Liberace: An American Boy

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Liberace: An American Boy Page 68

by Darden Asbury Pyron


  Bobby True Trio, 124

  Bonfire of the Vanities, The (Wolfe), 378

  Boy George, 286, 451n.60

  Bristol, Claude M., 355–61, 364, 367, 401, 451n.58, 475n.5

  Buchwald, Art, 191

  Bucke, Richard Maurice, 356

  Budd, Julie, 291

  Butler, Judith, 58

  Caesar’s Palace (Las Vegas), 293, 378

  Café de Paris (London), 191

  Camellia Street house (North Hollywood), 111–12, 241

  candelabra, 37, 94, 146, 153, 156, 158, 288

  Capp, Al, 158, 420

  Cardell, Vince, 42, 270, 312–16, 321, 349, 362, 369, 375, 468n.28, 468n.39

  Carey, Macdonald, 124

  Carillo, Raymond, 410, 413–14

  Carlucci, 316, 369

  Carnegie Hall (New York), 83, 91, 160, 380

  Caroll, Caroll, 366

  Carson, Johnny, 253, 377

  Casadonte, Alexander, 10, 204, 452n.89

  Casa Liberace. See Cloisters

  Cassandra (William Conners), x, 194, 195, 200, 224–27, 229–30

  Catholicism: aesthetic versus doctrinal appreciation of, 37; and ceremony, 37; and homosexuality, 38; and L’s musical style, 271; L’s unorthodox, 402–3; L’s upbringing in, 36–38. See also Anthony, St.; religion

  Champion, Marge and Gower, 15, 89

  Chappell and Co., 197, 198

  Chauncey, George, xiii, 96, 99

  Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Pabst Theater performance, 47, 62, 72, 76; and L’s abandonment of classical performance, 79–80

  Chi Chi Club, 245

  childhood, L’s. See under Liberace, Wladziu

  children, and L, 29, 30, 205–6

  Ciro’s, 118

  Cities of the Plain (Proust), 276

  City of Night (Rechy), 112, 217, 218, 238

  Clarkston, Terry, 291, 418

  Clay, Cassius (Muhammad Ali), 248

  Clemmons, Walter, 276–77

  Cliburn, Van, 421–22

  Cloisters (Casa Liberace), 242–43, 257, 340; chapel to St. Anthony within, 46, 243, 403–4

  clubs, supper, 9, 87–88, 116, 119. See also names of individual clubs

  Coca, Imogene, 91

  Cole, Fred, 204

  Cole, Nat King, 297

  Comden, Betty, 91

  Conner, William (Cassandra), x, 194, 195, 200, 224–27, 424

  Conversations with My Elders (Hadleigh), 236

  Cook, John, 268

  Copley Plaza Hotel (Boston), Oval Room, 88, 107

  Cosmic Consciousness (Bucke), 356

  costume, 37–39, 47, 65, 90, 151, 201, 255, 267, 268, 280, 301; and creation of identity, 288–90; and glamour, 300–301

  counterculture, 299–301; and negative view of L, 294, 295–96

  Coward, Noël, 190

  Cox, Chris, 308–9, 350, 351, 370, 371. See also “Y, Mr.”

  Crawford, Joan, 121

  Crisp, Quentin, 289, 388

  criticism, of L. See under Liberace, Wladziu “crying all the way to the bank” quip, 168, 420

  Cuba tour (1956), 186–88

  Cukor, George, xiii, 113, 228, 238–39

  culture: L as corrupter of, x, 116, 180, 420–22; L’s continuing influence on, 420; and wealth, 163–64

