I was fortunate enough to have met him on many occasions. My parents knew him personally. He was resplendent. He was generous and exquisitely well mannered. Uncle Lee.
I knew Liberace. I first met him in 1959 at his first home in Palm Springs. He was the best at what he did. He could arrange popular Melodie’s better than anyone. He was the pianist I could listen to for hours. He was wonderful.
All I to say about Liberace is when I watch him and his Demeanor & Attitude the way he talks he seems so kind and gentle a true Gentleman. I only wish I could of seen him as the Showman that he was. What a Talented Man.
We saw Liberace at Symphony Hall in Boston as a kid. He gave a special youth concert, playing songs from Disney films and movie themes. He had the strongest hands of any pianist I’d ever seen. He hid more with one hand than most pianists perform with two. He was such a kind and gentle soul that had an aura around him when he spoke you could tell he was connected to God. Whereas other pianists who played the same compositions he did, they had to rehearse for weeks. Liberace rarely made a mistake and rehearsed for hours or maybe a day. Nothing was too complicated for him. He possessed super human powers and so those costumes fit him perfect as the absolute musical superhero that he was. There still has not been a pianist on his level since he passed.
Supposedly Carson gave his friend unlimited time to do what he wanted on stage and in the chair. Carson's demeanor is very telling, he knew the showman was dieing.
I recently watched a fascinating interview with Steve Garey who was a great friend, student, and neighbor of Liberace (rented a cottage at Liberace’s Palm Springs home). Not sure if it was this episode, or not, but Steve mentioned Carson knew that Lee was ill and gave him carte blanche to take as much time as he needed on the show.
I'm here for the same reason. I loved him when I was a child in the 60s/70s. I was fascinates that he looked so fantasy but played classics in an engaging way. I loved his voice too..I was a British child. His voice was sing song and gentle..with happiness, light and joy. I am sad he died this way but he lived a life of service too bringing joy to even small British children. May his soul rest in peace ❤
As a kid I sat on his lap in my mother's office when he came to the hospital where she worked to entertain the young patients. He was a very generous entertainer who donated his time and talent.
I was just watching an interview with an old friend and house guest of liberace, which brought me to this performance on the Johnny Carson show. He actually said Mr. Carson knew during this interview that Liberace was sick with Aids and Mr. Carson wanted to have his old friend on before he passed away. I thought that was very kind of him to do. I remember these years very clearly because I lost so many friends to Aids during the late 1980s and 1990s. The best way to describe those years was that it felt like the gay Holocaust had hit the gay community. I was 16 years old during this performance and had come out to my family the year before. What happened to liberace right after his death was a disgrace, but I'm glad it didn't put an ugly mark on his image. RIP Liberace. ❤
I miss him. It was my folks who occasionally would go out on weekends and drop me off at my grandparents home, and they would watch The Liberace Show on TV, so we all watched it together. I was a little kid and simply blowin' away. Mesmerized. Naturally, I'd likely not have been so inclined to listen to a piano recital at that age. But, it was all the glitz, the personality, the way he would speak only to me. And to this very day, I have a collection of Liberace items proudly displayed in my home. Lee reminds me of my grandparents, that era and time. It tremendously influenced me and my musical career.
So many people only saw the glitz and glamour, but he was far more than his stage persona. He was a phenomenal musician and pianist. He had a strong and well-grounded keyboard technique borne of strict adherence to serious practice.
I never had the privilege to see him perform in person. he was a talented man/performer, who knew who and what he was and respected everyone else event the ones that did not respect him a kind generous soul. his talent is saved by You Tube and the video capabilities of modern science and technoloey. thank God for that . he will be seen and remembered all thru time. RIP Lee. ECF
He was one gay guy everyone from all backgrounds and walks of life seemed to like. A truly beautiful personality and worthy of all that glitter. Okay, he played piano like none other too!
