Did Anyone Here Like Liberace???

You'll get more answers if you ask "did anyone here HAVE Liberace???"

Mr. Showmanship!

It's a shame that Liberace is overlooked as one of the best entertainers of the 20th century. Few people commanded a stage like he did.

It's a declining audience as time marches on OP. I know who he is but don't remember seeing him on TV so have no real idea of what was supposed to be so entertaining about him. Different times and all that.

I never thought he was "entertaining." He was pure kitsch. His flamboyant clothes and stage settings distracted the listener from his mediocre piano playing. As a piano player he was competent but mechanical. I though he had little real talent. All flash and no substance.

I liked him when he was the special guest villain on Batman. I had never even heard of him before that.

[quote]I never thought he was "entertaining." He was pure kitsch. His flamboyant clothes and stage settings distracted the listener from his mediocre piano playing.

^^^^ Is Clara from Andy Griffith

I saw him when I was a teenager at the Grandstand Show at the State Fair. It was an incredibly entertaining show.

Sonja Henie

Nana,

How many times to I have to tell you...stop posting on Datalounge!

Not many left and still alive to remember him. The only thing I recall is his famous watermelon diet.

R7 gets it right. You had to be there. In person. Three minutes here or there on television variety shows doesn't reveal what made him so popular for so very long. I saw him in concert once when I was a child at an outdoor summer theater in the midwest. He sold out the entire week and the audience seemed to love every minute of it. As a youngster, I had never seen a car driven onto a stage. I had certainly never seen a rhinestone Rolls Royce. But I liked it. I liked all of his theatricality and outrageousness. Didn't know what a drag queens was, but Liberace did a pretty good job of tipping me off to it.

Years later, I saw his last performance at Radio City Music Hall (which may have been his last performance ever.) Two American friends and I took a mutual friend who was a European gay man who had never heard of Liberace. He saw Liberace fly in for his first entrance. He saw Liberace and the RCMH dancing waters. Liberace high kicking in fur hot pants along with the Rockettes. The rhinestone Rolls appeared. It was a mad, camp, crazy two hours. Our friend loved the outrageous show he had seen, as did everyone in that mammoth hall. If I recall correctly, that engagement broke the previous record for the highest box office take. He was successful, extremely successful, right to the end. Though he must have been terribly ill, it never showed. He sold out two weeks at Radio City, performed like a demon at every show, and died four months later.

I don't think I would have liked him personally, but as a performer? Respect, respect, respect.

He WAS show business.

He had, then, a young lover named Scott Thorsen. There was a very public palimony suit.

Went to his museum in Vegas and no one there was under 70 except my friend and I.

R13, no! Really?

R15 = Matt Damon

R13, they should make a movie about it. I suggest calling it "Sincerely Yours".

I'm 46 and I barely remember him. He definitely had no bearing on me being gay.

He was gross as hell.

"Is Clara from Andy Griffith."

Actually Clara and Aunt Bee and all her other cronies would probably have loved Liberace. Old women adored hm. Such a nice young man and he loves his mother SO much! Yes, old ladies were a great part of his fan base.

He always creeped me out--and that was long before I knew he was gay or that I might be.

Where's Confidential magazine when you need it?

I guess i have to see first the movie to tell you.

I don't know much about the guy.

I'm so glad I got to see the museum in Vegas (twice!) before it closed down. TOTALLY worth it.

Hated him, because he got me in trouble. When I was a kid I heard the phrase "Liberace itchy crotchy" I had no idea who Liberace was or even what the phrase meant, it was just catchy and I kept repeating it. Mom got really pissed when I kept repeating it when she had friends over. I got sent to my room and I had no idea what I did wrong. Damn Itchy crotchy Liberace.

Liberace was wonderful as an obsequious funeral director in The Loved One.

On film, he looked like Danny Kaye with a Bobby Brady dye job.

As a gayling in the late 70s and early 80s I remember seeing the commercials for his records and desperately wanting them.

