Liberace: behind the music

The glitz, the glamour, the bright lights, the man known as “Mr Showmanship”, Liberace, entertained and fascinated audiences for several decades in theatres and nightclubs right across America. His artistry and brilliance as a piano virtuoso and his over-the-top eccentricities in fashion combined with a saucy “camp” sense of humour made Liberace famous the world over, but with that fame also came notoriety, innuendo and questions as to Liberace’s sexuality, his close relationship to his mother and his relationships with young men. “Liberace: behind the music” was the unofficial and unauthorised television biopic based on the recollections of Liberace’s business manager and as such explores his life, family and relationships with somewhat more depth and accuracy (warts and all) than the “official” family-oriented “Liberace” (starring Andrew Robinson) which was telecast one week earlier in October 1988. Victor Garber stars as Liberace, with Maureen Stapleton as his mother Frances Liberace. Cast also includes Saul Rubinek, Michael Dolan, Michael Wikes. This appears to be a reasonable portrayal of the very private Walter Valentino Liberace who eventually died on 4 February 1987 of pneumonia caused by AIDS.