The only difference between Liberace and any other professional pianist, was his showmanship and flamboyant personality. He was never the greatest pianist but he was considered an amazing performer that the people could relate to. He didn’t use his talent to keep himself separated from the masses. He used his talent to give himself a relationship with the masses. People felt close to him and loved him. That’s why he is one of the highest grossing acts in Las Vegas throughout history.
Liberace IMO is an outstanding pianist . He doesn't just play the Piano , He caresses the piano. Rock & Roll Legend Jerry Lee Lewis He Bangs the piano. There would never be another Entertainer like Liberace. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Absolutely beautiful and talented man. He possessed a gift that is very unique and special . His showmanship was flawless.. Rip Liberace. He had such a kind heart.
We *LOVE* you Liberaci, Wish you were STILL alive. We love you SO MUCH, Wish we can love you, as much as you loved your audience. NEVER forget you We love you always Liberaci
I saw Liberace live in West Palm Beach.we sat in the front row. When we left at the end I found a sequin on the floor which must've popped off his fancy jacket haha. We just LOVED good ol' Liberace. So terribly sorry about his painful death in the mid eighties. 😮
13 months after this aired he was gone. I think based on what he said at 11:06, he knew he didn't have much time left, it was less than a year before this aired that he was diagnosed with AIDS. He was such an amazing entertainer and a kind person.
@@shanecarpentieri2625 I'm not aware of any confirmations as to whom infected Lee with HIV, it could have been anyone really considering Lee had a promiscuous lifestyle in the 70's and up until he was diagnosed with HIV in 1985, it was revealed after his death that most of the men he slept with were half his age or younger. Scott Thorson alleged that Lee knowingly infected 3 other men after their relationship with HIV, all of them died from it, but take that with a grain of salt considering Thorson had a personal vendetta and wanted to destroy Lee for ending their relationship.
This was one year before Liberace died. Liberace died in 1987 at age 67 in Palm Springs. So if this was 1986 as it says, Liberace would be gone one year from this performance. I am shocked, he looks so young and filled with vitality and his playing was so gorgeous. I’m sorry he was gone too soon and I’m amazed at his youthfulness, he had a wonderful career for 40 years. What a gift to the world. My grandmother used to adore him but I didn’t really get him until I was older. ❤
I am now 75 YOand remember watching Liberace as a child of about 6 YO. On a B&W TV, because my mother loved to watch him. As a child, I was impressed with the candelabras, and sometimes when he played more popular tune rather than classical. His outfits were not as sparkling back then, because again it was a B&W TV I was viewing. Sill love his performance documented on TH-cam. What an entertainer.
his brother was very talented also served during WWII and traveled around with USO playing Concert Violinist there Parents Really pushed there Talent after they Came to America
What a spectacular performance! To be a prodigy like Liberace, and to sit down at a piano and command an entire audience as effectively as an entire orchestra-that is incredible. And then Carson with the “radioactive dandruff” line; just hilarious! Liberace laughed, we all laughed, but most of all, it demonstrates the nonpareil value of everything done in good taste.
I remember when many of his things were put on display at the LA Convention Center after he passed for an auction, I got to sit down and play a few of his pianos. I worked setting up the show back then.
I remember as a child who loved Mr. Liberace the critics saying he wasn't particularly talented. He was gloriously talented. He was everything to me. Oprah had him on her program just before he passed over. He was clearly very ill by then.
Lee told Johnny he had “Gay Cancer” as they called it back then. Johnny knew he had Aids and gave Lee cartblance to do whatever he wanted that’s why Lee got such a long segment on this show. Johnny looks so sad yet Lee looks so happy.
It is amazing to see the number of celebrities Johnny Carson had in his show which passed away shortly after appearing as his guests. Lee died a bit over a year later in February 1987. RIP Lee, gone for over 30 years now. how time flies.
A fabuous entertainer! Every time I hear Ed McMahon and the Tonight Show intro it brings happy feelings back to me! Late night TV today is a vast wasteland!
Whatever faults Lee had (seriously, name a human who doesn’t have any!), he was a helluva pianist, an animal (dog) lover and a true showman who would still find time to talk to perfect strangers and fans where ever he went. And he made piano music popular!
