Streisand / Television

Gary Smith, who produced The Concert and Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments for television, did something different for this show. “For the first time in our lives — we’ve known [Barbra] a good time and are fairly friendly, our families are friendly, our kids are friendly,” Smith explained, “I was able to say to her, ‘This one, I think you should stay out of. Because in order for you to really have fun at this event, you should not know what’s going on. Let us surprise you. Let us do things.’ And I think, quite honestly, because of our relationship, she was able to say yes. Everybody thinks she had a lot to do with [the AFI special]. She had practically nothing to do with that award show. She did get involved afterwards when you’re deciding which clips you’re going to take out, which things you can use … She obviously has something to say about that because she should! This is a representation of her life’s work in film and some television. She had no idea that her son was going to speak. She had no idea that Joni James was going to come and sing for her, one of her childhood idols … So there was an element of This is Your Life that made it interesting to work with Barbra. There’s nobody like her.” 

Receiving the AFI Life Achievement Award from previous honoree Sidney Poitier, whose eloquent words sum up an entire room, Barbra beamed, “Wow! Oh my God! I was not prepared for this. I didn’t think my life and career could fill a whole evening. I can’t tell you how deeply humbled I am to be in the company of the men and women who have come before me.” Everyone she's ever worked with was thanked, especially Cis Corman, Marty Erlichman, the Bergmans, and Marvin Hamlisch. “It seems like we took our first steps together, and now look at the journey we've taken.” On her immediate future, she said, “To tell you the truth, I'd like to do nothing for a while. I'd like to take some time so that when inspiration knocks on my door, I'll be ready to be deliciously consumed and obsessed again.” Concluding, Barbra thanked AFI for the “incredible moving evening.”

The Program



• Barbra's entrance
• “What is Your Name?”— Streisand film character montage
• “On the Way to Becoming Me” — sung by Lauren Frost [see below]
• Marvin Hamlisch Opening Remarks
• Phyllis Diller (“I am totally thrilled to be your opening act...”)
• Film montage: Cis Corman, Marty Erlichman remember Barbra's beginnings in Manhattan
• ‡ Dom DeLuise: He recalled working with Barbra in 1961 in Another Evening With Harry Stoones.
• Shirley MacLaine: numbers speech
• Elizabeth Taylor ... besides her lovely remarks to Streisand, ‡ Taylor also read a letter that Henry Fonda had sent to Barbra about Funny Girl.
• Funny Girl: Streisand's remembrances; cut Swan Lake number; filming “My Man”.
• Hello, Dolly!: Barbra's filmed comments.
• ‡ Michael Kidd's comments: “What was she like to work with? Well, I called a three-hour rehearsal one day. The first two hours Barbra and I discussed her favorite cookie recipe, the wonders of Abba Zabba candy bars and the difference between growing up in Williamsburg, and Bensonhurst. To a nervous unit manager it appeared nothing was getting done. Finally, I looked at my watch and said, 'Barbra, we have to show something to the orchestrator, set moves so that we can rehearse with Walter and fix camera positions.' At which point she got up and in a half-hour the number was set and performed brilliantly. It was commonly accepted that Barbra could sing — big discovery! — but she was not a trained dancer. That was a big surprise. She learned the movements in no time, added her own touches and style and what emerged was a graceful and slyly humorous rendition of her own personality. She had a quality that few professional dancers possess — and it can't be taught.”
• On A Clear Day You Can See Forever: Jack Nicholson's speech, “I didn't remember that I was in a Barbra Streisand film...”
• The Owl and the Pussycat: Buck Henry filmed comments
• ‡ Robert Klein (who costarred in The Owl and the Pussycat) reminisced at the podium about being the opening act for Barbra at the Las Vegas Hilton.
• Up the Sandbox: Barbra's filmed comments; director Irvin Kershner's comments from the audience.
• What's Up Doc?: Ryan O'Neal's comments from the podium; Buck Henry's filmed comments.
• Warren Beatty filmed speech.
• Dustin Hoffman: speech about the early days with Barbra at the Theater Studio of New York in Curt Conway's class.
• The Way We Were: scenes from the film; director Sydney Pollack's speech from the audience; Robert Redford's pre-recorded comments.
• ‡ Joni James sang “The Way We Were” on stage for Barbra, accompanied by Marvin Hamlisch.
• A Star is Born: Barbra's filmed comments; Kris Kristofferson speech from audience.
• Quincy Jones recalled meeting Barbra at the Grammy Awards in 1963, then praised Barbra's Oscar winning song, “Evergreen.”
• John Travolta (in a filmed segment) did a Streisand impersonation and wished her well.
• Clint Eastwood introduced Yentl; Streisand's filmed comments; Barbra's early costume and set films; Nehemiah Persoff (who played Papa) gave a speech from the audience; Alan & Marilyn Bergman's filmed comments; Amy Irving's speech from the audience.
• ‡ Michel Legrand played piano to a photo slideshow of Streisand’s deceased father, Emanuel Streisand.
• Angelica Houston introduced The Prince of Tides; Barbra's filmed comments.
• Jason Gould: speech about working with his mother in Tides.
• Jean Picker Firstenberg (Director/CEO, AFI)
• The Mirror Has Two Faces: Jeff Bridges speech from audience; Richard LaGravenese (screenwriter) filmed comments; Lauren Bacall.
• Bill Clinton filmed comments.
• ‡ William Friedkin (“Somewhere” music video director) introduced Barbra’s television production work (Rescuers, Serving in Silence, The Long Island Incident).
• Sidney Poitier presented Barbra with the Lifetime Achievement Award
• Barbra's acceptance speech.



