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71-449: William Dance (20 December 1755 – 5 June 1840) was an English pianist and violinist . William Dance was the grandson of the architect George Dance (c.1694–1768). His father was the actor James Dance (1721–1774) and his mother may have been James' wife Elizabeth or the actress Mrs Love. He was born on 20 December 1755 in London, England, UK. Dance studied the piano under Theodore Aylward

142-413: A Carnegie Hall concert, Liberace's music "must be served with all the available tricks, as loud as possible, as soft as possible, and as sentimental as possible. It's almost all showmanship topped by whipped cream and cherries." Even worse, to said critics, was his apparent lack of reverence and fidelity to the great composers. "Liberace recreates—if that is the word—each composition in his own image. When it

213-641: A bright but unknown young assistant at a Southwark bookshop who was interested in self-improvement and science. Dance mentored him by providing tickets for him to attend lectures at the Royal Institution . This UK musical biography article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Pianist Contemporary classical pianists focus on dedicating their careers to performing, recording, teaching, researching, and continually adding new compositions to their repertoire. In contrast to their 19th-century counterparts, they typically do not engage in

284-412: A deep determination to give as his legacy to the world, a family of musicians dedicated to the advancement of the art." Liberace began playing the piano at the age of four. While Sam took his children to concerts to further expose them to music, he was a taskmaster demanding high standards from the children in both practice and performance. Liberace's prodigious talent was evident from his early years. By

355-551: A dramatic demotion: When Sincerely Yours played first run at the Orpheum in Seattle, the billing was altered even more: Joanne Dru, Dorothy Malone, and Alex Nicol above the title (with big head shots of all three) and below the title in much smaller letters: "with Liberace at the piano". Originally, Sincerely Yours was meant to be the first of a two-picture movie contract, but it proved a massive box-office flop. The studio then bought back

426-436: A dressing room, and he nearly died. He later said that what saved him from more injury was being woken by his entourage to the news that John F. Kennedy had been assassinated . Told by doctors that his condition was fatal, he began to spend his entire fortune by buying extravagant gifts of furs, jewels, and even a house for friends, but then recovered after a month. Re-energized, Liberace returned to Las Vegas, and increasing

497-541: A fervour that made my previous interest in the piano look like neglect." Paderewski later became a family friend as well as Liberace's mentor, to whom the protege never missed any opportunities to pay tribute. The Depression was financially hard on the Liberace family. In childhood, Liberace suffered from a speech impediment; as a teen, he was taunted by neighborhood children, who mocked him for his effeminate personality, his avoidance of sports, and his fondness for cooking and

568-458: A formal classical music competition in 1937, Liberace was praised for his "flair and showmanship". At the end of a traditional classical concert in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1939, Liberace played his first requested encore, the popular comedy song " Three Little Fishies ". He later stated that he played the popular tune in the styles of several different classical composers. The 20-year-old played with

639-452: A frequent and welcomed guest on The Tonight Show with Jack Paar in the 1960s, with memorable exchanges with Zsa Zsa Gabor and Muhammad Ali , and later with Johnny Carson. He was Red Skelton 's 1969 CBS summer replacement with his own variety hour, taped in London. Skelton and Lew Grade's production companies co-produced this program. In a cameo on The Monkees , he appeared at an avant-garde art gallery as himself, gleefully smashing

710-516: A grand piano with a sledgehammer as Mike Nesmith looked on and cringed in mock agony. In the Batman television series in 1966 with Adam West and Burt Ward , Liberace played a dual role as concert pianist Chandell and his gangster-like twin Harry, who was extorting Chandell into a life of crime as Fingers, in the episodes "The Devil's Fingers" and "The Dead Ringers". The episodes of this two-part story were

781-418: A letter to a critic that stated "Thank you for your very amusing review. After reading it, in fact, my brother George and I laughed all the way to the bank." He responded similarly to subsequent poor reviews, famously modifying it to "I cried all the way to the bank." In an appearance on The Tonight Show some years later, Liberace retold the anecdote to Johnny Carson and finished by saying "I don't cry all

