Marty Erlichman, Barbra Streisand‘s longtime manager, died on Saturday night of age-related causes. He was 97. Erlichman’s rep, Ken Sunshine, confirmed the businessman’s death.
Erlichman and Streisand, his client of over 60 years, never had a written contract in place. But his guidance of the singer he first met in 1961 would prove to be one of the most fruitful business relationships the entertainment industry had ever seen as Erlichman had a hand in Streisand’s decades-long streak of box-office successes, in addition to sold-out tours and television specials.
“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.”
Streisand continued: “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.”
Born Martin Lee Erlichman on Sept. 13, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York, he attended college at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and would find his way to the management side of the business. In 1961, as the folk scene was exploding in New York City, he landed a key booking on The Ed Sullivan Show for Irish folk act the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, and a recording contract at Columbia Records.
His goings-on around Greenwich Village would lead him to the Bon Soir nightclub, where he happened upon a set by then-19-year-old singer Streisand.
In her 2023 book, My Name Is Barbra, Streisand recounted in intimate detail their first meeting in her dressing room, during which she imparted her desire to act.
“I remember his response like it was yesterday. He told me, ‘If you’re as good an actress as you are a singer, then there’s no stopping you. I just saw you do comedy, drama. You made me laugh, you made me cry. I think you have a big career ahead of you — records, television, theater, movies.’
“And then he added, ‘I have the feeling you’re going to win every award in this business, first time out of the box … the Grammy, the Emmy, the Tony, the Oscar.’”
Streisand credited their shared Brooklyn roots for propelling the partnership, but over time, it was a mutual trust that would allow it to grow and flourish. Erlichman negotiated her recording, theater, film, television, licensing, and concert agreements, including a career-long deal at Columbia Records, which allowed Streisand creative control, a rare concession by a major label at the time of her signing.
As Streisand wrote in her book: “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. In exchange for less money up front, I got creative control, which was more important to me than anything else.
“I was just a small person … a pishica, as they say in Yiddish … but I was adamant about this. 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. The concept … and the responsibility … were all mine.”
The client roster for Erlichman’s Los Angeles-based firm, Martin Erlichman Associates, has included Chevy Chase, George Foreman, and record producer and songwriter Bob Crewe. Erlichman’s film credits include 1974’s For Pete’s Sake, 1978’s Coma, and 1983’s Breathless. He won an Emmy and Peabody for executive-producing the 1994 HBO special Barbra: The Concert.
Erlichman is survived by his wife of 52 years, Miko Mayama Erlichman, and 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,” said Erlichman’s family 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.”