Liberace: An American Boy
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—income of, 462–63n.50; and capitalism and moneymaking, 168–69; during The Liberace Show period, 140, 158–59; in mid-1950s, 161–62; in 1980s, 377, 378; restoration of in mid-1960s, 255; and slump of 1950s and early 1960s, 195
—movie career of: audition for, 123–24; interest in, 120, 122–23; and The Loved One, 254, 261n.23; and Sincerely Yours, 23, 111, 184–86, 420; and South Seas Sinner (East of Java), 124–25, 203, 420
—musical style of: and automobiles, 268, 313; change of between 1941 and 1944, 75; compared to Catholic mass, 271; and conflict between classical and popular, 61–62, 65–66; in 1940s, 85–87; as entertainment rather than concertizing, 78; and flying through the air, 385–87; and L’s homey quality, 143–44; and new format of classical and boogie-woogie, 77–78, 153; Paderewski’s influence on, 41–42; and playing of popular in classical style, 66–67, 69; and requests from and interaction with audience, 66, 81–82, 86, 144, 384; in shows of 1960s and 1970s, 268–71; and use of phonograph records in concerts, 76, 77–78, 84–85, 113, 114; use of popular forms of, 50, 51–52. See also audiences, L’s; Liberace, Wladziu: appeal of; Liberace, Wladziu: shows of
—music and musical training of: and classical pianists, 420–23; as a child prodigy, 18, 39–40, 48, 49, 52; in context of popular music, 423; heritage of, 420–24; and Florence Kelly, 43–47; and L as an “American original,” 423–24; and obsessiveness on piano, 42–43, 80; and Paderewski, 41–42; and piano lessons, 17, 40, 43
—personal qualities of: ambition, 118, 430n.8; bravery, 61; “everyman” persona, 290–91; generosity, 249, 291; as good son, 169–70; and mood of discontent, 430n.8; perfectionism, 80–81, 117–18; preference for rejected things, 320–21; reclusiveness, 337–38, 405; recreation of himself, 60; scanting of interior life, 387; secretiveness, xi, 238, 404–5, 406; sense of inadequacy, 119; speech peculiarities, 2, 34–35, 41, 54–55, 154–55
—publicity and, xi, 7, 93–96, 165–67, 459n.71; and cooking, 109, 115, 116, 364; and Harold Way house, 258–59; L’s genius for, 114–15; and love for dogs, 338; and money, 168; and name “Liberace,” 13, 95–96, 199; and national beeradvertising campaign, 120; and physical description of himself, 131; and pianoshaped pool, 24, 165; and press kit of 1947, 109, 111, 115; and relationship to women, 210; from Valley Vista bathtub, 36, 342
—reaction to and criticism of: by counterculture, 294, 295–96; and liberalism, 106–7; by Manhattan critics, 294–95, 379–80, 382–84; by men, 176; by modernists, 176–81. See also under Liberace, Wladziu: appeal of
—recording career of, 120, 365; and “Ave Maria,” 153; continued sales of records after death, 417; and contract with Columbia records, 157; decline of in later 1950s and early 1960s, 195; and increase after early 1960s, 254; and Liberace: A Collecting Guide to the Recordings of
—Liberace, and His Brother George, 417; and The Magic of Believing, 360; and records for sponsors, 166