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852-596: A pianist in general) for being "pure fluff with minimal musicianship". In his life, he received six gold records. Liberace's final stage performance was at New York's Radio City Music Hall on November 2, 1986; it was his 18th show over a tour of 21 days (from October 16), and the concert series grossed just over $ 2.5 million at the theater box office. His final television appearance was on Christmas Day that same year on The Oprah Winfrey Show , which had actually been videotaped in Chicago over one month earlier. Liberace

923-464: A point in press releases that it was pronounced "Liber-Ah-chee". He wore white tie and tails for better visibility in large halls. Besides clubs and occasional work as an accompanist and rehearsal pianist, Liberace played for private parties, including ones at the Park Avenue home of millionaire oilman J. Paul Getty . By 1947, he was billing himself as "Liberace—the most amazing piano virtuoso of

994-602: A record $ 138,000 (equivalent to $ 1,570,000 in 2023) for one performance, was more successful than the great triumph his idol Paderewski had made 20 years earlier. He was mentioned as a sex symbol in The Chordettes 1954 No. 1 hit " Mr. Sandman ". By 1955, he was making $ 50,000 per week (equivalent to $ 568,696 in 2023) at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and had over 200 official fan clubs with 250,000 members. He

1065-430: A regular network series. Instead, producer Duke Goldstone mounted a filmed version of Liberace's local show performed before a live audience for syndication in 1953 and sold it to scores of local stations. The widespread exposure of the syndicated series made the pianist more popular and prosperous than ever. His first two years' earnings from television netted him $ 7 million, and on future reruns, he earned up to 80% of

1136-415: A retreat off-stage, Liberace's shows ended with the public invited on-stage to touch his clothes, piano, jewelry and hands. Kisses, handshakes, hugs and caresses usually followed. A critic summarized his appeal near the end of Liberace's life: "Mr. Showmanship has another more potent, drawing power to his show: the warm and wonderful way he works his audience. Surprisingly enough, behind all the glitz glitter,

1207-494: A telegram that read: "What you said hurt me very much. I cried all the way to the bank." He sued the newspaper for libel, testifying in a London court that he was not homosexual and that he had never taken part in homosexual acts. He was represented in court by Gilbert Beyfus , one of the great barristers of the period. Liberace won the suit, partly on the basis of Connor's use of the derogatory expression "fruit-flavoured". The case partly hinged on whether Connor knew that " fruit "

1278-548: Is an imitation-vaudeville hour and the little-known sequel Merry Mirthquakes (1953) featured Liberace as master of ceremonies. In 1955, Liberace was at the height of his career when tapped by Warner Bros. for his first starring movie Sincerely Yours (1955), a remake of The Man Who Played God (1932), as a concert pianist who turns his efforts toward helping others when his career is cut short by deafness. In April 1955, Modern Screen magazine claimed Doris Day had been most often mentioned as Liberace's leading lady, "but it

1349-517: Is doubtful that Doris will play the role. Liberace's name alone will pack theatres and generous Liberace would like to give a newcomer a break." ( Joanne Dru , an established movie actress, was the leading lady.) When Sincerely Yours was released in November, the studio mounted an ad and poster campaign with Liberace's name in huge, eccentric, building-block letters above and much larger than the title. "Fabulously yours in his first starring motion picture!"

1420-440: Is too difficult, he simplifies it. When it is too simple, he complicates it." They referred to his "sloppy technique" that included "slackness of rhythms, wrong tempos, distorted phrasing , an excess of prettification and sentimentality, a failure to stick to what the composer has written." Liberace once stated "I don't give concerts. I put on a show." Unlike the concerts of classical pianists that normally ended with applause and

1491-644: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra on January 15, 1940, at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, performing Liszt 's Second Piano Concerto under the baton of Hans Lange , for which he received strong reviews. He also toured in the Midwest. From 1942 to 1944, Liberace moved from straight classical performance and reinvented his act to one featuring "pop with a bit of classics" or as he called it "classical music with

