Barbra Streisand's Manager Marty Erlichman Dies at 97

Marty Erlichman, Barbra Streisand's manager for more than 60 years, died Saturday night at 97. His representative, Ken Sunshine, confirmed the death, citing age-related causes.

Erlichman and Streisand never signed a written contract. Their partnership, which began when they met in 1961, became one of the most durable business relationships in American entertainment, spanning sold-out tours, television specials, and decades of box-office hits.

"Although Marty lived a long and full life, nothing can prepare you for the reality of losing someone so dear," Streisand said in a statement. "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."

She added: "I know it's extremely rare for show business relationships to endure for as long as mine did with Marty. He trusted me, and I trusted him. This is a challenging business, but I always felt protected with Marty by my side."

How did a Greenwich Village booking change show business?

Martin Lee Erlichman was born on September 13, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York. He studied at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, before moving into artist management. In 1961, as New York's folk scene exploded, he landed the Irish folk act the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem a key booking on The Ed Sullivan Show and a Columbia Records recording contract.

His Greenwich Village rounds brought him to the Bon Soir nightclub, where he caught a set by a then-19-year-old Streisand. In her 2023 memoir, My Name Is Barbra, she recalled their first meeting in her dressing room, where she told him she wanted to act.

"I remember his response like it was yesterday," she wrote. He told her: "If you're as good an actress as you are a singer, then there's no stopping you." He predicted she would win "every award in this business, first time out of the box . . . the Grammy, the Emmy, the Tony, the Oscar."

What deal made the partnership historic?

Erlichman negotiated Streisand's recording, theater, film, television, licensing, and concert agreements. The centerpiece was a career-long Columbia Records deal granting Streisand creative control — a rare concession by a major label to a newcomer at the time of her signing.

"My dear, devoted Marty . . . who always thought about what was best for me, rather than what would make him the most commission . . . had negotiated an unprecedented contract for a first-timer," Streisand wrote. "In exchange for less money up front, I got creative control, which was more important to me than anything else."

She continued: "It meant I got to choose the songs I sang, and if I didn't like the way an album turned out, I could can it."

Streisand credited their shared Brooklyn roots for launching the partnership, but mutual trust sustained it across six decades.

Who else did Erlichman represent and produce?

The client roster of Martin Erlichman Associates, his Los Angeles-based firm, included Chevy Chase, George Foreman, and record producer and songwriter Bob Crewe. His film producing credits include For Pete's Sake (1974), Coma (1978), and Breathless (1983). He won an Emmy and a Peabody Award for executive-producing the 1994 HBO special Barbra: The Concert.

Erlichman is survived by his wife of 52 years, Miko Mayama Erlichman; son J.J. Erlichman; daughter-in-law Talia; and grandchildren Mia, Sarah, Olivia, and Jack.

"To the world, he was a giant of Hollywood; to us, he was a deeply devoted and loving father, husband, grandfather, and rock," his 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."

The model Erlichman built — trust over contracts, client control over commissions — remains a benchmark that artist managers still measure themselves against.