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TürkçeLiberace (Wladziu Valentino Liberace)
Photos with Liberace
Biography
West Allis, Wisconsin, USA
Most remembered for his extravagant costumes and trademark candelabra placed on the lids of his flashy pianos, Liberace was loved by his audiences for his music talent and unique showmanship. He was born as Wladziu Valentino Liberace on May 16, 1919, into a musical family, in Wisconsin. His mother, Frances Liberace (née Zuchowski), whose parents were Polish, played the piano. His father, Salvatore Liberace, an immigrant from Formia, Italy, played the French horn. His siblings, George Liberace, Angie Liberace and Rudy Liberace, also had musical ability. Read more... at the age of four. Although Salvatore tried to discourage his son's interest in the piano, praises from Ignacy Jan Paderewski, a famous Polish pianist, helped the young musician follow his musical career.
As a teenager, Liberace earned wages playing popular tunes at movie theaters and speakeasies. Despite being proud of his son's accomplishments, Salvatore strictly opposed Liberace's preference for popular music over the classics. Pianist Florence Bettray Kelly took control of Liberace's classical training when he was 14.
He debuted as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Frederick Stock. At age 17, Liberace joined the Works Progress Administration Symphony Orchestra. He received a scholarship to attend the Wisconsin College of Music. In 1939, after a classical recital, Liberace's audience requested the popular tune, "Three Little Fishes". Liberace seized the opportunity and performed the tune with a semi-classical style which the audience loved. Soon, this unique style of playing the piano got Liberace bookings in large nightclubs.
By 1940, Liberace was traveling with his custom-made piano, on top of which he would place his candelabrum. He then took Paderewski's advice and dropped Wladziu and Valentino to become simply Liberace. South Sea Sinner (1950), a movie with Shelley Winters, was Liberace's film debut. He played a honky tonk pianist in the movie, which opened in 1950.
In 1952, The Liberace Show (1952), a syndicated television program, turned Liberace into a musical symbol. It began as a summertime replacement for The Dinah Shore Show (1951), but after two years, the show was one of the most popular on TV. It was carried by 217 American stations and could be seen in 20 foreign countries. Sold-out live appearances at Madison Square Garden enhanced the pianist's popularity even more. Soon, Liberace added flamboyant costumes and expensive ornaments to his already unique performances. His second movie, Sincerely Yours (1955), opened in 1955, and Liberace wrote his best-selling autobiography, "Liberace", in 1972. His first book, "Liberace Cooks", went into seven printings.
In 1977, Liberace founded the non-profit "Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts". The year 1978 brought the opening of "The Liberace Museum" in Las Vegas, Nevada, which serves as key funding for the Liberace Foundation. The profits from the museum provide scholarship money for financially needy college musicians. He continued performing until the fall of 1986, despite suffering from heart disease and emphysema during most of the 1980s. A closeted homosexual his entire life, Liberace was secretly diagnosed with AIDS sometime in 1986, which he also kept a secret from the public until the day he died. His last concert performance was at Radio City Music Hall on November 2, 1986. He passed away in his Palm Springs home on February 4, 1987 at age 67.
Liberace was bestowed with many awards during his lifetime including: Instrumentalist of the Year, Best Dressed Entertainer, Entertainer of the Year, two Emmy Awards, six gold albums, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In The Guinness Book of World Records, he has been listed as the world's highest paid musician and pianist. Liberace was an extremely talented and versatile man. He not only played the piano, but sang, danced and joked during his performances. In fact, one of Liberace's biggest accomplishments was his ability to turn a recital into a show full of music, glitter and personality.
As a teenager, Liberace earned wages playing popular tunes at movie theaters and speakeasies. Despite being proud of his son's accomplishments, Salvatore strictly opposed Liberace's preference for popular music over the classics. Pianist Florence Bettray Kelly took control of Liberace's classical training when he was 14.
He debuted as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Frederick Stock. At age 17, Liberace joined the Works Progress Administration Symphony Orchestra. He received a scholarship to attend the Wisconsin College of Music. In 1939, after a classical recital, Liberace's audience requested the popular tune, "Three Little Fishes". Liberace seized the opportunity and performed the tune with a semi-classical style which the audience loved. Soon, this unique style of playing the piano got Liberace bookings in large nightclubs.
By 1940, Liberace was traveling with his custom-made piano, on top of which he would place his candelabrum. He then took Paderewski's advice and dropped Wladziu and Valentino to become simply Liberace. South Sea Sinner (1950), a movie with Shelley Winters, was Liberace's film debut. He played a honky tonk pianist in the movie, which opened in 1950.