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1562-550: The European Parliament for his "outstanding contribution to European cooperation and the promotion of common values". Liberace Władziu Valentino Liberace (May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987) was an American pianist, singer and actor. He was born in Wisconsin to parents of Italian and Polish origin and enjoyed a career spanning four decades of concerts, recordings, television, motion pictures and endorsements. At

1633-456: The 1980s, he guest-starred on television shows such as Saturday Night Live (on a tenth-season episode hosted by Hulk Hogan and Mr. T ) as well as the 1984 film Special People . In 1985, he appeared at the first WrestleMania as the guest timekeeper for the main event. Before his arrival in Hollywood in 1947, Liberace wanted to add acting to his list of accomplishments. His exposure to

1704-456: The Hollywood crowd through his club performances led to his first movie appearance in Universal's South Sea Sinner (1950), a tropical island drama starring MacDonald Carey and Shelley Winters , in which he was billed as "a Hoagy Carmichael sort of character with long hair". Liberace appeared as a guest star in two compilation features for RKO Radio Pictures . Footlight Varieties (1951)

1775-489: The San Fernando Valley. The house featured a piano theme throughout, including a piano-shaped swimming pool that remains today. His dream home, with its lavish furnishings, elaborate bath and antiques, added to his image. He leveraged his fame through hundreds of promotional tie-ins with banks, insurance companies, automobile companies, food companies, and even morticians. Liberace was an experienced pitchman and relied on

1846-635: The Way to the Bank , for a detailed report of the trial based on transcripts, court reports and interviews, by the former Daily Mirror journalist Revel Barker. Liberace sued and settled a similar case in the United States against Confidential . Rumors and gossip magazines frequently implied that Liberace was homosexual throughout his career, which he continued to vehemently deny. A typical issue of Confidential in 1957 stated "Why Liberace's Theme Song Should Be ' Mad About

1917-531: The actor due to his mother's interest in show business). Liberace's father played the French horn in bands and cinemas, and often worked as a factory worker or laborer. While Sam encouraged music in his family, his wife Frances (despite having been a concert pianist before her marriage) believed music lessons and a record player to be unaffordable luxuries. This disagreement caused family disputes. Liberace later said "My dad's love and respect for music created in him

1988-502: The age of 7, he was capable of memorizing difficult pieces. He studied the technique of the Polish pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski . At the age of eight, he met Paderewski backstage after a concert at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee. "I was intoxicated by the joy I got from the great virtuoso's playing", Liberace said later. "My dreams were filled with fantasies of following his footsteps...Inspired and fired with ambition, I began to practice with

2059-510: The bell in the dramatically lighted, well-presented, showmanly routine. He should snowball into box office." The Chicago Times was similarly impressed: He "made like Chopin one minute and then turns on a Chico Marx bit the next." During this time, Liberace worked to refine his act. He added the candelabrum as his trademark, inspired by a similar prop in the Chopin biopic A Song to Remember (1945). He adopted Liberace as his stage name, making

2130-543: The boring parts left out". In the early 1940s, he struggled in New York City, but by the mid- and late-1940s, he was performing in night clubs in major cities around the United States and "gained national exposure through his performance contracts with the Statler and Radisson hotel chains", largely abandoning classical music. He changed from a classical pianist to an entertainer and showman, unpredictably and whimsically mixing

2201-504: The camera and breaking that wall. He felt like Liberace stole his soul." Liberace had to have a piano to match his growing presence, so he bought a rare, oversized, gold-leafed Blüthner Grand, which he hyped up in his press kit as a "priceless piano". Later, he performed with an array of extravagant, custom-decorated pianos, some encrusted with rhinestones and mirrors. He moved to the Los Angeles neighborhood of North Hollywood in 1947 and

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2272-605: The composition or transcription of music. While some classical pianists may specialize in accompaniment and chamber music , a smaller number opt for full-time solo careers. Mozart could be considered the first concert pianist, as he performed widely on the piano. Composers Beethoven and Clementi from the Classical era were also famed for their playing, as were, from the Romantic era , Liszt , Brahms , Chopin , Mendelssohn , Rachmaninoff , and Schumann . The Romantic era also saw