Such a sad end to a magnificent entertainer and pianist. He was great. Mr.Showman himself. Still missed to this day by the❤ older generation. Self taught a genius on the piano. RIP may the ivory keys still ring out amongst us all.
one of the things that I really appreciated about Carson, starts with the blind parity he showed with his guests. He treated Liberace with the same kind of grace and respect that he showed Lucille Ball or Rickles or Sinatra. Most people knew Liberace was gay...Johnny knew...Ed knew...Doc' knew. THEY ALL KNEW. And yet, Johnny wasnt afraid to actually touch his arm...which was a big deal in those days, with all the rumors, even then, about "Lee" being gay and having AIDS (which eventually killed him one year after this appearance. Say what you will about Liberace and all the unnecessary energy that he used trying to hide his sexuality. The man was an absolute, incredible piano player. One of the very best.
Really, outside of maybe the jazz scene, I don't think anyone could really have a career like his again. Rock and roll and pop music have put so much focus on dancing and singing and big production numbers and pyrotechnics that I can't imagine anyone now paying to see someone come out and sit down at a piano and just play. Some singing and talking to the audience, but mostly just playing everything from classical music to popular tunes. Someone like this probably wouldn't last too long on a show like American Idol or whatever. They'd say just playing isn't enough.
The backstory on this segment is that Liberace was first diagnosed with AIDS in Las Vegas. The owner of the biggest newspaper got wind of it because he felt the news should be told. He called Carson because Carson was the owner of the NBC affiliate station in Las Vegas. Carson, having known Liberace since the '50's as he said here didn't have the news reported. Instead, he knew he had to have Liberace on The Tonight Show one last time before he died and this is the show. Carson never let Liberace know he knew he was dying. But you can see the sadness in Carson's eyes here. Plus, you can tell by the way Liberace was talking about his age and life that he knew he wasn't going to be around too much longer.
Liberace poderia ter sido um pianista clássico sem a menor sombra de dúvida. O toque leve e sutil e uma noção de andamento unica, com legatos e estacatos nos pontos mais inusitados, o que faz com que se perceba as nuancas da linha melodica, como no caso da Polonaise Op. 53. Mesmo evidentemente doente e bem enfraquecido, permaneceu genial. Amo ouvir o nosso Lee por horas se fosse preciso. Fora que era um homem educadissimo e de grande presença. Descanse em paz, Liberace!!!
It's sad that his legacy in Las Vegas is almost non existant anymore. I remember going to a show in Vegas in 1990 / 91, and saw a Liberace imitator, he was amazing, but now you don't have ANY of these imitators it seems to keep the legacy alive. At least I don't know of any presently in Vegas.
Towards the end, Liberace speaks of aging, and how time is running out. Just over a year later, he was gone. Too soon. But his legacy lives on; I appreciate him more now than I did when he was alive!
❤ I met Danny La"rue in Brick lane Truman's Brewery in the 1980s he did a cabaret show! Managed to speak to him afterwards, I didn't know he was Irish 🙈 ❤
He was a television pioneer. He made a variety show loved by millions. Very talented business man. The clown show was an act. He was smart. Money poured in.
Johnny Carson knew he was dying here. Rumours in Vegas got to Johnny, and he wanted Liberace on his program ❤❤
I was fortunate enough to have met him on many occasions. My parents knew him personally. He was resplendent. He was generous and exquisitely well mannered. Uncle Lee.
Waaw 😃
Lucky!
What a very honorably descriptive word, "resplendent", is to attribute to someone.
Wow. So lucky. Long live Walter Busterkeys.
Definitely on the list of performers who only needed one name for instant recognition.
Liberace passed away the next year in 1987 RIP - brilliant talent, great showman and a very nice guy
Even here he seems a little ran down and tired.
Watched a documentary and it said that Johnny Carson knew he was dying..He gave Liberace' leeway' on what he did on his show.