  Cunningham, Lucille, 308, 344

  Cushing, Richard Cardinal, 26, 342, 403

  Daily Mirror, L article and lawsuit, x, 194, 195, 200, 213, 215

  Dandurand, Yvonne, 398

  Daniels, Ronald, 413

  David Letterman Show, The, 253, 381

  Davis, Richard S., 47

  Davis, Sammy, Jr., 297–98

  Daytone recording label, 120

  death, of L. See under Liberace, Wladziu

  Del Coronado Hotel (San Diego), Circus Room, 138–39

  Democracy in America (de Tocqueville), 367

  Denkinger, Steve, 57

  De Tocqueville, Alexis, 367

  Dietrich, Marlene, 121, 184, 287

  Diller, Phyllis, 401

  Dinah Shore Show, The, L’s replacement programs for, 142, 146

  Disneyland, 266

  Donovan, E. H. Duncan, 414

  “Don’t Call Him Mister,” 213

  Douglas, Kirk, 189

  Douglas, Mike, 89, 109

  Drewel, Margaret Thompson, 384

  East of Java (movie, released as South Seas Sinner), 124–25, 203, 420

  Ed Sullivan Show, The, 157, 253–54, 270

  Ehrenstein, David, 218, 229–30, 233–34, 424–25

  Eisenhower, Dwight, 7, 134, 183–84

  Eleusian Mysteries ceremonies, 285–86

  Elizabeth, Queen, 40, 192–93, 193, 297–98

  Ellroy, James, 217

  El Rancho Vegas, 89, 260

  Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 359, 367

  Emmy awards, 142, 166

  Empire Room (Palmer House, Chicago), 89, 93, 109, 252

  Empire Room (Waldorf-Astoria, New York), 294

  Erstad, William, 410

  Europe: 1955 trip to, 189; 1956 tour of, 189–94; 1978 trip to, 314; 1981 trip to, 337

  Evans, Walker, 29

  Evening with Liberace, An (recording), 157

  Everard Baths, 101

  fan clubs, 21, 22, 128, 162

  Fantasia (cartoon), 66–67

  Farber, Stephen, 418, 420

  Faris, Jocelyn, xii, 417

  Farrell, Angelina Anna “Angie” Liberace (sister), 3, 6, 13, 24, 317, 429n.1; and childhood music lessons, 18, 39; christening of, 36; and Great Depression, 28, 30, 31, 33; and husband Fred Cole, 204; and death of L, 415; and denial of L’s AIDS, 306, 404, 416; and move to California, 205; and National Avenue house, 26; as private secretary to L, 205; role in raising L, 19

  Fedderson, Don, 130, 138, 143, 148, 151

  Federal Bureau of Investigation, and L’s homosexuality, 234

  Fenn, Jean, 270

  Fifty-first Street house (West Allis), 14–21

  First Time, The (Flemings), 68

  Fisher, Bob, 313

  Fitzgerald, Ella, 91

  Fleming, Karl and Anne Taylor, 68

  Flynn, Errol, 222, 223, 237

  Foley, Roy L., 46

  Fonda, Jane, 297

  Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery, Liberace family mausoleum at, 410, 413–14

  Fosler, Ken, 405, 409, 410

  Foucault, Michel, 230, 231, 318, 424

  Franklin, Benjamin, 364, 367

  Fronza, Vince, 405, 408, 409, 410, 416

  Funke, Lewis, 179–80

  Gabor, Zsa Zsa, 248

  Garbo, Greta, 57, 121

  Gardiner, Gerald, 229

  Garland, Judy, 248

  Gay New York (Chauncey), 96–98, 99–103

  Geist, William, 383

  Generation of Vipers (Wylie), 181

  Genet, Jean, 277

  George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, The, 134

  Gerber, Norma, 408

  Getty, Paul, 91–92, 102, 440n.44

  Ghanem, Elias, 398–99

  Ginsberg, Allen, 178

  Globe, and L’s defense in Thorson lawsuit, 372–73

  Goldstone, Duke, 234, 242, 387; and direction of The Liberace Show, 151, 152

  Gompers, Samuel, 118

  Gone with the Wind (Mitchell), 162

  Gone with the Wind (movie), 121

  Goodwin, Clarence, 107–8, 110–11, 127; compared to John Jacobs, 200; and L’s purchase of Blüthner grand piano, 114; and L’s recording career, 120