2343-630: The contract, effectively paying Liberace not to make a second movie. The experience left Liberace so shaken that he largely abandoned his movie aspirations. He made two more big-screen appearances, but only in cameo roles. These were When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965), starring Connie Francis , where Liberace essentially played himself. He received kudos for his brief appearance as a casket salesman in The Loved One (1965), based on Evelyn Waugh 's satire of

2414-462: The corny false modesty, and the shy smile, Liberace exudes a love that is returned to him a thousand-fold." Liberace mostly bypassed radio before trying a television career, thinking radio unsuitable given his act's dependence on the visual. Despite his enthusiasm about the possibilities of television, Liberace was disappointed after his early guest appearances on The Kate Smith Show and DuMont 's Cavalcade of Stars , with Jackie Gleason . Liberace

2485-693: The elder (1730–1801) and the violin under Charles Frederick Baumgarten . He later studied with the renowned Felice Giardini . Dance played violin in the orchestra at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane from 1771 to 1774 and in the King's Theatre orchestra 1775–1793. He was lead violinist at the Haymarket Theatre during the summer seasons (1784–90) and at the Handel commemoration in Westminster Abbey in 1790. Dance

2556-862: The emergence of pianists better known for their performances than for composing, such as Clara Schumann and Hans von Bülow . Jazz pianists almost always perform with other musicians. Their playing is more free than that of classical pianists, and they create an air of spontaneity in their performances. They generally do not write down their compositions; improvisation is a significant part of their work. Well known jazz pianists include Bill Evans , Art Tatum , Duke Ellington , Thelonious Monk , Oscar Peterson , Bud Powell , McCoy Tyner , Chick Corea , Herbie Hancock , and Brad Mehldau . Popular pianists might work as live performers (concert, theatre, etc.) or session musicians . Arrangers most likely feel at home with synthesizers and other electronic keyboard instruments. Notable popular pianists include Liberace , who at

2627-523: The funeral business and movie industry in Southern California. The massive success of Liberace's syndicated television show was the main impetus behind his record sales. From 1947 to 1951, he recorded 10 discs. By 1954, it jumped to nearly 70. He released several recordings through Columbia Records , including Liberace by Candlelight (later on Dot and through direct television advertising) and sold over 400,000 albums by 1954. His most popular single

2698-421: The glamor and glitz, he took on the sobriquet Mr. Showmanship. As his act swelled with spectacle, he famously stated "I'm a one-man Disneyland ." The costumes became more exotic (ostrich feathers, mink, capes and huge rings), entrances and exits more elaborate (chauffeured onstage in a Rolls-Royce or dropped in on a wire like Peter Pan ), choreography more complex (involving chorus girls, cars and animals), and

2769-496: The height of his fame from the 1950s to 1970s, he was the highest-paid entertainer in the world with established concert residencies in Las Vegas and an international touring schedule. He embraced a lifestyle of flamboyant excess both on and off stage. Władziu Valentino Liberace (known as Lee to his friends and Walter to family) was born in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 16, 1919. His grandfather Valentino Liberace (1836–1909)

2840-425: The height of his fame was one of the highest paid entertainers in the world , as well as Elton John and Billy Joel , so nicknamed "The Piano Man", others include Richard Clayderman , who is known for his covers of popular tunes and the late Victor Borge , who performed as a comedian. A single listing of pianists in all genres would be impractical, given the multitude of musicians noted for their performances on

2911-558: The highest-rated of all the show's episodes. His subsequent television appearances included episodes of Here's Lucy (1970), Kojak and The Muppet Show (both 1978), all as himself. His performances in the last of these included a "Concerto for the Birds", "Misty", "Five Foot Two" and a rendition of " Chopsticks ". Television specials were made from Liberace's show at the Las Vegas Hilton in 1978-1979 which were broadcast on CBS. In