In 1952, The Liberace Show (1952), a syndicated television program, turned Liberace into a musical symbol. It began as a summertime replacement for The Dinah Shore Show (1951), but after two years, the show was one of the most popular on TV. It was carried by 217 American stations and could be seen in 20 foreign countries. Sold-out live appearances at Madison Square Garden enhanced the pianist's popularity even more. Soon, Liberace added flamboyant costumes and expensive ornaments to his already unique performances. His second movie, Sincerely Yours (1955), opened in 1955, and Liberace wrote his best-selling autobiography, "Liberace", in 1972. His first book, "Liberace Cooks", went into seven printings.
In 1977, Liberace founded the non-profit "Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts". The year 1978 brought the opening of "The Liberace Museum" in Las Vegas, Nevada, which serves as key funding for the Liberace Foundation. The profits from the museum provide scholarship money for financially needy college musicians. He continued performing until the fall of 1986, despite suffering from heart disease and emphysema during most of the 1980s. A closeted homosexual his entire life, Liberace was secretly diagnosed with AIDS sometime in 1986, which he also kept a secret from the public until the day he died. His last concert performance was at Radio City Music Hall on November 2, 1986. He passed away in his Palm Springs home on February 4, 1987 at age 67.
Liberace was bestowed with many awards during his lifetime including: Instrumentalist of the Year, Best Dressed Entertainer, Entertainer of the Year, two Emmy Awards, six gold albums, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In The Guinness Book of World Records, he has been listed as the world's highest paid musician and pianist. Liberace was an extremely talented and versatile man. He not only played the piano, but sang, danced and joked during his performances. In fact, one of Liberace's biggest accomplishments was his ability to turn a recital into a show full of music, glitter and personality.
Actor
Character:
Piano Player / Master of Ceremonies
Merry Mirthquakes 1953
5
Character:
Anthony Warrin
Sincerely Yours 1955
9
Character:
Himself
The Easter Seal Teleparade of Stars 1955
7
Character:
Mr. Starker
The Loved One 1965
1
Character:
Himself
When the Boys Meet the Girls 1965
12
Character:
Himself
Romp!!! 1968
2
Character:
Himself
Taxi zum Klo 1980
1
Character:
Himself
WWE Hall of Fame 2014
0
Character:
Himself
Starrcade: The Essential Collection 2009
0
Character:
Himself
Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami 2008
0
Character:
Himself
Good Night, and Good Luck. 2005
33
Character:
Himself
And the Band Played On 1993
4
Character:
Himself
The True Story of WrestleMania 2011
0
Character:
Himself
Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story 2006
0
Character:
Himself
Patti Page Sings the Hits 2004
0
Character:
Himself
WWE WrestleMania: The Complete Anthology - Vol. 1 2005
0
Character:
Himself
Mr. T and Hulk Hogan/The Commodores 1985
0
Character:
Himself - episode of Jack Paar Tonight Show
When Television Came of Age 2014
0
Character:
Liberace
Hotel 1983
0
Character:
Himself
The Tonight Show 1962
0
Character:
Himself
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour 1967
0
Character:
Himself
Lily: Sold Out 1981
0
Character:
Himself
Donahue 1967
0
Character:
Himself
Texaco Star Theatre 1948
0
Character:
Liberace
Here's Lucy 1968
0
Character:
Himself
Shower of Stars 1954
0
Character:
Himself
The Colgate Comedy Hour 1950
0
Character:
Himself
Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall 1948
2
Character:
Himself
The Dean Martin Show 1965
0
Character:
Himself
The Jackie Gleason Show 1966
0
Character:
Himself
The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show 1956
0
Character:
Himself
Laugh-In 1967
0
Character:
Himself
The Muppet Show 1976
2
Character:
Himself
Sally Jessy Raphael 1985
0
Character:
Himself
The Kraft Music Hall 1967
0
Character:
Himself
The Muppets Go Hollywood 1979
1
Character:
Himself
The Danny Kaye Show 1963
0
Character:
Himself
A Current Affair 1971
0
Character:
Himself
Cher: The Farewell Tour 2003
0
Character:
Himself
Live... And in Person 1983
0
Character:
Himself
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show 1956
0
Character:
Himself
The 54th Annual Academy Awards 1982
22
Character:
Himself
Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story 2005
0
Character:
Himself
Episode #1.3 0
1
Character:
Himself
1975 0
3
Character:
Himself
Mae West 0
0