A Star is Born
Academy Award Winner. Five Golden Globe Winner. American Musical Drama.
A rock star on the decline, John Norman Howard (Kris Kristofferson) has given in to drugs and excessive drinking, and his music has suffered as a result. Wandering into a club one night, John watches singer Esther Hoffman (Barbra Streisand) perform and is smitten. The two begin dating, and soon John lets Esther take the spotlight during his concerts. However, even as Esther finds fame and success with her singing, John continues his downward spiral.
IMBd: A Star is Born (1976)
Production
Directed by Frank Pierson, the film updates the original story and screenplay of William A. Wellman and Robert Carson with additional contributions by Pierson, John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion. It also features Gary Busey and Sally Kirkland. Venetta Fields and Clydie King perform as Streisand’s backing vocalists “The Oreos”. Kristofferson’s then-wife Rita Coolidge and Tony Orlando appear briefly as themselves.
The earlier films had portrayed the behind-the-scenes world of Hollywood filmmaking. However, this version adapted the story to the music business. For example, the 1937 and 1954 films each portrayed the lead female character winning an Academy Award, while the 1976 and 2018 versions depicted the heroine winning a Grammy Award instead.
Movie Gallery
Cast & Crew
Credits
- Frank Pierson – Director
- Frank Pierson, John Gregory Dunne & Joan Didion – Screenplay
- Jon Peters – Producer
- Songs by Rupert Holmes, Paul Williams, Kenny Loggins, Kenny Ascher, Leon Russell, Kris Kristofferson, Marilyn and Alan Bergman, Donna Weiss, Barbra Streisand
Cast
- Barbra Streisand as Esther Hoffman Howard
- Kris Kristofferson as John Norman Howard
- Gary Busey as Bobbie Ritchie
- Paul Mazursky as Brian Wexler
- Joanne Linville as Freddie Lowenstein
- Oliver Clark as Gary Danziger
- Venetta Fields as One (of the Oreos)
- Clydie King as Two (of the Oreos)
- Sally Kirkland as Photographer
- Marta Heflin as Quentin
- Rita Coolidge as Herself
- Tony Orlando as Himself
- M. G. Kelly as DJ Bebe Jesus
- Uncle Rudy as Mo
- Susan Richardson as Groupie (uncredited)
- Robert Englund as Marty (uncredited)
- Maidie Norman as Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
- Martin Erlichman as Manager (uncredited)