Wladziu Liberace
May 16, 1919 – February 4, 1987
Liberace was an immensely popular and flamboyant entertainer whose successful career spanned some fifty years. He was reportedly the highest paid entertainer in the world during the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Beyond all the glitz however, Liberace was first and foremost, a world-class classical pianist. That, along with his showmanship and personal interaction with his audiences that endeared him to his many fans. As he put it, he didn’t put on concerts, he put on shows. Throughout most of his career, Liberace was a constant face on television, whether it was on his own show and specials, or as a guest star on countless others. He released many albums as well, generally tied in with his television programs and made up of standards. During the final months of Liberace’s career and life, it became known that he was battling AIDS. He gave his final live performance at Radio City Music Hall in November of 1986, and made his final television appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show that aired on the following Christmas Day. Liberace was 67 years old when he died of AIDS related complications. It was never disclosed how and when he became HIV-positive.
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