Since Barbra Streisand believes in the power and significance of numbers, it’s interesting that Barbra has had amazing personal and career achievements in years ending with the number ‘3’ (1963, 1973, 1983, and 1993). For those who may need some convincing about numerology, the year 1963 seems to prove this theory.
Barbra Streisand was on the brink of stardom and worked very hard in 1963. Columbia Records released her first album in February 1963, and Barbra started promoting it. “Now I’m gonna go and I’m gonna sing in nightclubs all around the country.” In March and April, Barbra sang at Enrico Banducci's famous nightclub the “hungry i” (the name stood for "hungry intellectual") in San Francisco. Randy Wallace, who owned a record store and saw Streisand at the hungry i at least “thirty times” says the venue “was a small room. To be up close to this … her youth and intensity. Your scalp tingled.” Barbra performed at other nightclub hotspots, including Basin Street East in New York (as Benny Goodman’s opening act).

Streisand had her hair styled by Kenneth in Manhattan in 1963. But it was at Mr. Kelly’s in Chicago that Barbra met Fred Glaser, who would spiff up her image with a sophisticated, short hairdo. “For stage she wanted her hair to move when she did, so I cut it that way,” Glaser remembered. Barbra was in Las Vegas opening for Liberace when the The Second Barbra Streisand Album was released in August 1963. Two albums in one year, six months apart!

Barbra made memorable appearances on several television shows in 1963. She visited The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson four times. She spent a whole week on the Mike Douglas show. Douglas remembers, “We had her on the show several times when she first started. She walked around backstage pointing at her throat and not talking. We started to panic until we realized she was just saving her voice for the show. She was magnificent." Barbra had high profile guest shots on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Dinah Shore Show in March and May of 1963. She finished up the year with The Bob Hope Comedy Special and an amazing appearance on The Judy Garland Show.

As if that wasn’t enough, Barbra also found herself up for the role of Fanny Brice in the Broadway musical of her life story. Funny Girl producer Ray Stark (Brice was his real life mother in law) and composer Jule Styne wanted Barbra for the role. Rehearsals would start in December 1963. The show would become part of Streisand’s legend. Barbra also took some time – but not a lot! – for her personal life in 1963. She and Elliott Gould moved into a two story penthouse apartment in New York City. While performing at Harrah’s in Nevada, Barbra and Elliott were married. Barbra was 21 years old. 1963 was certainly Barbra’s year!