Wladziu Valentino Liberace, known popularly by his stage name Liberace, was born May 16, 1919, in West Allis, Wisconsin. His parents were Frances Zuchowksi and Salvatore Liberace, Polish American and Italian immigrant respectively. While many think of Liberace as the consummate one-man show, fewer people realize he actually had a twin. Tragically, the twin died at birth.
Seemingly destined for the spotlight, Liberace learned classical piano and began playing publicly. He soon found, however, the classical pieces were met with polite, if not bored, applause while his pop music encores were enthusiastically cheered. He altered his act to "classical music with the boring parts left out" and began performing in 1940s nightclubs.
By 1952, Liberace had garnered enough success to warrant his own television series titled The Liberace Show. It was here he solidified his now famous persona of the man with extravagant costumes, jewelry, and, of course, his silver candelabrum. He also became associated with his characteristic charm and wit, which was usually used to mockingly cut himself down. For a brief time The Liberace Show even earned higher ratings than the beloved series I Love Lucy, starring Lucille Ball and Ricky Ricardo. For his contribution to the entertainment world, and television specifically, Liberace was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.
Liberace is also associated with a brief but memorable two-episode appearance on Batman. beside Adam West and Burt Ward. His other numerous television appearances included Kojak, with Telly Savalas; Here's Lucy; and a slew of celebrity talk shows such as The Andy Williams Show, The Jackie Gleason Show, The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. He even appeared on the seminal sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, beside Mr T, Hulk Hogan, Jim Belushi, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Harry Shearer, and Martin Short.
Liberace's success was punctuated by over two million record sales in 1953 alone as well as a critically lauded role as the casket salesman in a film adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel, The Loved One. The film starred Jonathan Winters, Milton Berle, James Coburn, and Roddy McDowall. He also had a very public, very successful performance at the London Palladium beside fellow musicians Sammy Davis Jr and Nat King Cole. He continued to successfully (and lucratively) perform in Las Vegas long after his other entertainment endeavors concluded.
Liberace is perhaps as well known for his professional career as he is for speculation about his personal life. Rumors were rampant that he was homosexual, even inciting lawsuits against newspaper tabloids that insinuated the fact. In turn, his live-in partner, Scott Thorson, sued Liberace for $113 million when the relationship collapsed. The issue was settled out of court.
Liberace died February 4, 1987, in Palm Springs, California, due to complications from AIDS, admitting on his deathbed he wished to conceal his sexuality so it wasn't all his fans remembered about him.
YUDDY
