led to her extraordinary record sales came from the soundtracks of her films. Examples included the title cut from The Way We Were, “Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star is Born),” and “The Main Event” from the soundtrack of the same name. Other successful singles included her duet with Neil Diamond, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” and her Donna Summer duet, called “No More Tears (Enough is Enough).”
"Guilty"
However, it was 1980’s Guilty that became one of Streisand’s best-selling albums. With songs written by Bee Gee Barry Gibb, the record produced the Grammy-winning title track and the massively successful single, “Woman in Love.”
"Yentl"
Up next was the 1983 musical film, “Yentl,” which Streisand co-wrote, co-produced, directed and starred in. She became the first woman to win a Best Director Golden Globe as a result of this film.
Back to Music
She went back to making music in 1984, with the effort, Emotion. This was followed by 1985’s The Broadway Album. This record discarded the rock and disco vibe Streisand had adopted and marked a return to her musical theatre roots. In 1988, she released the album, Till I Loved You.
More Success with Movies and Music
In 1991, she directed, produced and starred in the Oscar-nominated movie, “The Prince of Tides.” Two years later, she was back at number one on the pop charts with the album, Back to Broadway. She also performed her first shows in over twenty-five years, having previously avoided touring due to stage fright.
"The Mirror Has Two Faces"
1996 saw Streisand again take on jobs in front of and behind the camera. “The Mirror Has Two Faces” was a success and its soundtrack produced Streisand’s first top ten hit in several years, “I Finally Found Someone,” with Bryan Adams.
Top Female Singer in America
Streisand had her eighth number one album in 1997 with Higher Ground. By millennium’s end, she reclaimed her spot as the top female singer in the U.S. She followed this up with the holiday record, Christmas Memories, in 2001, and The Movie Album in 2003. A year later, she appeared in the film, “Meet the Fockers.” Then, in 2005, she collaborated again with Barry Gibb on the disc, Guilty Pleasures.
"Love is the Answer"
A few years after her record-setting 2006 tour, Streisand came out with her next studio album, Love is the Answer. Produced by Diana Krall, the 2009 record put her back on top of the Billboard 200. In 2010, Streisand appeared in the movie, “Little Fockers.”
Popularity
With over two hundred million albums sold and several Academy Awards under her belt, it is no wonder that Barbra Streisand is one of the world’s most popular singers, as well as a critically acclaimed actress, director and producer.
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