a
tinkling keys the
twinkling candles the 1,000-watt
smile they& all bee left
Th
wings—as Liberace the
dramati actor takes center stag
in the
first movie role. In 1949 he appeare with Shelle
in. “South Sea Sinner.”
beachcomber-
as a
In 1955 he starred in “Sincerel Yours.” Both films were
spectacularl unsuccessful,
But Le certainly didn’t disappea into oblivion. For
not his
Winters
new
acting
we
climbs
to. ride
emains
B
PE
HIRTY-
YEARS
To
13 his mother
undertaker.
When
comedow
son
&q
ts
left,
Loved
Robert
aD
I asked Lee.
=
in
f funeral
Lollywood
for
sure
Lib-
cause
what
national
magazine described him as “.
.
.
dis-
most
Music has always been part of his life. He playe piano
b ear when he was onl four.
At first his father discouraged him, but he change his
mind after Ignace Jan Paderewski, Poland’s great pianist,
Lee’s playing. His first public appearance was for
praise
patrons of a Milwaukee ice-cream parlor.
By the time he was 20;- realized he could entertain
as well as with his play-
with his talk, winks, and
ae
ing Yet the idea of the beaded
didn come overnight. Nor
.
Tampa promis you
ieesi
ee
*
© N belts, pin pa
Invisible, unfelt in use
i,
g
a
entert
movie based on the
His
i
’
showmanshi
ago h
few
years
a
piano-
piano-
life of Chopin.”
extends to his private
lived
in
a
swimming
knickknacks
over.
Today
he has
a
~silken-smooth
©
©
©
new
~
applicato
tou
hands nee never
Tamp itself
You canbathe weari Tampa
Tampa is easy to dispo of
In fact Tamp all but does
away with differenc in day
of the month
Your
house, more expensiv than theprevious one; “In resi-
a Cadillac, a housekeeper but-
Rolls-
dence” are a
ler, chauffeur, and other help
In his spare time, Lee collects antiques speculate in
real estate, and increases his wardrobe at a cost of $20,00
“I have $100,00 invested in my wardrobe, which
a year.
includes 50 to 60 suits, mayb 100 pairs of shoes and I
s
Tamp intetn sanita pro-
tectio comes in 3 absorbenc
sizes (Regula Supe Junio
i
drawers are full
tribute to the
than 1 million Liberace records-that have been sold.
more
I first met Liberace 12 years ago, just as he hit the big
time. Physically I can& see much difference in him now.
slimmer than he
-He has a few gra hairs, and he’s little
don’ know how many shirts and ties. The
of them. H also ha six gold records
chafi
i
life’as
formi
Prevents odor from
irritation
Prevents
Eas insertio because of
¢
©
e.
well. A
$100,00 home complet with
pool pianolik mailbox, and
all
alt these
advantag
xedo and the candelabra
I was referred to as an in-
HEN I APPEARED on
stant success,” Lee recalled. “But it took me 20
and
bit-with-the-clothes
years to reach the showmanship
th candelabra idea in 1945 after seein
everything. I
6
my
“No,” he answered “my main purpose is to
entertainm activities to include somethin besides play-
alway
ing a pian and being a showman and
wante to get into acting.”
Althou this is Lee’s first major dramatic part, it is
—*
berace
tell
can
relentless lovableness since-Little Lord
way
he laughe and replied, “I cry all.the
to the bank.” At the time, he was earning $ million a year.
Liberace was born in West Allis, Wis., on May 16 1919
children of Salvatore and Frances Liberace.
one of four
medi
-
a
playing the
Fauntleroy,”
AG when Liberace was
sugges he becom an
“That was during the Depression, L told me, “when
onl two profession didn& seem to be suffering:
and undertaking. But my heart was set on a music career.”
When Liberace beca tv first genuin “matine idol”
20 years later, two of his biggest sponsors were funeral
parlors And now, with 12 years gone by, Liberace is.ap-
pearin in “The Loved One, a satirical film on: Holly-
wood’s way of life and death—as a casket salesma
movi a bit of a
“Isn&# playin a secondar role in
Who
case.
impact on his audience which are made up mostly
of middle-aged women? His musicianshi is adequate His
chitchat accompanyin his performance is mildly amus-
ing, at best. His dress is corny..Probably what has saved
him is his sense of humor and willingness to put up good
naturedly with any barbs thrown at him.
erace’s
OPPENHEI
J
in Lee’s
go
for Liberac
to
piano
his
Ne Lo
‘
to
fame
&q
the past six years, he has traveled all over the world giv-
ing concerts. His routine has varied little since he started.
He will add a number here or there, but usually h goes
back to the old reliable songs: “I&# Be Seein You,” “Clair
»de Lune,” “The Last Time I Saw Paris.”
Showmanshi alway is hard to define—and especiall
ii’
a
.
sf
43.
wherever such produc are sold.
Tampa Incorporate Palmer,
Massachusetts.
H
i
Dress: Anne Fogarty
used to be, But his mannerisms, his big-little bo attitude,
then.
are just the same at 45 as they were
The onl new ingredient is his bounc enthusiasm for
acting. “This. is my chance to create a new
told me. And knowing Lee& pas success,
he may. succeed!
Liberace,” he
bet is that
‘
now
Family Weekly, February 21,
1966
Invented by a docto
use b millions of wome