—sexuality of: aggressiveness of, 307, 309; and apartment in North Hollywood, 235, 241; attempt to mask in 1958, 201; and camp strategy, ix, 57–58, 436n.42; and Vince Cardell, 312–16; and casual sex and promiscuity, 237, 306, 307–8, 311, 348, 397–98; and childhood, 24, 35–36, 38, 49, 58–60; and controversy after his death, 414–15; early period of, 234–38; and encounters in cities where he performed, 103, 206, 235; English discussion of, 193–94; and finding new lovers, xii–xiii, 235–36, 306–8; and first heterosexual experience, 70–71; and first homosexual experience, 71–72, 235; and Rock Hudson affair, 235–37, 306, 414; and indiscreet and outrageous involvement, 221; Angie Liberace’s opinion on, 306; Frances Liberace’s attitude toward, 306; and L’s ongoing heritage, 424–27; media stories about, 213; and money and contracts, 322; and motherson relationship as sex-free, 171; and nature of relationships, 319–26; and nonadmission in public, xiii, 224, 228–31, 233, 234, 312, 368, 376, 414, 419, 424–25, 426–27; as nonpolitical, 306; over-sexed nature of, 309–10; and Palm Springs, 243–45; and pornography, 310–11, 347; and preference for inequality and dominance in relationships, 237–38, 319–20, 348–49; psychological interpretation of, 22–23, 470n.57, 471n.80; and John Rechy, 235, 306–7, 322; and relationship with girls in high school, 55, 206–7; and relationship with Joanne Rio, 31, 210–11, 215, 235; and society, politics, and the law, 229–33; and television movies, 418–19; and Scott Thorson, 306–7, 308, 314, 315, 320, 322–23, 326–9; and visits to sexual underground and porno emporiums, 310–11. See also Cardell, Vince; James, Cary; Thorson, Scott
—shows of, 272, 281; as “calculated outrage,” 286; and everyman’s fantasy, 288; and Hollywood Bowl, 18, 279–80; and religious ceremony, 282–86, 287; and royalty, 282, 286, 287; and seeing and light, 278, 280; and sensuous perception, 281–82; as visual more than auditory, 280. See also audience, L’s; Liberace, Wladziu: appeal of; Liberace, Wladziu: musical style of
—tastes and habits of: automobiles, 37, 43, 88, 112, 165, 190; camp lifestyle, 57–59; cooking, 27, 35, 56, 109, 343, 364–65; fixing up of domestic spaces, 109–10; hair, 391–92; love of fabrics and design, 56; pets, 338–39; shopping, 340; taking up with individuals and families, 63, 108–9, 110–11
—values of, personal and political: and Australian performance rights controversy, 197–98, 475n.7; and conservatism, 7, 296; and dislike of unions, 296–97; and drugs and alcohol, 299–300; and hard work, 299, 377; and individualism, 367; and power of believing, 355–61; and race, 297–98; and view that art is not political, 298–99
—See also Liberace family; management, of L; memoirs, L’s; movies, about L; performances, L’s; residences, L’s; shows, L’s; television and Liberace; individual family members by name; and photographs
Liberace: A Collecting Guide to the Recordings of Liberace, and His Brother George (Johnson), 417
Liberace: An Autobiography (Liberace), 208, 367–68
Liberace at the Piano (recording), 157
Liberace: Behind the Music (movie, CBS), 418–19
Liberace by Candlelight (recording), 157
Liberace Chateau Inns, 169
Liberace Cooks! Recipes from His Seven Dining Rooms (Liberace), 364–65
Liberace family: and 1950s, 203–4; and help from L, 22; L’s emphasis on, 170–71. See also individual family members by name
Liberace Foundation, 206, 363–64, 418
Liberace Legend, 365
Liberace Museum, xiv, 190, 361–63, 417–18
Liberace Presents Vince Cardell (recording), 314
Liberace Rising (recording, Bomb Party), 420
Liberace Show, The (KLAC), 139–49