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2982-455: The home-movie market by Castle Films . In 1944, he made his first appearances in Las Vegas, which later became his principal venue. He was playing at the best clubs, finally appearing at the Persian Room in 1945, and Variety wrote "Liberace looks like a cross between Cary Grant and Robert Alda . He has an effective manner, attractive hands which he spotlights properly, and withal, rings

3053-432: The instrument. Below are links to lists of well-known or influential pianists divided by genres: Many important composers were also virtuoso pianists. The following is an incomplete list of such musicians. Some people, having received a solid piano training in their youth, decide not to continue their musical careers but choose nonmusical ones. As a result, there are prominent communities of amateur pianists all over

3124-652: The most famous of which was Liberace Cooks , co-authored by cookbook guru Carol Truax , which included "Liberace Lasagna" and "Liberace Sticky Buns". The book features recipes "from his seven dining rooms" (of his Hollywood home). Liberace's live shows during the 1970s and 1980s remained major box-office attractions at the Las Vegas Hilton and Lake Tahoe, where he earned $ 300,000 per week. Liberace made significant appearances on other shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show , The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford , Edward R. Murrow 's Person to Person as well as on

3195-517: The novelty acts especially talented, with juvenile acts including Australian singer Jamie Redfern and Canadian banjo player Scotty Plummer . Barbra Streisand was the most notable new adult act he introduced, appearing with him early in her career. Liberace's energy and commercial ambitions took him in many directions. He owned an antiques store in Beverly Hills, California, and a restaurant in Las Vegas for many years. He even published cookbooks;

3266-473: The piano. Liberace concentrated on his piano playing with the help of music teacher Florence Kelly, who oversaw Liberace's musical development for ten years. He gained experience playing popular music in theaters, on local radio, for dancing classes, clubs and weddings. In 1934, he played jazz piano with a school group named The Mixers and later with other groups. Liberace performed in cabarets and strip clubs . Although Sam and Frances did not approve, their son

3337-432: The present day." In 1953, Liberace signed with Louis Snader, a California theater owner and TV producer whose telescriptions—short film clips used as fillers on local stations across the country. Liberace was replacing Korla Pandit who parted ways with Snader due to a contract dispute. According to Eric Christiansen, the filmmaker who made Pandit's biopic: "[Liberace] used the same sets and took credit for his staring into

3408-595: The profits. Liberace learned early to add " schmaltz " to his television show and to cater to the tastes of the mass audience by joking and chatting to the camera as if performing in the viewer's own living room. He used dramatic lighting, split images, costume changes and exaggerated hand movements to create visual interest. His television performances featured enthusiasm and humor. Liberace employed "ritualistic domesticity", used by such early TV greats as Jack Benny and Lucille Ball . His brother George often appeared as guest violinist and orchestra director, and his mother

3479-489: The serious with light fare, e.g., Chopin with " Home on the Range ". For a while, he played piano along with a phonograph on stage. The gimmick helped gain him attention. He added interaction with the audience—taking requests, talking with the patrons, making jokes, giving lessons to chosen audience members. He began to pay greater attention to such details as staging, lighting and presentation. The transformation to entertainer

3550-482: The shows of Jack Benny and Red Skelton , on which he often parodied his own persona. A new Liberace Show premiered on ABC's daytime schedule in 1958, featuring a less flamboyant, less glamorous persona, but it failed in six months as his popularity began slumping. Liberace received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 for his contributions to the television industry. He continued to appear on television as

3621-631: The support of his vast audience of housewives. Sponsors sent him complimentary products, including his white Cadillac limousine, and he reciprocated enthusiastically: "If I am selling tuna fish, I believe in tuna fish." Liberace became bald in his middle-age years and was so insecure about his hair loss that he began wearing elaborate hairpieces and refused to let himself be seen without his toupee both in public and in private, even sleeping with them on. Others criticized his proficient but flashy piano playing, his non-stop promotions, and his gaudy display of success. Outwardly, he remained undeterred, once sending

