Funny Girl (musical) Funny Girl (musical) Funny Girl is a 1963 musical (opened on Broadway in 1964) with a book by Isobel Lennart, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill. The semi-biographical plot is based on the life and career of Broadway star, film actress and comedian Fanny Brice featuring her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nick Arnstein. Its original title was "My Man." The musical was produced by Ray Stark, who was Brice's son-in-law via his marriage to her daughter Frances, and starred Barbra Streisand. The production was nominated for eight Tony Awards but, facing tough competition from "Hello,
Fanny Brice of a Grammy Hall of Fame Award for her 1921 recording of "My Man". Brice's Broadway credits include "Fioretta", "Sweet and Low", and "Billy Rose's Crazy Quilt". Her films include "My Man" (1928), "Be Yourself!" (1930) and "Everybody Sing" (1938) with Judy Garland. According to film historian Richard Barrios, "My Man" is a lost film. Brice, Ray Bolger and Harriet Hoctor were the only original Ziegfeld performers to portray themselves in "The Great Ziegfeld" (1936) and "Ziegfeld Follies" (1946). Brice's first radio show was the Philco Hour in February 1930. Brice's first regular radio show was probably "The Chase and