I knew Liberace. I first met him in 1959 at his first home in Palm Springs. He was the best at what he did. He could arrange popular Melodie’s better than anyone. He was the pianist I could listen to for hours. He was wonderful.
Too much of a good thing is wonderful.
lucky man, wish i had met him
Did he get you in the sack?
He was a great comedian too.
I saw Liberace in Dallas Texas
"Time isn't as plentiful as it once was" Liberace, 1986
You can see Johnny had a true fondness for liberace.
I thought that too ❤️❤️❤️❤️
He was a very talented man, no one like him, such a special gift.
Love him or hate him Liberace was one hell of an entertainer. May he rest in peace.
All I to say about Liberace is when I watch him and his Demeanor & Attitude the way he talks he seems so kind and gentle a true Gentleman. I only wish I could of seen him as the Showman that he was. What a Talented Man.
I did see him in person..
The dude was a gay narcissistic drama queen. All an act to appear mannered.
I got to meet him briefly. Gracious and generous totally describes him.
@@MaryJesus-fs2ej Fun! If you mind me asking where did you meet him?
43 years and he was still selling out his concerts .....now that's a entertainer
We saw Liberace at Symphony Hall in Boston as a kid. He gave a special youth concert, playing songs from Disney films and movie themes. He had the strongest hands of any pianist I’d ever seen. He hid more with one hand than most pianists perform with two. He was such a kind and gentle soul that had an aura around him when he spoke you could tell he was connected to God. Whereas other pianists who played the same compositions he did, they had to rehearse for weeks. Liberace rarely made a mistake and rehearsed for hours or maybe a day. Nothing was too complicated for him. He possessed super human powers and so those costumes fit him perfect as the absolute musical superhero that he was. There still has not been a pianist on his level since he passed.
He’s missed. Above all he was a gentle nice human being. Thanks for the music.
#RIPLiberace 🙏🏼
Supposedly Carson gave his friend unlimited time to do what he wanted on stage and in the chair. Carson's demeanor is very telling, he knew the showman was dieing.
Yes Carson was a true gentleman he never outted or exposed secrets. You were always safe with Johnny and took care of his friends.
I recently watched a fascinating interview with Steve Garey who was a great friend, student, and neighbor of Liberace (rented a cottage at Liberace’s Palm Springs home). Not sure if it was this episode, or not, but Steve mentioned Carson knew that Lee was ill and gave him carte blanche to take as much time as he needed on the show.
This is why I ended up watching this Carson appearance! I enjoyed the Steve Garey interview too.
I'm here for the same reason. I loved him when I was a child in the 60s/70s. I was fascinates that he looked so fantasy but played classics in an engaging way. I loved his voice too..I was a British child. His voice was sing song and gentle..with happiness, light and joy. I am sad he died this way but he lived a life of service too bringing joy to even small British children. May his soul rest in peace ❤
Was it the dearly departed with Scott Michaels???
@@octoberghost9228 yes, it was Dearly Departed. I’ve been a fan of Scott for about 20 years.
I had never watched Dearly Departed before & just did now. I never heard of Steve Garey & I was so moved by the interview that's why I'm here to.
Omg; I had no idea Liberace could play such classics; impressive.
...you should watch some of his shows from the early 1950s, done straight with a plain piano and a plain tuxedo.
It was like magic the way his fingers glided over those keys, graceful, wonderful. There will never be another like him! Loved watching him 👏👏👏
As a kid I sat on his lap in my mother's office when he came to the hospital where she worked to entertain the young patients. He was a very generous entertainer who donated his time and talent.
What a great memory
I’m just discovering his talent. An amazing showman.
Two class act showmen - Johnny Carson and Liberace!
For sure. Those were the classy times with entertainment. Now it's all garbage.
There was something very compelling about Liberace.
