JFTR page one | JFTR page two

The Video:

Volume One: The 60's • Volume Two: The 70's and 80's

View the NARM video preview of "Just for the Record" in Quicktime.
Click here to view the video [45 MB]

Behind the Video ... by: Matt Howe

Just for the Record, the video, was never released by Sony. Over the years it had attained "Holy Grail" status among Streisand fans who hoped it would eventually be stocked on video store shelves.

Meanwhile, since the project first began, Barbra has added another decade's worth of career accomplishments to her resume!

Streisand fans have traded bootleg copies of the video over the last few years. This article and the photos accompanying it was based on one of those bootleg tapes.

What happened to the Just for the Record (JFTR) video? Why was it never released? And why are so many fans adamant that it should be?

The first volume, "The 60's", concentrated on the beginnings of Streisand's career. Starting in 1955 with Barbra's childhood recording of "You'll Never Know", the video began with amazing photos of the young Streisand.

Barbra's earliest appearances on the radio shows of Jack Harris and Guest House (Feb. 1961, Detroit) were accompanied by more rare, early photos, as well as vintage newspaper clippings.

Hearing Barbra on those early radio and talk shows proved that she was a unique, outspoken, and very funny personality when she first burst on the entertainment scene. Also interesting was that Barbra was just as shy about singing in the 60's as she is now. Mike Wallace drilled her about this on his show and ended up telling his guests, "everybody turn their back on Barbra Streisand" while she performed a song.

JFTR continued telling the Streisand story by showing her Garry Moore Show ("Happy Days") and Ed Sullivan ("Lover Come Back" and "When the Sun Comes Out") appearances. A funny exchange with Tonight Show guest host Groucho Marx (August, 1962) about Barbra's newfound fame and pending casting in "The Fanny Brice Story" was fascinating! Barbra had no qualms about telling Marx, a comedy icon, that he mispronounced her name!

The video's tempo slows down as clips from The Bob Hope Show ("Jimmy Crack Corn") and The Judy Garland Show are shown. (Fans who already own the complete Garland show on DVD, released in 2001, would find this section redundant if JFTR were released today.)

Historic photos and home movies told the Funny Girl story. Barbra, sounding very tired in her pre-Broadway radio interview on the Jack Robbins show, confessed she always knew she'd be famous. A live opening night excerpt of "People" and interviews with celebrities at the Rainbow Room party are to die for! (There's no explanation as to why the home movie footage of actual performances of Funny Girl was not used...The film is historic!)

There's a sweet segment following Funny Girl where Barbra and Elliott Gould's marriage was highlighted. Streisand "narrates" the segment by a revealing radio interview with Lucille Ball (Let's Talk to Lucy, 1964).

Barbra's first television show, My Name is Barbra, was illustrated with her appearance on What's My Line? as well as her Emmy acceptance speech. Two BBC radio interviews (1966) underscore newsreel footage of Barbra arriving in London for her West End run of Funny Girl. Scenes from Color Me Barbra were edited to the song "Starting Here, Starting Now." (A rare clapper of the dress rehearsal was included!)

Next, more rare newsreel film of Barbra arriving back home in the U.S., accompanied by photos of Barbra and Jason (while "He Touched Me" played in the background) ... also, amazing home movie footage of Barbra on stage during her abbreviated 1966 concert tour! The JFTR video included "My Melancholy Baby" from The Belle of 14th Street, as well as two songs from A Happening in Central Park.

Barbra's entry into the world of film (Funny Girl) included a "Don't Rain on My Parade" film montage which included behind-the-scenes footage and costume tests. "My Man" was shown in full. Her Oscar acceptance speech was shown, too. JFTR included a "Hello Dolly" featurette and radio interview. "On A Clear Day" was punctuated by a 1969 BBC filmed interview and a montage of scenes from the film.

Volume One of JFTR ended with some weird editing. As Barbra sang the title song of "Clear Day", the JFTR editors cut to the live version from the International Hotel! Then, as if they couldn't make up their minds, the editors kept switching between the film and the live song. Perhaps they were undecided as to which clip (live or film) would have the greatest effect. As the JFTR video was still a work in progress, temporary credits began to roll as "live" Barbra took her bows. The 60's, therefore, ended with a bang. Streisand, as the video had shown, rose from Brooklyn girl to film and concert star. And it was only 1970 ...

Go to JFTR Page Two >>

Streisand on TV. MORE >>

copyright © 2003-2007 Matt Howe