Marty Erlichman, Barbra Streisand’s Manager Since the 1960s, Dead at 97

Martin Lee “Marty” Erlichman, the entertainment manager who discovered Barbra Streisand and guided her career for more than 60 years, has died at age 97. Billboard reports he passed away on Oct. 31 due to age-related causes, while Variety states he died on Saturday from age-related causes. Erlichman was born in Brooklyn, New York, on Sept. 13, 1929, and attended Drake University.

Erlichman first encountered Streisand when she was performing as an opening act for comedian Phil Leeds at the Bon Soir nightclub in Greenwich Village. Billboard notes he helped her secure her first recording contract with Columbia Records, which included unprecedented creative control over her repertoire and album covers.

As an executive producer, Erlichman received both an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award for the 1994 HBO television special Barbra: The Concert. In a statement, Erlichman’s family described him as a "giant of Hollywood" and a "deeply devoted and loving father, husband, grandfather, and rock."

Brief written by urgent.news from Deadline, Billboard, Variety — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.