WÅ‚adziu Valentino Liberace (1919 - 1987)

Biography

Walter Liberace is Notable.

Liberace was an American pianist, singer and actor. A child prodigy, born in Wisconsin to parents of Italian and Polish origin, he enjoyed a career spanning four decades of concerts, recordings, television, motion pictures, and endorsements. At 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, acquiring the nickname "Mr. Showmanship".^[1]

Parents

• Salvatore Liberace (1885–1977)^[2]
• Frances M. (Zuchowski) Liberace (1891–1980)^[3]

Siblings

1. George John Liberace (1911–1983)^[4]
2. Angelina (Liberace) Farrell (1914–1996)^[5]
3. WÅ‚adziu "Walter" Liberace (1919-1987)^[6]
4. Infant Twin Son Liberace (1919–1919)^[7]
5. Rudolph Louis Liberace (1930–1967)^[8]

Life

WÅ‚adziu "Walter" Valentino Liberace was born 16 May 1919 in West Allis, Wisconsin, the son of Salvatore Liberace and Frances Zuchowska.^[9][10] He had a twin brother who died at birth.

Liberace spent his formative years with his parents and siblings, George, Angeline, and Rudolph, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where his father worked as a machinist (1920) and a musician (1930 and 1940).^[11][12][13]

The Liberace family was musically gifted. The father, Salvatore, played the French horn for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the mother, Frances, played the piano. George played the violin and Angie played the piano. But it was Walter, who later became known as Liberace, who was the musical and performing genius. His classical music debut was with the Milwaukee Symphony at age 13. After he graduated from West Milwaukee High School in 1937, he earned a scholarship and attended the Wisconsin College of Music.^[14] Walter was a guest artist with Chicago Symphony in 1940.^[15] By this time, he was already making a living as a musician and performer and he decided to drop his first name, and became known simply as Liberace.

As they say, the rest is history. "At the height of his fame, from the 1950s through the 1970s, Liberace was the highest-paid entertainer in the world. Liberace once stated, 'I don't give concerts; I put on a show.'"^[16] He hosted one of the first syndicated shows during the early days of television, sold more than 60 million records, was awarded six gold records, and was one of Las Vegas's highest-paid performers.^[17]

Liberace never married. Throughout his life, he denied that he was gay and he won two lawsuits over the matter with tabloid news outlets.^[18] His family remained important to him throughout his life. He was devoted to his mother and siblings. His brother, George, became Liberace's business manager and musical director.^[19]

Liberace was secretly diagnosed HIV positive in August 1985 by his private physician in Las Vegas. Aside from his long-term manager, Seymour Heller, and a few family members and associates, Liberace kept his terminal illness a secret until the day he died and did not seek medical treatment.

He continued to work until his death. In fact, just prior to his death, he had a sellout gig at the Radio City Music Hall and appearances in New York City, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles. His last public appearance was on the Oprah Winfrey Christmas Show.^[19]

"Liberace died of Pneumonia as a result of AIDS on the late morning of February 4, 1987, at his retreat home in Palm Springs, Riverside County, California, USA, at the age of 67." ^{[9][20][21] [22]} Liberace's body is entombed along with those of his mother and brother at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, California, USA.^[23][24]

Liberace wrote three autobiographies:

• "Liberace: An Autobiography" (1973)
• "The Things I Love" (1976)
• "The Wonderful Private World of Liberace" (1986)

There have been at least eight biographies written about him, including:

• "Crying All the Way to the Bank" by Revel Barker (2009)
• "Liberace: An American Boy" by Darden Asbury Pyron (2000)
• "Liberace (Lives of Notable Gay Men and Lesbians)" by Ray Mungo & Martin B. Duberman; Chelsea House Productions.

Liberace brought joy to millions of people during his career and left an incredible legacy of showmanship and entertainment that will never be forgotten.

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia for Liberace with well-written summary of his life and work
2. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #14840805 for father, Salvatore Liberace
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #6594791 for mother, Frances M. Liberace
4. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #5998078 for brother, George Liberace
5. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #80514421 for sister, Angelina Farrell
6. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #626 for Liberace; plot: Courts of Remembrance section, map#A39, Distinguished Memorial – Sarcophagus#4
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #211694428 for brother, (infant twin son) Liberace
8. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #80477818 for brother, Rudolph Louis Liberace
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} California Death Index 1940-1997 on Familysearch.org citing Department of Public Health Services in Sacramento, CA; for Liberace, b: 16 May 1919 Wisconsin; d: 04 Feb 1987; mother-maiden: Zuchowski
10. ↑ W. V. Liberace; birth date 16 May 1919. UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960; arrival: 01 June 1959 at Southampton; ship: Queen Elizabeth, Cunard Steamship Co.
11. ↑ 1920 USA Census Ward#1, West Allis, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; on FamilySearch.org citing FHL#1,822,006; NARA#T625; roll#2006; ed#327; sheet#7A; line#45; family#143; with Walter V. Liberace in household of father, Salvatore Liberace
12. ↑ 1930 USA Census of West Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; on FamilySearch.org citing FHL#2,342,335; NARA#T626; roll#2601; ed#402, sheet#6B; line#51; family#142; with Walter Liberace in household of father, Salvatore Liberace
13. ↑ 1940 USA Census of West Milwaukee, West Milwaukee Village, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; on Familysearch.org citing citing RG#29; NARA#T627; roll#4504; ed#40-113; sheet#5B; line#46; family#107;with Walter Liberace in household of father, Salvatore Liberace
14. ↑ Liberace still glitters in West Milwaukee lore; His old high school names auditorium after famed village's famous star.
15. ↑ Liberace Biography on IMDb
16. ↑ Liberace on Authentic Wisconsin, Famous Wisconsinites.
17. ↑ Liberace: The Milwaukee Maestro, Wisconsin Historical Society, Magazine of History, Winter 2009.
18. ↑ Wikipedia for Liberace, Lawsuits and Allegations of Homosexuality
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1} Liberace Obituary by Ted Thackrey, Jr. Times Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 05 Feb 1987.
20. ↑ USA Social Security Death Index on Familysearch.org for Walter Liberace, d: Feb 1987
21. ↑ "Liberace Died Of Pneumonia Caused by AIDS" by Harry Nelson 10 Feb 1987 in Los Angeles Times
22. ↑ "Coroner Cites AIDS in Liberace Death" in New York Times, 10 Feb 1987
23. ↑ Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles County, California, USA
24. ↑ Headstone transcription from billiongraves.com; buried: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA

See also:

• Liberace on Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia (37 languages)