I'm the Greatest Star Streisand imagining herself in a radiant future in 'I'm the Greatest Star,' an appealingly quirky song, is not only Fanny Brice but all young performers believing in their destinies". Commenting on a 1991 performance by Pia Zadora in the lead role, "Los Angeles Times" critics noted "She has the requisite pluck for 'I'm the Greatest Star. I'm the Greatest Star "I'm the Greatest Star" is a popular song from the 1964 musical "Funny Girl". The show tune was composed by written by Jule Styne with lyrics by Bob Merrill. Barbra Streisand performed it in the role of Fanny Brice, first
Funny Girl (musical) from prison, and he and Fanny decide to separate. She is heartbroken, but resolves to pick up her life again ("Don't Rain on My Parade, Reprise"). Ray Stark had commissioned an authorized biography of Brice, based on taped recollections she had dictated, but was unhappy with the result. It eventually cost him $50,000 to stop publication of "The Fabulous Fanny", as it had been titled by the author. Stark then turned to Ben Hecht to write the screenplay for a biopic, but neither Hecht nor the ten writers who succeeded him were able to produce a version that satisfied Stark.