Happy Throwback Thursday! Our throwback year today is 1976. One of the biggest movies that year was A Star is Born, starring Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. It was the second remake of the original 1937 film, which had also been adapted to a musical in 1954 starring Judy Garland. The 1976 version updated the original story. The earlier movies showed the behind-the-scenes world of Hollywood and filmmaking, while this version changed it to be about the music industry.
Streisand and her then-partner co-produced the movie. Among the actors they considered for the male lead were Neil Diamond and Marlon Brando. Who they really wanted though was Elvis. They met with him and discussed the film, and Elvis was interested, hoping it might revive his film career. However, his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, insisted Elvis get top billing and demanded substantial money for the role. That put an end to Elvis’ involvement, and the role eventually went to Kristofferson.
A Star is Born premiered on December 18, 1976. It was a huge hit, grossing $80 million on a $6 million budget and becoming the 2nd-highest-grossing movie that year. The soundtrack was also a hit, selling nearly 15 million copies worldwide. The ballad “Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star is Born) spent 3 weeks at number one in the U.S. and was one of the biggest hits of Streisand’s career.
The movie was nominated for 4 Academy Awards, winning for Best Original Song. “Evergreen” also earned 4 Grammy nominations, winning 3. They were Streisand’s first Grammy’s in 12 years.
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