He's interesting as part of lgbt history especially as a story of how people survived the closet in the Red Scare and Lavender Scare periods of the 50's. He sued someone who said he was a homosexual and he won the case. And he had a show on nationwide tv. Of course the closet exacts a price but he was better off than those stuck in small towns and other places where it was harder to survive than in the more flamboyant world of show business where, even with his success, you know he was called a fag, ridiculed especially by other closet cases.

[quote]Actually Clara and Aunt Bee and all her other cronies would probably have loved Liberace. Old women adored hm. Such a nice young man and he loves his mother SO much! Yes, old ladies were a great part of his fan base.

My grandmother had an elderly neighbor in the '50s named Mrs. Shelnutt who was a Liberace fangurl. Went to see him in concert, got him to autograph her hand, and then refused to wash it for days. He truly was the Elvis of the dry-vagina set.

Speaking of Elvis, he greatly admired Liberace for his showmanship.

Who else could have played (funeral) counselor Mr. Starker ..... ?

" This is the 'Prince Albert', one of our most popular slumber room ensembles ......... "

My dad likes Liberace and he's not gay.

I am 52 years old and he was before my time even. I think I remember clips on the TV when I was a kid. Never paid attention to him. Adults would say "oh he is real good on the piano".

That's kind of all I know about him r34. I was a kid when he died and I remember my aunt going on about how he was such a good pianist and my mom nodding in agreement but saying to me on the drive back that anyone who needed "all that razzmatazz" was hiding that they just weren't all that hot. She was quite smart about these things, could always see through bullshit.

I'm 53 and always thought he was fun, campy and he had a sense of humor. He even laughed at himself and was a gentleman. My grandmother adored him and he appealed to middle aged and elderly women. My aunt, who is a vicious, homophobic cunt, attended a Liberace concert and adored him. She collects Nazi memorabilia and of course is a religious far right Republican. We haven't spoken in over 20 years and then rarely before it.

His brother George.

Hello, everybody!

Liberace admitted himself he wasn't a great pianist. He said he was told by a piano teacher that he would never be a concert grade pianist, so he decided to become an entertainer playing popular music instead. His shows were about his personality, he was really an old vaudeville-style variety entertainer. He would tell jokes and talk while he played. He appeared on variety shows playing the piano and doing small skits, stuff like the Carol Burnett show or similar variety shows. He was known to be a charming, self-effacing, friendly and unpretentious man that was always gracious to his fans. As he said when he was criticized by the critics, " I cried all the way to the bank."

It's a shame he couldn't be an out gay man then. A lot of people then didn't really know any out gay people and didn't understand his campy persona was just in the tradition of gay camp. They'd never seen gay camp. People just thought of him as a type of quintessentially American entertainer. The more and more over-the-top costumes were said to be his way of outdoing himself from the last show, to give his audience their money's worth. They were a sort of joke between him and his fans. People came to his shows to see what grandiose spectacle he would put on next.

This was kind of similar to the kind of extreme costumes and eyeglasses Elton John performed in, in his early days. Elton John's early onstage persona was inspired by him. Every new Liberace show had to be bigger and better than the last.

I think as the years passed, he was tired of being in the closet and just wanted to be a flamboyant gay man. In the Seventies he could almost, but not quite get away with it. At least he was in all but name. He was a pioneer in mainstream gay entertainment and I think that's how he'd like to be remembered now.

Here's a clip of Liberace playing the piano with comedian Jack Benny. Benny was famous for playing the violin horribly. They're playing a version of Jack Benny's musical theme, Liberace style, complete with flourishes, much to Benny's annoyance.

I'm a 40 something heterosexual woman and remember Liberace from the 1970's and 1980's. I found him charming, entertaining and funny. I was drawn to a lot of campy things from an early age (Match Game, Disco Ethel Merman, Bewitched, Hollywood Squares, etc) and felt as though his gimmick fit my idea of entertainment, even if I didn't fully understand it. I also distinctly recall finding him "non-threatening". As a little girl in the 70's, I was fearful of most men, especially macho types with moustaches and long beards. I must have sensed Liberace was different in some way from most men I encountered, but had no idea why. I think it's tragic that many people had and still have to lead their lives in some closeted form because there is still so much hatred and bigotry for homosexuals. I cannot imagine how utterly damaging and destructive that must be to a person's psyche. I hope the strides made against homophobia continue to occur with much more frequency so that everybody can comfortably live their authentic lives out in the open.

