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Nickname:	Mr. Showmanship / Lee
Known for:	Another World, Liberace: A Valentine Special, The Liberace Show: Christmas Show
Birth name:	Wladziu Valentino Liberace
Birthday:	16 May 1919, West Allis, Wisconsin, USA
Height:	5' 10" (1.78 m)

Liberace's father was a French horn player for the Milwaukee Symphony. Mother played piano as did sister Angie. His brother, George Liberace played the violin. At age four, Liberace could play almost any tune by ear. Classical debut was at age 14 as soloist with the Chicago In high school Liberace had a musical combo called "The Mixers." As a young man he worked the night club circuit under another name - "Walter Busterkeys." In 1969 Liberace was named one of the five highest paid entertainers in show business. In the 70s Liberace spent at least $100,000 a year on his sparkling, brocaded, diamond and jewelled costumes. Liberace's favourite song was "The Impossible Dream", because he truly mastered the art of believing. He made a dream come true. During his career, Liberace earned two Emmys and five gold million best seller albums. Successfully sued the London "Daily Mirror" in 1959 after it published an article by columnist "Cassandra" which said that Liberace was "fruit-flavoured" (gay), which he strongly denied in court and insisted that homosexualty was an "abomination." He was publicly sued in 1982 by Scott Thorsin (one of his many ex-lovers) for $110 million in palimony. After his death in 1987, Thorsin reluctantly settled for $95,000. Liberace was the subject of a 50 minute BBC documentary called 'Too Much of Everything is Wonderful' shown on British television on May 23rd 2000. Was parodied in Al Capp's comic strip "L'il Abner" as "Loverboynik". Many of his pianos, cars, jewelry and costumes are on display in the Liberace Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, a short drive from the Las Vegas Strip. Funds from the admissions to the non-profit museum go to The Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts, which awards music scholarships. Owned pianos previously owned by Frederic Chopin and George Gershwin, as well as an inlaid and ormolued Louis XV desk that may have been owned by Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. His final performance was 2 November 1986 at Radio City Music Hall, New York City. Closed his concerts with the song "I'll Be Seeing You". While born "Wladziu Valentino Liberace", he later changed his first name to "Walter", but his friends and relatives knew him as "Lee". At the insistance of Polish piano virtuoso Paderwski, he dropped his first names and performed under his last name only. As reported in the June, 2001, issue "A&E Biography" Magazine, Liberace was so vain about his baldness that he would even go to bed wearing one of his hairpieces, even on hot nights. According to the same article, he once almost refused to have a facelift when the doctor asked him to take his toupee off. In 1976, during the height of the American Bicentennial, he once performed wearing red, white and blue hot pants. It made headlines around the world. License plate on one of his Rolls-Royces: "88 KEYS" When he opened Las Vegas' Riviera Casino-Hotel in 1954, he was the city's highest paid entertainer. That concert was the first one where he wore extravagant costumes (He wore a gold llame jacket). According to his cook, his last meal was Cream of Wheat hot cereal, made with half and half, and seasoned with brown sugar. The "Batman" episodes on which Liberace guest starred as "Chandel"/"Harry" in 1966 ("The Devil's Fingers"/"The Dead Ringers") were the highest-rated in the show's history. By all accounts, he got on well with the cast and crew of the show and would play impromptu recitals at the end of each day's taping. Liberace owned a 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V. This car resides in the Liberace Museum in Las Vegas, and of only seven built by coachbuilder James Young that year, it is the only one with left-hand drive (the steering wheel on the American side), making it even more rare. The entire car is covered with small mirrored tiles, and with classic horses etched into them along the running boards. When he first got the got, it had a black and gray paint job. He also had a 1950s Rolls-Royce convertible painted with an American flag design. The British Flag car, the "Shaguar" used in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was a take off on Liberace's American Flag car. There is a reference later on in the film to Liberace: "Who'd have thought Liberace was gay?" Would often remark that he'd like the viewer/audience member to "Meet my brother George". Was parodied in several Bugs Bunny cartoons. The phrase "I cried all the way to the bank!" was said to be first coined by him.

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