Liberace Show, The (nationally syndicated), 16, 148–49; and female audience, 170; formula for, 151–52, 153–54; L’s repudiation of in 1961, 201; popularity of, 156–57; videos of, 420
Liberace Special, The, (train), 190–91
Liberace Talent Club, 205–6
liberalism and campaign against L, 106–7
“Li’l Abner” (comic), and Loverboynik character, 158, 420
Lipman, Samuel, 421–22
Lipschutz, Ernst, 374
Lipstone, Louis, 123
Liszt, Franz, 42, 116, 422–23
Llinares, George, 323, 415
London Palladium, 314
Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, 107
Lorenz, Carl, 52
Los Angeles and television, 134–36
Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium, 141
Loved One, The, 254, 461n.23
Luckie, Gladys, 204, 238, 343, 344, 370, 405, 415
Ludwig, Walter, 65, 108
Lugosi, Bela, 265
Lutz, Sam, 127
MacLaine, Shirley, 296–97
Madonna, 451n.60
Magic of Believing, The (Bristol), 355–61, 366, 367, 451n.58; and self-healing through faith, 357, 402
Mahr, Henry, 56–57
Malibu house, 341
management, of L: and Charles Goodwin, 126; and Seymour Heller, 125–28, 157, 184–85, 195–96, 199; and John Jacobs, 199; and George Liberace, 125–26,
and Bill White, 123
Man Who Played God, The (movie), 184–85
Marvin, Lee, 370
Marvin, Michelle Triola, 370
Mattachine Society, 218
“Mature Women Are Best” article, 171, 210
Maxwell, Elsa, 189
Mayer, Louis B., 123
McKay, Fay, 270
McLaughlin, Don, 409
McMahon, Dorothy, 291, 405, 408, 415
McNichol, Kristy, 317
McVeigh, John, 411
Melton, James, 119
memoirs, L’s, 365–69; and non-admission of homosexuality, 368–69; Liberace: An Autobiography (Liberace), 208, 367–68; Things I Love, The, 63, 82, 95, 205, 368; Wonderful, Private World of Liberace, The, 70, 205, 368, 369, 387, 401, 417, 476n.23
Metropolitan Opera, 83, 103
Michelangelo, 173
Midwestern Americanism, 6, 378
Miller, Harriet, 416, 481n.18
Miller, Mitch, 157
Mitchell, Margaret, xi, xiv
Mixers, 8, 52–53
Mocambo, 118
modernism, 176–79; and abstract expressionism, 177; and Beat poets, 178; and emphasis on materialism and realism, 176; and International School of architecture, 176–77; and music, 177–78; and opposition to L, 178–79
Moffit, Jack, 186
Monette, Paul, 122, 396
Monfried, Walter, 114–15, 116
Monkhouse, Bob, 191
Morgan, Gene, 93
Morgan, Helen, 83
Mortimer, Lee, 74, 92
movie career, L’s. See under Liberace, Wladziu
movies, about L: Liberace (ABC), 418–19; Liberace: Behind the Music (CBS), 418–19
“Mr. Showmanship” nickname, 6, 255, 266, 280, 284, 400, 461–62n.27
Mungo, Ray, 417
Murrow, Edward R., 157–58, 165; and reaction to L, 176, 424
musical style, L’s. See under Liberace, Wladziu
musical training, L’s. See under Liberace, Wladziu
Music Corporation of America, 93–94, 125
Nader, George, 220
name “Liberace,” use of, 13, 95–96
Nash, Eddie (Adel Nasrallah), 350, 351, 352, 370, 371. See also “Joe”
Nasrallah, Adel. See Nash, Eddie
National Avenue house, 4, 25–27; and Frances Liberace, 204; threatened by Great Depression difficulties, 30
National Enquirer: and serialization of Liberace: An Autobiography, 368; and Scott Thorson palimony suit, 372–73
National Federation of Music Clubs piano competition, 45–46, 51
Newcomb, Horace, 145
New Frontier, Hotel, 264–65
Newsweek, L interview, 373–74
New York City: homosexual culture in, 96–103; L’s first time in, 82–83; L’s success with critics of, 379; and television, 134–36