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3692-655: The way to the bank any more—I bought the bank!" Liberace's fame in the United States was matched for a time in the United Kingdom. In 1956, an article in the Daily Mirror by columnist Cassandra ( William Connor ) described Liberace as "the summit of sex—the pinnacle of masculine, feminine and neuter. Everything that he, she and it can ever want...a deadly, winking, sniggering, snuggling, chromium-plated, scent-impregnated, luminous, quivering, giggling, fruit-flavoured, mincing, ice-covered heap of mother love". Liberace sent

3763-669: The world that play at quite a high level and give concerts not to earn money but just for the love of music. The International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs , held annually in Paris , attracts about one thousand listeners each year and is broadcast on French radio. Jon Nakamatsu , the Gold Medal winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for professional pianists in Fort Worth, Texas (1997)

3834-713: Was conservative in his political and religious beliefs. He believed fervently in capitalism , and he was fascinated with royalty, ceremony and luxury. He loved to socialize and was fascinated by the rich and famous. However, he still presented himself to his fans as one of them, a Midwesterner who had earned his success through hard work, and who invited them to enjoy it with him. In the later years of his life, having earned sudden wealth, Liberace spent lavishly, displaying extravagant materialism in his life and his act. In 1953, he designed and built his first celebrity house in Sherman Oaks, California, on Valley Vista Blvd., located in

3905-425: Was "Ave Maria", selling over 300,000 copies. His theme song was " I'll Be Seeing You ", which he would customarily sing rather than play on any of his various pianos. His albums included pop standards of the time, such as " Hello, Dolly! " and included his interpretations of the classical piano repertoire such as Chopin and Liszt, but many fans of classical music widely criticized them (as well as Liberace's skills as

3976-416: Was American slang implying that an individual is a homosexual. After a three-week civil trial, a jury ruled in Liberace's favor on June 16, 1959, and awarded him £8,000 in damages (around $ 22,400 at the time and equivalent to £235,000 in 2023), which led Liberace to repeat the catchphrase to reporters: "I cried all the way to the bank!" Liberace's popularization of the phrase inspired the title Crying All

4047-492: Was a casket maker from Formia in central Italy where his father, musician Salvatore ("Sam") Liberace (1885–1977), was born. His mother, Frances Zuchowski (1891–1980) was born in Menasha, Wisconsin , and was of Polish descent. Liberace had an identical twin who died at birth. He had three surviving siblings: a brother George (who was a violinist), a sister Angelina, and younger brother Rudy (Rudolph Valentino Liberace, named after

4118-418: Was a tag line. The other players and staff were smallish at the bottom. The film was a critical and commercial failure because Liberace proved unable to translate his eccentric on-stage persona to that of a movie leading man. Warner quickly issued a pressbook ad supplement with new "Starring" billing below the title, in equal plain letters: "Liberace, Joanne Dru, Dorothy Malone ". TCM's Robert Osborne recalls

4189-423: Was at the moment of his victory technically an amateur: he never attended a music conservatory or majored in music, and worked as a high school German teacher at the time; it was only after the competition that he started pursuing a career as a classical pianist. The German pianist Davide Martello is known for traveling around conflict zones to play his moving piano. Martello has previously been recognized by

4260-507: Was driven by Liberace's desire to connect directly with his audiences, and secondarily from the reality of the difficult, top flight competition in the classical piano world. In 1943, he began to appear in Soundies (the 1940s precursor to music videos). He recreated two flashy numbers from his nightclub act, the standards " Tiger Rag " and " Twelfth Street Rag ". In these films, he was billed as Walter Liberace. Both Soundies later were released to

4331-433: Was earning a living during hard times. For a while, Liberace adopted the stage name Walter Busterkeys. He showed an interest in draftsmanship , design and painting, and he became a fastidious dresser and follower of fashion. By this time, he was displaying a penchant for turning eccentricities into attention-getting practices, and he earned popularity at school despite some making him an object of ridicule. A participant in