  Gould, Martin, 83

  Govani, Al, 216

  Grace, Princess, and Prince Rainier III of Monaco, 189

  Great Depression, 28–30, 31, 32–33, 37, 50

  Green, Abel, 48, 85, 90–91, 381

  Green, Adolph, 91

  Greenspun, Hank, 406

  Griffith, R. E., 260

  Guild Films, 148, 183

  Gunn, Glenn Dilliard, 43

  Hades, 284–85

  Hadleigh, Boze, 236, 238, 399, 414–15, 417, 425


  Hall, John, 237

  Halline, Edward P., 46, 47, 77, 78

  Hamilton, Fr. Raphael, 34–35

  Harbaugh, William Henry, 100

  Harnischfeger metalworks, 2–3

  Harold Way house (Hollywood Hills), 256–59, 340, 361

  Harrison, Robert, 215–17, 220, 222, 223, 292

  Haven, Miss Bea, 70, 171

  Hays, Harry, 218, 242

  health, L’s. See under Liberace, Wladziu

  Hecht, Marilyn, 156

  Heller, Seymour, 27, 125, 126–28, 308, 353, 381, 401, 443n.58, 444n.19; and John Jacobs, 200; and Las Vegas, 184, 259; and L’s affair with Joanne Rio, 208; and L’s death, 415; L’s firing of, 199, 253; and L’s late 1950s slump, 195–96; and L’s recording contract with Columbia, 157; L’s rehiring of, 253; and L’s Warner Brothers movie contract, 184–85; and movies about L, 418; and publicity during L’s last days, 407

  Hellman, Jack, 139

  Hemming, Stefan, 416, 429n.1

  Hempling, Sara, 409

  Henie, Sonja, 32, 120, 209

  Henry, William, 377

  Hera and Heracles, 173

  Herzog, Buck, 76, 77, 82

  Hildegard, 90, 93, 120, 192, 273

  Hilton International Hotel show, 267–68

  Hlaban, John, 32

  Hobson, Jim, 139

  Holden, Stephen, 383–84, 400, 423–24

  Holliday, Judy, 91

  Hollywood Babylon (Anger), 217

  Hollywood Bowl, 18, 141, 279–80

  Hollywood Confidential, 215–17, 256; and L article and lawsuit, 221–22, 227, 229, 367; and Rock Hudson, 220–21

  Hollywood Gays (Hadleigh), 236, 417

  Holmes, John, 351

  Home, the, 4–5

  homosexuality, 436–37n.47, 448n.88; and acceptance of promiscuity in 1960s and 1970s, 305; and AIDS, 393–97, 398; and conservative and moderate gay men, 304; and the conventional political right, 394; culture of, 98, 217–21; and gay radicalism and activism, 303–6, 466–67n.3; and idealizing of desire, 277; inherent confidentiality of, 217, 454n.23; and language to name and describe, 317–19; and male prostitution, 217–19, 454n.26; and manhood, 227–28, 456–57n.55; and monogamy and marriage, 305–6, 469n.52, 472–73n.24; and New York City, 96–103; and public sexuality, 454–55n.29, 455n.30, 458n.68; public taboo against for celebrities, 228–29; and seeing/looking, 275–77; and society, politics, and the law, 229–33; in Southern California and Hollywood, 112–13, 122, 238–39, 242; and traditional masculinity, 345–46. See also Liberace, Wladziu: sexuality of

  Hope, Bob, 158, 159, 193

  Horne, Lena, 298

  Hudson, Rock, xiii, 220, 221, 228; affair with L, 235–37, 306, 414; and AIDS, 399, 404–5

  Hudson, Thomson Jay, 356

  Hughes, Howard, 278

  Hull, Thomas, 260

  Hunt, Ray, 93

  “I Don’t Care: As Long as You Care for Me,” 274

  “I’ll Be Seeing You,” 273–77, 290

  I’ll Be Seeing You: The Young Liberace (Miller), 416, 481n.18

  I Love Lucy, 133–34

  Inside Story article, 214

  International Artists, Ltd., 199, 239, 258

  Isay, Richard, 336

  Jack Benny Show, The, 133–34

  Jackson, Michael, 43, 286, 423

  Jacobs, John, 199–200, 253, 370; and Daily Mirror (Cassandra) lawsuit, 223, 224; and Hollywood Confidential lawsuit, 222–23; and purchase of L’s Harold Way house, 258

  James, Cary, 45, 237, 319–20, 325, 336, 352, 372, 389–92; death and memoirs of, 316; and L’s AIDS, 398–99, 403–4; and L’s memoirs, 368; and Joel Strote lawsuit, 415; and Scott Thorson, 390