New York Times: and ignoring of L in 1960s and 1970s, 294–95; and positive reviews of L in 1984 and 1985, 383–84
Normandie Roof (Mont Royal Hotel, Montreal), 83, 88–89, 261
North Kaweah Road house (Palm Springs), 242, 243, 244
Norton, Rictor, 318
Oak Bar (Plaza Hotel, New York), 98, 101, 102
O’Connor, John J., 419
Oedipus Rex (Sophocles), 171–72
On the Road (Kerouac), 178
Open Secret (Ehrenstein), 424
Ortega y Gasset, José, 116
Otash, Fred, 217, 220
Paar, Jack, 247–48
Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, 2, 42, 47, 72, 76, 79
Paderewski, Ignacy, 39, 50, 161, 422; influence on L, 41–42; L at tomb of, 6; and L’s name, 95; and meeting with L, 42
Paglia, Camille, 289
Palimpsest (Vidal), 98–99
Palmer, Tony, 368
Palm Springs, 240, 241–42, 242–45. See also Cloisters; North Kaweah Road
Pandit, Korla, 138, 144
Papadakis, Nick, 350, 352, 353, 370
Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 141
Peale, Norman Vincent, 356
performances, L’s: Academy Awards ceremony of 1982, 353, 377; after AIDS infection, 400; Athenaeum, 76, 82; in Australia, 196–98; and brother George, 53–54; Caesar’s Palace, 293, 378; Carnegie Hall, 91, 160, 380; childhood, 54; Ciro’s, 118; Copley Plaza Hotel, Oval Room, 88, 107; Cow Palace, 29; in Cuba, 186–88; Del Coronado Hotel, Circus Room, 138–39; Empire Room (Palmer House), 89, 93, 109, 252; Empire Room (Waldorf-Astoria), 294; in England, 190–93, 190–94; and Hildegard, 120; Hollywood Bowl, 18, 141, 279–80; and Jay Mills Orchestra, 62, 63; La Crosse “Three Little Fishies” concert, 66–67, 70, 81, 335; Las Vegas, 267–68; Latin Quarter, 252; Le Ruban Bleu, 88, 91; during The Liberace Show period, 159–60; L’s self-criticism of club work, 118–20; Little Nick’s, 53; and live strippers, 54; Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, 107; Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium, 141; Madison Square Garden, 18, 91, 160–61, 380, 381; Midwest concert tour, 62, 65–66; with Mixers, 8, 52–53; Mocambo, 118; Normandie Roof (Mont Royal Hotel), 83, 88–89; Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 141; Persian room, Plaza Hotel, 74, 90–91, 92; and popular music venues in early adulthood, 62–63; during post–WW II period, 116–18; and private New York parties, 92; on Queen Mary, 190; and the radio, 119–20; Radio City Music Hall, 47, 283–84, 360, 380–87; Rainbow Room (Rockefeller Center), 88, 90; Ramona Room, Last Frontier Hotel, 89, 107, 118; Red Room (Plankton Arcade), 63–65, 89, 114; and restoration of career from 1959 to 1963, 250–55; and return to fame from 1957 to 1963, 250–55; and Rhapsody in Blue, 83; and Rhythm Makers, 53; Riviera Hotel, 17, 184; Sam Pick’s Club Madrid, 53–54; Saturday Night Live, 254, 381; Spivy’s Roof, xii, 88, 91, 101, 102; supper clubs, 9, 87–89, 116; and support of family, 51–52, 54; Terrace Room (Statler Hotel, Detroit), 93; West Milwaukee High School gym, 55; White House, 117, 123, 183–84, 379; Wisconsin theater, 51; during WWII era, 75–103; WTMJ radio concerts, 52; Wunderbar Saloon, 63. See also Liberace, Wladziu: musical style; Liberace, Wladziu: shows of; Liberace, Wladziu: television and
Perkins, Anthony, x, 228
Pershing Elementary School, 27, 35, 149
Persian Room (Plaza Hotel), 74, 90–91, 92
personal qualities, of L. See under Liberace, Wladziu
Piano Gems (recording), 314
