Richard Amsel a nationwide artists’ talent search; the artist was 22 at the time. Amsel quickly found popularity within New York's art scene, and his illustrations caught the attention of Barry Manilow, then a young singer/songwriter named who was working with Bette Midler, a newly emerging entertainer in cabaret clubs and piano bars. Manilow introduced the two, and it was quickly decided that Amsel should do the cover of her first Atlantic Records album. The cover, for "The Divine Miss M" proved to be one of the most ubiquitous of the year. More album covers and posters soon followed, as did a
Bette Midler Out in Beverly Hills", beginning a successful comedic acting career. She followed that role with several more Touchstone comedies, "Ruthless People" (1986), "Outrageous Fortune" (1987), and "Big Business" (1988). Later in 1988, Midler lent her voice to the animated character Georgette, a snobbish poodle, in Disney's "Oliver & Company", and had a hit with the tearjerker "Beaches", co-starring Barbara Hershey. The accompanying soundtrack remains Midler's all-time biggest selling disc, reaching No. 2 on "Billboard"s album chart and with U.S. sales of four million copies. It featured her biggest hit, "Wind Beneath My Wings", which went to No. 1 on "Billboard"s