‡ These segments were not included in the final air version of the television special.



“On the Way to Becoming Me”



• Music by Marvin Hamlisch
• Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman



This song was sung by Lauren Frost, accompanied by Marvin Hamlisch. Frost told BarbraNews:



I met and rehearsed with the Bergmans and Marvin, and the director Gary Smith, about four times before the show, all the while keeping it a secret from Barbra. She had actually invited my parents and I to be her guests at the event but, in order to protect the surprise, I told Barbra that we would be out of town for a family reunion. Even up to the day of the event, Barbra told her assistant she couldn't understand why we couldn't come! Little did Barbra know that I was tucked away, literally hiding, in one of the Beverly Hilton Hotel rooms while she arrived. My little white lie paid off, because she was shocked (and delightfully surprised!) to see me on stage. After I sang she said "Honey, I thought you were in Chicago!" It was an honor for me to sing "On The Way To Becoming Me," the original song written about Barbra for the event, and to portray her as a young girl again, as she was being honored for this lifetime achievement award.



I don't know how I know

But somehow I know what waits for me

Something's whispering to me

You know what you have to do

I'm opening a door I've never seen before

And something tells me where it's leading to

There are signs on the way

And so many things I can't explain

It's as if there were someone

Taking me by the hand

It's all as if it's meant to be

On the way to becoming me

In a world full of evens, I'm an odd

In a tank full of salmon, I'm a cod

On a tray full of scotch, I'm a vodka

On a plate full of crepes, I'm a latka

I'm Brooklyn—but I'll be the Champs-Élysées 

I'm a hot dog—but I'll be a chocolate souffle

I'm an egg cream—but I'll be a café au lait

The world may be from Column B, but I'm from Column A

From the beginning I always knew

That no one's ever gonna tell me what to do

I may be frightened but I'm not afraid

Cause nobody is gonna rain on my parade ...

In the dark of the Loews King 

There on Flatbush Avenue

There are stars overhead

And stars on the silver screen

Gregory Peck—oy! I could cry

Marlon Brando (I could die!)

I'm there with them in every scene

I know just what I want

And I know just what I'll wear

And if they don't like then what do I care?

I wasn't born looking like everyone else

So why should I be like everyone else?

On the way to becoming me 

I'll be going on my own

Will there be lumps in my throat 

And bumps in the road—could be

But it's the laughter I will remember

And what's more I may

Drop an 'A'

On the way to becoming me ...

[Lauren harmonizes to film scene of Streisand singing “Don't Rain On My Parade”]

Note: Marvin Hamlisch and Alan & Marilyn Bergman were nominated for an Emmy Award for writing the song “On The Way To Becoming Me.” Unfortunately, the song did not receive an Emmy.

End / AFI Life Achievement Award 2001