  James, Henry, xiii

  James, Jamie, 243, 244–45, 292, 405, 408, 418

  Jarvis, Al, 138

  Jay Mills Orchestra, 62, 63

  Jefferson, Thomas, 232

  “Joe,” 350, 351. See also Nash, Eddie

  Johansen, Wayne, 332, 353, 373

  John, Elton, 175, 300–301, 423, 461n.60

  Johnson, Karl B., 417

  Johnston, Mae, 125

  Jones, Dick, 120

  Jones, Spike, 119, 132

  Jorgenson, Christine, 34, 209, 214

  Karlen, Neal, 383

  Kaufman, Reuben, 142, 148–49, 156

  Kaye, Danny, 189, 450n.24

  Kefauver, Estes, 215–16

  Kelly, Florence, 5, 43–47, 52, 62, 80, 104, 141; Kevin Kopelson regarding, 434n.57, 434n.58

  Kimball Hall, 62

  King, Billie Jean, 370, 371

  King, Larry, 415

  Kipen, David, 426

  KLAC television station, 137

  Kopelson, Kevin, x, 421, 422, 424, 425, 447n.78; regarding Florence Kelly, 434n.57, 434n.58

  Koppel, Ted, 414

  Kraike, Michael, 123, 124

  Krasner, Lee, 178

  Krause, Del, 52, 53, 55, 57, 366

  KTLA television station (Lucky Channel 13), 137

  Kyser, Kay, 66, 109

  La Crosse “Three Little Fishies” concert, 66–67, 70, 81, 335

  Lake Tahoe condominium, 341, 352, 390, 392

  Lambert, Gavin, 418

  Lane, Will, 149

  Lansberg, Klaus, 137–38, 144

  Lanza, Mario, 185

  Laramore house (Las Vegas), 343

  Larson, Gary, 420

  Last Frontier Hotel (Las Vegas): history of, 260–61; and musical talent show for young people, 206; Ramona Room, 89, 107, 117, 118, 261–62, 263. See also New Frontier, Hotel

  Las Vegas: in 1980s, 378, 463n.67; development of, 258–62, 263, 266–67; lack of work in after 1958, 195; and L as epitome of city’s attitude, 267–68; L’s 1963 return to, 255; L’s apartment in, 200; L’s first performance in, 89; L’s post–WWII musical engagements in, 117; in mid-1950s, 184

  Latin Quarter, 253, 294

  “laughing [crying] all the way to the bank” quip, 168, 420

  Laurents, Arthur, 98

  lawsuits, xi, 373–74; William Conner (Cassandra) and London Daily Mirror, 194–95, 200, 223–33, 234, 312, 367, 457–58n.65; Seymour Heller, 199; Hollywood Confidential, 222, 223; Internal Revenue Service, 258; Joanne Rio (Barr), 208–9; Joel Strote, 415–16; Jimmy Thompson, 194; Scott Thorson, ix, 332, 353, 370–77, 406

  Leach, Robin, 400–401, 405

  Learning from Las Vegas (Venturi), 266–67, 294

  Lee, Gypsy Rose, 94

  Le Ruban Bleu, 88, 91

  Letterman, David, 253, 381

  Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (Evans and Agee), 29

  Lewis, Maxine, 89, 260, 261–62, 263

  Liberace (movie, ABC), 418–19

  Liberace, Angie (sister). See Farrell, Angelina

  Liberace, Dora (Mrs. George), 416

  Liberace, Frances Zuchowski (mother), 2, 23, 27; attack against, 256; conservative nature of, 12; culinary skills of, 26; death of, 374, 413; devout nature of, 11, 37, 204–5; failures as parent, 317; family background, 11–12; and family grocery store, 14–15; family role, 20–21; and Great Depression, 30–31; and The Liberace Show, 147, 151, 156; L’s public identification with, 22; meeting with Gorgeous George, 383; and mother-son relationship with L, 170; and move to California, 203–4, 240, 441n.2; objection to Mixers, 53; overbearing influence on L, 22, 70; and Paderewski, 42; participation in L’s performances, 161; physical description of, 10–11; and Joanne Rio, 208, 210; and scandal of divorce, 32; after separation from Salvatore, 203–5, 452n.89; and split between George and L, 240; as tight and materialistic, 11; and trip to Europe, 189; verbal tyranny of, 204