I was just watching an interview with an old friend and house guest of liberace, which brought me to this performance on the Johnny Carson show. He actually said Mr. Carson knew during this interview that Liberace was sick with Aids and Mr. Carson wanted to have his old friend on before he passed away. I thought that was very kind of him to do. I remember these years very clearly because I lost so many friends to Aids during the late 1980s and 1990s. The best way to describe those years was that it felt like the gay Holocaust had hit the gay community. I was 16 years old during this performance and had come out to my family the year before. What happened to liberace right after his death was a disgrace, but I'm glad it didn't put an ugly mark on his image. RIP Liberace. ❤
Wow, just saw this for the first time. What a wonderful person.
Lost my dear cousin to that plague n more than one dear friend. Glad Liberace was w Johnny, thanks so much for this video.
RIP meistro. Thank you for the music
I miss him. It was my folks who occasionally would go out on weekends and drop me off at my grandparents home, and they would watch The Liberace Show on TV, so we all watched it together. I was a little kid and simply blowin' away. Mesmerized. Naturally, I'd likely not have been so inclined to listen to a piano recital at that age. But, it was all the glitz, the personality, the way he would speak only to me. And to this very day, I have a collection of Liberace items proudly displayed in my home. Lee reminds me of my grandparents, that era and time. It tremendously influenced me and my musical career.
Yes, I watched him in the mid-50s on TV w my grandma, we loved him n his lovely show.
When late night was good
Yes!!!
When AmeriKKa was Good
@@highwaystar3780 When it was GREAT
When it was GREAT.
TRUMP 2024!!!!
So many people only saw the glitz and glamour, but he was far more than his stage persona. He was a phenomenal musician and pianist. He had a strong and well-grounded keyboard technique borne of strict adherence to serious practice.
His suit is amazing, love it
All 50 pounds of it.
Such a shame he was taken from us. He was wonderful!
I never had the privilege to see him perform in person. he was a talented man/performer, who knew who and what he was and respected everyone else event the ones that did not respect him a kind generous soul. his talent is saved by You Tube and the video capabilities of modern science and technoloey. thank God for that . he will be seen and remembered all thru time. RIP Lee. ECF
lee and chopin - pleasure for mind and ears. lovely as always!
No one has done it better that I know of. Tremendous pianist
NOBODY plays 'em like Liberace ❤️ love him and his music
Liberace was really polite
He was one gay guy everyone from all backgrounds and walks of life seemed to like. A truly beautiful personality and worthy of all that glitter. Okay, he played piano like none other too!
The only difference between Liberace and any other professional pianist, was his showmanship and flamboyant personality. He was never the greatest pianist but he was considered an amazing performer that the people could relate to. He didn’t use his talent to keep himself separated from the masses. He used his talent to give himself a relationship with the masses. People felt close to him and loved him. That’s why he is one of the highest grossing acts in Las Vegas throughout history.
Liberace IMO is an outstanding pianist . He doesn't just play the Piano , He caresses the piano. Rock & Roll Legend Jerry Lee Lewis He Bangs the piano. There would never be another Entertainer like Liberace.
🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Why is he not a great pianist? Just because that’s the chatter?
Au contraire! He WAS one of the greatest pianists!
At the time, if you really wanted to be snobbish, you would say someone like Vladimir Horowitz was the “real” pianist and this guy was a poser
My parents were fortunate enough to see him in Boston in the 70’s. Liberace was the very best performer they had ever seen.
Absolutely beautiful and talented man. He possessed a gift that is very unique and special . His showmanship was flawless.. Rip Liberace. He had such a kind heart.
So much Chopin by this son of a Polish woman… love it. Wish I could have l seen him in person.
The Italian blood was stronger...
Are you sure about that?
Chopin was half French! Go figure
We *LOVE* you Liberaci, Wish you were STILL alive. We love you SO MUCH, Wish we can love you, as much as you loved your audience. NEVER forget you We love you always Liberaci
He REALLY was a Great ARTIST..not just a showman.........