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4402-577: Was making over $ 1 million per year from public appearances and millions from television. Liberace was frequently covered by the major magazines, and he became a pop-culture superstar, but he became the butt of jokes by comedians and the public. Liberace appeared on the March 8, 1956, episode of the TV quiz program You Bet Your Life , hosted by Groucho Marx . Music critics were generally harsh in their assessment of his piano playing. Critic Lewis Funke wrote after

4473-692: Was not informed about the assault until he finished his midnight show at the Moulin Rouge nightclub. Guards were hired to watch over Liberace's house and the houses of his two brothers. Despite successful European tours, his career had in fact been slumping since 1957, but Liberace re-built it by appealing directly to his fan base. Through live appearances in small-town supper clubs , and with television and promotional appearances, he began to regain popularity. On November 22, 1963, he suffered kidney failure, reportedly from accidentally inhaling excessive amounts of dry cleaning fumes from his newly cleaned costumes in

4544-500: Was not regarded as a soloist on the violin, however William Thomas Parke praised his " great taste and execution " on the piano. Around 1800 he gave up public performances and became a notable teacher of music in London. In 1813 Dance proposed a meeting that led to the foundation of the Philharmonic Society . He became a director and the treasurer of the society until his death. Around 1812 he noticed Michael Faraday , then

4615-427: Was often an intermission act, his ambition was to reach larger audiences as a headliner and a television, movie and recording star. Liberace began to expand his act and made it more extravagant, with more costumes and a larger supporting cast. His large-scale Las Vegas act became his hallmark, expanding his fan base and making him wealthy. His New York City performance at Madison Square Garden in 1954, which earned him

4686-595: Was particularly displeased with the frenetic camera work and his short appearance time. He soon wanted his own show where he could control his presentation as he did with his club shows. His first show on local television in Los Angeles was a smash hit, earning the highest ratings of any local show, which he parlayed into a sold-out appearance at the Hollywood Bowl . It led to a summer replacement program for Dinah Shore . The 15-minute network television program The Liberace Show began on July 1, 1952, but did not lead to

4757-417: Was performing at local clubs, such as Ciro's and The Mocambo , for stars such as Rosalind Russell , Clark Gable , Gloria Swanson and Shirley Temple . He did not always play to packed rooms, and he learned to perform with extra energy to thinner crowds to maintain his enthusiasm. Liberace created a publicity machine that helped to make him a star. Despite his success in the supper-club circuit, where he

4828-467: Was so popular with his mostly female television audience, he drew over 30 million viewers at any one time and received 10,000 fan letters per week. His show was one of the early ones to be shown on British commercial television in the 1950s, where it was broadcast on Sunday afternoons by Lew Grade 's Associated TeleVision . This exposure gave Liberace a dedicated following in the United Kingdom. Gay men found him appealing. Darden Asbury Pyron wrote "Liberace

4899-549: Was the first gay person Elton John had ever seen on television; he became his hero." In 1956, Liberace had his first international engagement, playing successfully in Havana, Cuba. He followed with a European tour later that year. Always a devout Catholic, Liberace considered his meeting with Pope Pius XII a highlight of his life. In 1960, Liberace performed at the London Palladium with Nat King Cole and Sammy Davis Jr. (it

4970-527: Was the first televised " command performance ", now known as the Royal Variety Performance , for Queen Elizabeth II ). On July 19, 1957, hours after Liberace gave a deposition in his $ 25 million libel suit against Confidential magazine, two masked intruders attacked his mother in the garage of Liberace's home in Sherman Oaks, California. She was beaten and kicked, but her heavy corset may have protected her from being badly injured. Liberace

5041-452: Was usually in the front row of the audience, with brother Rudy and sister Angelina often mentioned to lend an air of "family". Liberace began each show in the same way, then mixed production numbers with chat, and signed off each broadcast softly singing " I'll Be Seeing You ", which he made his theme song. His musical selections were broad, including classics, show tunes, film melodies, Latin rhythms, ethnic songs and boogie-woogie . The show

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