pianos: Baldwin on The Liberace Show, 152; Blüthner grand, 12, 114, 115–16; childhood, 16–17; piano-shaped pool, 24, 165; poor quality of at musical venues, 64–65, 114; rhinestonecovered rotating, 293
Pius XII, Pope, 25, 190
Plankton Arcade (Milwaukee), Red Room, 63–65, 114
Plaza Hotel (New York), 92, 97, 98
Plummer, Scottie, 205, 323
political and personal values, of L. See under Liberace, Wladziu
politics: and art, 298–99; and Australian performance rights controversy, 197–98, 475n.7; capitalism and moneymaking, 168–69; conventional right’s reaction to homosexuality, 394; counterculture, 294, 295–96, 299–301; gay radicalism and activism, 303–6, 466–67n.3; and glamour, 287–88; and individualism, 367; labor unions, 296–97; left wing, 294, 295–96, 297, 299–301; L’s conservatism, 7, 296; and L’s Cuba tour, 186–88; and post–WW II changes in U.S., 105–7; and race, 297–98; and society and the law, 229–33; and Stonewall Inn Riot, 303, 304–5. See also Great Depression; modernism
Pollack, Max, 64, 65
post–World War II era, changes in U.S. during, 105–7
Powell, Adam Clayton, 287–88
Presley, Elvis, 17, 264–65, 423
Prince, 286
Proust, Marcel, 230, 276, 277
publicity, and L. See under Liberace, Wladziu
Pumarejo, Gaspar, 187
Queen Mary (ship), 20, 189, 190, 223
Radio City Music Hall concert, 283–84, 360, 380–87, 400, 423–24
radio performances, 119–20
Radloff, William H., 76
Rainbow Room (Rockefeller Center, New York), 88, 90
“Rave” scandal article, 214, 219
reaction to L. See under Liberace, Wladziu
Reagan, Nancy, 291, 297, 378
Reagan, Ronald, 7, 41, 291, 297, 378
Rechy, John, xiii, 38, 112, 217, 218, 236, 238, 309; and encounter with L, 235, 306–7, 322, 336
recording career, L’s. See under Liberace, Wladziu
religion, 63, 153, 178; and L’s childhood upbringing in, 36–37; and L as the Eucharist, 283; and the Liberace Museum, 363; and L’s relationship with Joanne Rio, 207–8; and L’s show, 282–86; and L’s unorthodox Catholicism, 402–3; and L’s view as integral part of life, 178; and miracle of healing in 1963, 250, 402–3, 403–4; and St. Anthony’s aid to L, 243, 250, 402–4. See also Catholicism
residences, L’s: Camellia Street, 111–12, 241; Cloisters (Casa Liberace), 242–43, 257, 340, 403–4; Fifty-first Street, 14–21; Harold Way, 256–59, 340, 361; Lake Tahoe, 341, 352, 390, 392; Malibu, 341; National Avenue, 4, 25–27, 30, 204; North Kaweah Road, 242, 243, 244; Shirley Street, 341–43, 361; Valley Vista Boulevard, 164–65, 240, 241, 255–56
Revolt of the Masses, The (Ortega y Gasset), 116
Revuers, 91
Rex Chainbelt, 3
Reynolds, Debbie, 345
Rhythm Makers, 53, 56
Rio, Eddie, 207, 209, 210
Rio, Joanne (Mrs. David Barr), 31, 206–11, 213, 235, 365, 369, 417
“Ritual Fire Dance” (recording), 120
Riviera Hotel (Las Vegas), 17, 184, 222, 263–64, 266
Robin, Leo, 127
Robinson, Andrew, 419
Robinson, Gordon, 156
Romero, Cesar, 425
Rorem, Ned, 98, 305
Rosenthal, Michael, 372
Rothstein, Edward, 422–23
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, 232
Sabinson, Allen, 418
salesmanship, 165–67
Salmon, Cyril, 224
Sam Pick’s Club Madrid, 31, 53–54, 70
Sanders, Scott, 381
Saturday Night Live, 254, 381, 383
Sax, Shirley, 47
scandal sheets and 1950s, 213–15; and lack of coverage of homosexuality prior to 1970s, 233–34
Schaetzke, Wallis, 53
Schmerin, David, 370, 371, 374
Schmidt, William, 56