Who would have thought late-night would turn into what it is now
Love his style taste talent this guy was really something
I saw Liberace live in West Palm Beach.we sat in the front row. When we left at the end I found a sequin on the floor which must've popped off his fancy jacket haha. We just LOVED good ol' Liberace. So terribly sorry about his painful death in the mid eighties. 😮
He really has a humble and gracious way of talking. 👍
13 months after this aired he was gone. I think based on what he said at 11:06, he knew he didn't have much time left, it was less than a year before this aired that he was diagnosed with AIDS. He was such an amazing entertainer and a kind person.
Is there anything out there that says who the person was where he contracted HIV
@@shanecarpentieri2625 I'm not aware of any confirmations as to whom infected Lee with HIV, it could have been anyone really considering Lee had a promiscuous lifestyle in the 70's and up until he was diagnosed with HIV in 1985, it was revealed after his death that most of the men he slept with were half his age or younger. Scott Thorson alleged that Lee knowingly infected 3 other men after their relationship with HIV, all of them died from it, but take that with a grain of salt considering Thorson had a personal vendetta and wanted to destroy Lee for ending their relationship.
Johnny knew apparently that he was ill.
@@shanecarpentieri2625 there was lots of anonymous sex in those days so its no telling
Wish we had Johnny now days!
Watching this, there's a time bomb, that will adventualy go off. The Showman & the show,must go on.
Rip Liberace ❤️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was one year before Liberace died. Liberace died in 1987 at age 67 in Palm Springs. So if this was 1986 as it says, Liberace would be gone one year from this performance. I am shocked, he looks so young and filled with vitality and his playing was so gorgeous. I’m sorry he was gone too soon and I’m amazed at his youthfulness, he had a wonderful career for 40 years. What a gift to the world. My grandmother used to adore him but I didn’t really get him until I was older. ❤
I am now 75 YOand remember watching Liberace as a child of about 6 YO. On a B&W TV, because my mother loved to watch him. As a child, I was impressed with the candelabras, and sometimes when he played more popular tune rather than classical. His outfits were not as sparkling back then, because again it was a B&W TV I was viewing. Sill love his performance documented on TH-cam. What an entertainer.
his brother was very talented also served during WWII and traveled around with USO playing Concert Violinist there Parents Really pushed there Talent after they Came to America
What a spectacular performance! To be a prodigy like Liberace, and to sit down at a piano and command an entire audience as effectively as an entire orchestra-that is incredible. And then Carson with the “radioactive dandruff” line; just hilarious! Liberace laughed, we all laughed, but most of all, it demonstrates the nonpareil value of everything done in good taste.
Forever loved and missed ❤️
he was amazing
I remember when many of his things were put on display at the LA Convention Center after he passed for an auction, I got to sit down and play a few of his pianos. I worked setting up the show back then.
I am binging old Carson and Letterman, i am in 7th grade again, cant sleep- watching carson
Scott micheals brought me here
Beyond Fabulous
Liberace was always himself with no subterfuge---and it was nice to see Johnny, the consummate host, give him his just due.
He was the show man of the year. And in my book he still is😅❤
I remember as a child who loved Mr. Liberace the critics saying he wasn't particularly talented. He was gloriously talented. He was everything to me.
Oprah had him on her program just before he passed over. He was clearly very ill by then.
He was a terrific pianist.
Apparently Johnny knew that Liberace was sick and wanted him booked on his show a last time. You can tell that Johnny is a little somber here.
Lee told Johnny he had “Gay Cancer” as they called it back then. Johnny knew he had Aids and gave Lee cartblance to do whatever he wanted that’s why Lee got such a long segment on this show. Johnny looks so sad yet Lee looks so happy.
Liberace - SHOWMAN personified!!!
Take away all of the extra fluff and mirrors, etc., and yes....he was THAT good. An extraordinary entertainer!
What an incredible artist.
He understood the assignment. 😁
No hate, destruction, or manipulation; just talent - and love.
He was an amazing person!
The LAST SHOWMEN !! There will NEVER be another !!
Wonderful
Always a fan of Liberace, hard to believe he would pass away in the year right after this.
Miss him greatly.
