Liberace: An American Boy

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Liberace: An American Boy Page 69

by Darden Asbury Pyron


  —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

 

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