  Liberace, George (brother), 3, 10, 13, 27, 28, 45; and childhood musical lessons, 18, 39; as conductor of The Liberace Show orchestra, 140, 144, 146, 152, 156; death of, 374, 413; estrangement from L, 239–40, 245, 369; as family arbitrator, 21–22; and Great Depression, 28, 31; and International Artists, Ltd., 199, 203; as L’s general manager, 126; and move to Van Nuys, 203; musical performances with L, 53–54, 160, 161; and National Avenue house, 26;
placing father in nursing home, 68; reconciliation with L in 1980s, 240; and Sam Pick’s Club Madrid, 31, 53–54; serial monogamy of, 31, 317; and trip to Europe, 189

  Liberace, Ina (niece), 317

  Liberace, Jayne (Mrs. George), 27

  Liberace, Rudolph Valentino “Rudy” (brother), 13, 24, 27, 317; birth, 30–31; death, 240; as film editor, 205; and L’s childhood, 28–29, 31, 33; and The Liberace Show, 147; and move to Van Nuys, 205; resemblance to Errol Flynn, 131

  Liberace, Salvatore “Sam” (father), 1, 8, 28; and California nursing home, 68; character and physical characteristics of, 9, 10; conflict with Frances, 13, 14–15, 17, 32, 38; death of, 335, 374; and economic issues, 8–10, 14, 26, 30; and emphasis on music with children, 16–17, 19, 43, 45; and French horn, 363; as household boss, 17–18; L’s break with, 67–68; L’s psychological “hatred” of, 22; and L’s use of music as resolution of relationship, 50; as musician, 9–10, 16; “non-existence” in L’s life after 1941, 369; opposition to popular music, 50, 51–52, 67, 69, 438n.70; as poor parent, 317; record collection of, 16, 42; relationship to Zona Gale Smrz, 32, 68, 72

  Liberace, Wladziu “Wally”/“Lee”:

  —appeal of: and combination of culture and folksiness, 163; as cultural icon and embodiment of female values, 170–71, 173, 447n.78; decline of in late 1950s, 195–96; as denatured or desexualized lover, 172–73; to gay population, 175; as good “eroticized” son, 169–70; and humor about himself, 292–93, 380; during The Liberace Show period, 156–62; and “little-boy quality,” 291–92, 293; mythic definition of, xiii, 173; physical appearance, 131–32; and restoration of from 1959–1963. (See also Liberace, Wladziu: reaction to and criticism of)

  —childhood and adolescence of: alienation and guilt in, 60; artistic talents in, 56, 60; birth, 1, 13, 14, 429n.1; blue-collar background, 7; peers, 24, 49, 55, 60; Christmases, 32–34; creation of new persona via music, 49–50; family piano, 16–17; Great Depression, 28–29, 31, 32–33, 37; health, 34; high school dress, 56–57; identification with and influence of father, 18–20, 118–19; influence upon in later life, 6–7, 22; move to National Avenue, 40–41, 59; nickname “Booloo,” 325–26; poverty during, 14, 31, 32–33, 430n.8; relationship to girls during high school, 55, 58; relationship to West Allis and Milwaukee, 6; religious upbringing, 36–38; schooling, 4, 34–35, 55–56; setting, 1–8; source of name “Wladziu Valentino,” 13; stubborn intractability during, 44; and West Milwaukee High School, 55–61, 79

  —death of: and AIDS controversy, 409–10, 413–15, 416; last days before, 402–409; and last will, 407–8; and Las Vegas memorial service, 410–11; and Palm Springs Our Lady of Solitude memorial service, 410

  —health of: AIDS, 210, 392–410, 398–99, 413–15, 416, 418–19; and his childhood, 34; heart strain, 210; in last days, 407–11; miracle cure, 403–4; pronouncements of “anemia,” 407; renal failure, 249–50, 401, 402–3. See also AIDS

 

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