#liberace

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

Jon Hamm: I've worn everything on this show, from nothing to a rug wrapped around me to a beautiful bespoke suit.

Kate Carin (Costume Designer): When we see him at the bookshop for the ball, we thought it would be hilarious that Aziraphale had asked him to get really dressed up for it. So we did a bit of a homage to Liberace. So he's got a powder blue dinner suit that's encrusted with rhinestones. And then Douglas asked if we could do some sort of coat to go on top of it for one of the scenes when he leaves. So, of course, we didn't do just a coat. We did a huge ostrich feather coat, which we made from scratch.The girls did all the ombre on the feathers so it matches the dinner suit, gets lighter and lighter blue as it comes to the top, and then he's kind of surrounded by this halo of white feathers.

Sarah-Kate Fenelon (Producer): There is a shot when he emerges from the bookshop to meet all of the demons and say, like, I am who you're looking for, where he looks a little bit like an angel. And the silhouette of him kind of emerging in the light is very epic and is then just completely undercut by sort of, move out of the way. (video)

[100gayicons]

Adam West’s Batman series is known for its campy style. But just how campy was it? At least nine of its Guest Stars playing the series’ villains knew first hand as they were closeted LGBT. Until the last few decades, if an actor was outed in public, their careers would end. So most of these actors never came out to their fans. Some were known to be LGBTQ by their friends or families, and stories about them still linger.

In the next few days I will post about Batman’s Campiest Gay Villains.

[citizenscreen]

Elvis and Liberace trading places -

Liberace strums out "Blue Suede Shoes" for Elvis Presley at Liberace's opening night at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas in 1956. Presley holds a Liberace trademark candelabra before joining the famed pianist on stage for a jam session.

[atomic-chronoscaph]

Liberace and Vampira (1956)

[dandyads]

Liberace for Blatz Beer, 1952

Theme Week: Celebrities 🎹

[fatmagic]

[gameraboy2]

Muhammad Ali, Liberace and Hulk Hogan at Madison Square Garden, March 29, 1985

[vintage-every-day]

March 6, 1955: Judy Garland recently attended a huge circus-themed party given by skater and film star Sonja Henie. On the left Liberace.

[dayniac]

Doris and Liberace at the 1955 Ice Follies in Hollywood.

[jedivoodoochile]

Liberace and Rowlf The Dog on The Muppet Show.

[frenchcurious]

Liberace avec sa Cadillac Série 62 Coupe de Ville 1955. - source Cars & Motorbikes Stars of the Golden era. 

[100gayicons]

Liberace’s entire career as a pianist and singer could be described as “hiding in plain sight”. He maintained a flamboyant appearance on stage and in his private life.

Liberace never married, yet he fervently denied he was a homosexual and went to court at least three times to sue anyone who even suggested that he was gay (and he won).

Liberace occasional appeared on TV, usually as him self. But in 1966, he appeared in two episodes of the Batman TV series as the piano playing villain Chantel.

In 1977, Liberace hired 18 year old Scott Thorson to act as his personal friend and companion. Liberace incorporated Thorson into his Las Vegas act as a dancer. According to Thorson, he was also required to have sex with the pianist. When Liberace fired him in 1982, Thorson sued Liberace for palimony (the case was settled out of court).

The same year, Liberace met another blond 18 year old, Cary James Wyman, who had been a singer with The Young Americans. Liberace hired Wyman to be his new “personal assistance”.

Liberace he was diagnosed as HIV positive in 1985, but didn’t reveal it to the public. He died from AIDS in 1987. His doctors attempted to hide the cause of death but the coroner’s office over ruled them after an autopsy was performed.

The nail on the coffin so to speak was in 2011 when In a 2011 interview, actress and close friend Betty White confirmed that Liberace was gay and she often was acted as his "beard" to counter public rumors of his homosexuality.

Note: Cary James Wyman also died from AIDS, in 1995.

[citizenscreen]

Steve Lawrence pulls Liberace and Phyllis Diller on a rickshaw through New York City in August 1965 for “The Steve Lawrence Show.”

[poppingmary]

Elvis Presley and Liberace in Las Vegas - 1956

[bitter69uk]

Making Christmas EXTRA sparkly … just discovered Liberace’s 1954 Christmas album is on Spotify.

[sootygifs]

Sooty (2011) - "Who's Got Talent?"