As always, all business had to go through Colonel Parker. He demanded $1million upfront, 50 percent of the gross profits, $1,000 a week in expenses, approval on all of Presley’s songs and a cut of the soundtrack revenues.

Sanders even added one more thing that was even more damaging to the deal. His original proposed contract is kept in the archives at Graceland and states Elvis would be entitled to first position credit and 100 per cent of the listing above the title on all promotional materials and the styling of the finished film.

It was unthinkable. Funny Girl, Hello Dolly and What’s Up Doc had made Streisand a major Hollywood star and she was riding high on 1973’s The Way We Were.

She would expect top billing and Sanders would have known this. Many believe he did it all on purpose.