Liberace Biography

Hailed as "Mr. Showbiz," Liberace was the personification of hedonism at its most extreme. Billing himself a pianist, Liberace liked to think of himself as a reincarnation of Franz Listz -- truly he was exceptionally proficient at the keyboards, but he was far more the classic entertainer, punctuating his popularized versions of light classics with lively patter and jokes, many of which were aimed at himself. Music was his bread and butter, but Liberace's real passion was for excess and flash. Liberace loved rhinestones, expensive cars, priceless pianos, and anything rococo, but it was his outrageous costumes and jewelry that immediately spring to mind when thinking of him. During some performances, he sported lavish spangled costumes weighing over 200 pounds. Born Wladziu Valentino Liberace (his friends called him "Lee") in Milwaukee, he learned much about piano playing from the legendary Paderwski, a friend of his mother. Though best remembered for his many Las Vegas appearances, his tours, and his long-running television series during the '50s, Liberace also appeared in a few feature films including South Sea Sinner and Sincerely Yours. - Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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