AN OPEN LETTER TO BARBRA February 2002 Dear Barbra, It has gnawed at me for years that you have believed that I blamed you for cutting most of my scenes from “Funny Girl.” I felt the sadness of the misunderstanding all over again when I read a supposed quote of yours last year saying that you had heard me blame you on a TV talk show. The only talk show I did on the subject was on Johnny Carson, and Joey Bishop was subbing that night. I tried to make it plain that I did not blame you, and had no idea why I was cut from the film. To this day, I don’t know the circumstances that caused the decision, but I am lead to believe it probably had to do with the length of the film. The sub plot of Georgia’s histrionics with Florenz Ziegfeld was really not necessary to the story about Fanny Brice. In all fairness, I understand that the press believed that I felt that way because my public relations person, who was also a very dear friend, did believe it, and she made the statements that were attributed to me. I was caught in the middle, and rather than point a finger at her, I did the best I could to refute the story whenever confronted by an interviewer. The whole thing was messy and painful. I had never been embroiled in that sort of ruckus before. I know you were going through a lot of flack as well during those stormy days when first you hit Hollywood (or It hit you!). I had hoped then that it would all blow over quickly, but when I saw the quote you allegedly made recently, I felt awful once more. At the age of thirty five (over the hill in those days!), the role of Georgia was a great gem for me, and I had high hopes (I had just come off of “Honey West”) that it would do a lot for my “career.” The flashy role, along with the drunk scene (which hit the editor’s floor) pretty much cinched the prospect of a supporting nomination with the Academy that year. So, you can understand the humiliation when each day a note would be slipped under my dressing room door, “omit scene so and so.” The scene named would always be the one I had been called in to do that day. I am not whining, dear lady. We’ve all taken our lumps in this “Business.” I’m just sharing with you what was going on at that time with me. You had your own problems. I marveled at how you handled yourself on your first encounter with the alien world of the film industry. Funny girl with Walter Pidgeon & Barbra Streisand I have had the greatest respect for your talent and for what you have made of yourself, Barbra. You are a brilliant woman and I have always wished you the very best. One more time, it is important for me before I leave this planet to say, I have never accused you of having the role of Georgia cut to the quick. God Bless P.S. Your direction of “Prince of Tides” was superb.