Marty Erlichman, Who Discovered Barbra Streisand and Managed Her for More Than 60 Years, Dies at 97

Marty Erlichman, who discovered Barbra Streisand and managed her career for more than six decades, died on Saturday, October 31, 2026, in Los Angeles. He was 97, and he died of age-related causes, Variety reported.

Family representatives announced his death on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Streisand paid tribute to him in a statement. "I truly thought he would live forever," she said. "Marty can never be replaced, and I will be forever grateful for his friendship, loyalty and unwavering support."

A handshake that lasted more than 60 years

Erlichman was born on September 13, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. He first saw Streisand when she was 19 and performing as an opening act, and he helped her secure her first recording contract with Columbia Records.

Streisand and Erlichman never had a written contract. Their working relationship rested on a handshake and lasted more than 60 years, and he was the only manager she ever had. "We never even had a contract," Streisand said in her statement.

As her manager, Erlichman negotiated her recording, theater, film, television, licensing and concert contracts across that whole span, from the first Columbia Records deal to the tours and specials of her later career.

Concerts, specials and films

Erlichman conceived and executive produced her 2000 Millennium Concert and her 2006 to 2007 world tour. He was executive producer of the 1994 HBO special Barbra: The Concert, which brought him an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award.

His film producing credits reached beyond Streisand. They include her 1974 comedy For Pete's Sake, the 1978 thriller Coma, directed by Michael Crichton, and the 1983 film Breathless, starring Richard Gere.

His other clients over the years included the Irish folk group The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, record producer and songwriter Bob Crewe, the pop group Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, and comedian and actor Chevy Chase.

Erlichman had quietly retired in March 2026, at age 96.

He is survived by his wife, Miko Mayama Erlichman, their son J.J., daughter-in-law Talia, and four grandchildren. Donations in his memory can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or the National Kidney Foundation.

The death was reported by Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, the two trade papers that covered Streisand's career for decades, and it was announced by family representatives on Sunday, with Streisand's own statement carried alongside the announcement.