Original Listing Description

This is a rare 1950's souvenir program from the first international tour of "THE LIBERACE SHOW" in England. The show played the Royal Festival Hall, the London Palladium and in Manchester as the first part of a European tour ..... Biography: Born Wladziu Valentino Liberace on May 16th, 1919, into a musical family in Wisconsin, LIBERACE is best remembered for his extravagant costumes and trademark candelabra placed on top of his flashy pianos. His father, Salvatore Liberace, played the French horn and his mother, Frances Liberace (Zchowsky), played the piano. His siblings, George Liberace, Angie Liberace and Rudy Liberace, also had musical ability. Liberace's own extraordinary natural talent became evident when he learned to play the piano, by ear, at the age of four. Although Salvatore tried to discourage his son's interest in the piano, praises from Ignace Jan Paderewski, the famous Polish pianist, helped the young musician follow his musical dreams. As a teenager, Liberace earned wages playing popular tunes at movie theaters and speakeasies. Despite being proud of his son's accomplishments Salvatore strictly opposed Liberace's preference for popular music over the classics. He debuted as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Frederick Stock. At age 17, Liberace joined the Works Progress Administration Symphony Orchestra. He received a scholarship to attend the Wisconsin College of Music. In 1939, after a classical recital, Liberace's audience requested the popular tune, "Three Little Fishes". Liberace seized the opportunity and performed the tune with a semi-classical style which the audience loved. Soon, this unique style of playing the piano got Liberace bookings in large nightclubs. By 1940, Liberace was traveling with his custom-made piano, on top of which he would place his candelabrum. He then took Paderewski's advice and dropped Wladziu and Valentino to become simply Liberace. "South Sea Sinner" (1950), a movie with Shelley Winters, was Liberace's film debut in which he played a honky-tonk pianist. In 1952, "The Liberace Show", a syndicated television program, turned Liberace into a musical symbol. It began as a summertime replacement for "The Dinah Shore Show" (1951), but after two years, the show was one of the most popular on TV. It was carried by 217 American stations and could be seen in 20 foreign countries. Sold-out live appearances at Madison Square Garden enhanced the pianist's popularity even more. Soon, Liberace added flamboyant costumes and expensive ornaments to his already unique performances. His second movie, "Sincerely Yours" opened in 1955, and Liberace wrote his best-selling autobiography, "Liberace", in 1972. His first book, "Liberace Cooks", went into seven printings. In 1977, Liberace founded the non-profit "Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts". The year 1978 brought the opening of "The Liberace Museum" in Las Vegas, Nevada, which serves as key funding for the Liberace Foundation. The profits from the museum provide scholarship money for financially needy college musicians. He continued performing until the fall of 1986, despite suffering from heart disease and emphysema during most of the 1980's. A closeted homosexual his entire life, Liberace was secretly diagnosed with AIDS sometime in 1986, which he also kept a secret from the public until the day he died. His last concert performance was at Radio City Music Hall on November 2nd, 1986. He passed away in his Palm Springs home on February 4th, 1987 at the age of 67. Liberace was portrayed by Michael Douglas in the highly publicized HBO film, "Behind the Candelabra" (2013) which co-starred Matt Damon ..... DETAILS: The oversized 24 page program measures 7 1/4" X 9 3/4" inches and includes "The Liberace Story" with bios and photos of LIBERACE and his brother GEORGE with details of "The Women in his Life", "His Ex-Fiancees" and "Views on Marriage" with snapshots of Liberace during his career into the mid-1950's and details on his hobbies, wardrobe, homes, swimming pool and foundation ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light creasing, this program is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard ..... SHIPPING DISCOUNTS: Check my "Other Items" for additional rare Broadway playbills and other theatre related memorabilia. Shipping discounts are available for multiple purchases when all items are combined into a single payment. Please wait for a revised invoice before sending payment ..... THANKS !!! Pay me securely with any major credit card through PayPal!

Note: This item has been sold and is no longer available. This page serves as a historical price reference for Playbill collectors and appraisers.