Our fabulous late Mexican trans eldersister said that Liberace had the Mexican Ballet Folklorico in her Vegas show once. After the show she invited them all back to her house where she proceeded to sniff white powder, play the piano for them and them suck off the entire troupe: balls cheese and all!

Obviously she developed and died from "the gift" due to pharma(AZT et al.) and /or rec drug use. as is the case in all North American and Wester Europe cases.

You are a piece of disgust MPC. You will be banned from here again within 48 hours. Die with your disease. You are too ugly to live.

As a kid in the70s, I had no interest but was dragged to his Las Vegas show with the Dancing Waters. I loved it! The Dancing Waters were very pretty, but got boring after a few minutes. But Liberace was amazing! He chattered and laughed, told jokes and played the piano with great flourish. He lit up the stage with his personality and sense of humor. I will admit that I didn't understand all of the jokes, but all the grownups were laughing. He made several wardrobe changes and had spectacular entrances. With the help of wires, he "flew" on stage. Yes, he drove the Rolls Royce to everyone's amazement. When he walked on with a gorgeous white fur coat with enormous train trailing dramatically behind him, the audience went crazy. Liberace smiled and said, "What? This old thing?" R11 describes it more eloquently than I can. Forty years later, I can understand and appreciate Liberace even more. What a performer!

r42 = on the payroll of global multi-billion dollar scam known as HIV/AID$ Inc.

(but it sure beats working for a living!)

"The say that George and I are fairies.........

Liberace deserved better than a paltry 46 replies.

Mr. Lee-ber-ah-chay

I remember my mother and aunts all adored Liberace. They never missed his tv show. "He is such a good looking boy" they would say. They liked that he was devoted to his mother and brother. Never a mention of him being "that way". I do remember my father's raised eyebrow and rolling eyes though. He was the flamboyant showman we know from Vegas much later on. In the fifties the only word I ever heard to describe gay men was "that way" or sissy, in high school it was queer. By the time I was a hippie in 68, Liberace's gayness was an open secret, wink wink.

It was called "Behind the Candelabra", R15 and R17

I'm surprised no one mentioned his Fabulous commercials from the 70s...

...and the 80s. Almost forgot about this little gem.

Liberace was NOT gay, you fairies! He was desperatly in love with Sonja Henie but she broke his heart and that's the reason he'll never be able to love another dame again.

When asked by multiple 70s talk show hosts why he hadn't married and settled down yet, Liberace would simply smile and say, "I just haven't met the right girl yet." He conducted himself with dignity and a sense of humor.

That qualifies as dignity R53?

He was a very mediocre player. My grandfather was an exceptional concert pianist who, because of health issues couldn't continue his career. I know it burnt him up every time he saw that man's face on TV.

Your grandfather sounds like a loathsome individual.

[quote] 1969 Liberace Show plaing Tchaikovsky

No, he wasn't R56. He just found it difficult to see mediocre talent celebrated while stellar talent is ignored. Not just his own, I'm talking about myriads of talented musicians.

A few months ago WLIW in the NYC area showed his special show with the London Symphony Orchestra as a fund raiser. It was one of the best shows I've seen in a while.

Liberace redefined what was acceptable presentation for a male performer. He really was a pioneer in his over-the-top stage persona and paved the way for Elton John, Bowie, Sylvester, Boy George and many others.

R60 – And don't forget paving the way for Disney Princes Gio & Tommi.

"No, he wasn't [R56]. He just found it difficult to see mediocre talent celebrated while stellar talent is ignored. Not just his own, I'm talking about myriads of talented musicians."

Some people got it and make it pay...some people can't even give it away!!!

Who was Liberace's inspiration?

the incomparable Hildegarde (from Milwaukee)

[quote] Who was Liberace's inspiration?

I came across this old thread (I don't remember Liberace myself -- born early 1980s -- and wondered DL's take), and I just want to say that responses like r11, r29, r39, and r60 are why I keep coming back to DL.