The Greatest Showman.A joy to watch and listen to Dancing Spirit Unfolding on You Tube ❤
Love Liberace!
I had met Lee before his last show here in Portland Oregon.
It is amazing to see the number of celebrities Johnny Carson had in his show which passed away shortly after appearing as his guests. Lee died a bit over a year later in February 1987.
RIP Lee, gone for over 30 years now. how time flies.
He was the greatest
A fabuous entertainer! Every time I hear Ed McMahon and the Tonight Show intro it brings happy feelings back to me! Late night TV today is a vast wasteland!
I miss him
A brilliant entertainer.
Whatever faults Lee had (seriously, name a human who doesn’t have any!), he was a helluva pianist, an animal (dog) lover and a true showman who would still find time to talk to perfect strangers and fans where ever he went. And he made piano music popular!
I was too young to be a fan back then. I am a HUGE fan now!
So enjoyed this thankyou for sharing
He passed away 1 year later 😢
Such a sad end to a magnificent entertainer and pianist. He was great. Mr.Showman himself. Still missed to this day by the❤ older generation. Self taught a genius on the piano. RIP may the ivory keys still ring out amongst us all.
when you learn from people like Paderewski, you are not self taught. that\'s just nonsense. He was trained pianist who went his own way.
one of the things that I really appreciated about Carson, starts with the blind parity he showed with his guests. He treated Liberace with the same kind of grace and respect that he showed Lucille Ball or Rickles or Sinatra. Most people knew Liberace was gay...Johnny knew...Ed knew...Doc' knew. THEY ALL KNEW. And yet, Johnny wasnt afraid to actually touch his arm...which was a big deal in those days, with all the rumors, even then, about "Lee" being gay and having AIDS (which eventually killed him one year after this appearance. Say what you will about Liberace and all the unnecessary energy that he used trying to hide his sexuality. The man was an absolute, incredible piano player. One of the very best.
Wonderfully said ❤️❤️❤️
Really, outside of maybe the jazz scene, I don't think anyone could really have a career like his again. Rock and roll and pop music have put so much focus on dancing and singing and big production numbers and pyrotechnics that I can't imagine anyone now paying to see someone come out and sit down at a piano and just play. Some singing and talking to the audience, but mostly just playing everything from classical music to popular tunes. Someone like this probably wouldn't last too long on a show like American Idol or whatever. They'd say just playing isn't enough.
Positive and talented, loved him for years..
The backstory on this segment is that Liberace was first diagnosed with AIDS in Las Vegas. The owner of the biggest newspaper got wind of it because he felt the news should be told. He called Carson because Carson was the owner of the NBC affiliate station in Las Vegas. Carson, having known Liberace since the '50's as he said here didn't have the news reported. Instead, he knew he had to have Liberace on The Tonight Show one last time before he died and this is the show. Carson never let Liberace know he knew he was dying. But you can see the sadness in Carson's eyes here. Plus, you can tell by the way Liberace was talking about his age and life that he knew he wasn't going to be around too much longer.
We Love You Dearly Lee! 💯❤️💯
Liberace poderia ter sido um pianista clássico sem a menor sombra de dúvida. O toque leve e sutil e uma noção de andamento unica, com legatos e estacatos nos pontos mais inusitados, o que faz com que se perceba as nuancas da linha melodica, como no caso da Polonaise Op. 53. Mesmo evidentemente doente e bem enfraquecido, permaneceu genial. Amo ouvir o nosso Lee por horas se fosse preciso. Fora que era um homem educadissimo e de grande presença. Descanse em paz, Liberace!!!
It's sad that his legacy in Las Vegas is almost non existant anymore. I remember going to a show in Vegas in 1990 / 91, and saw a Liberace imitator, he was amazing, but now you don't have ANY of these imitators it seems to keep the legacy alive. At least I don't know of any presently in Vegas.
Towards the end, Liberace speaks of aging, and how time is running out. Just over a year later, he was gone. Too soon. But his legacy lives on; I appreciate him more now than I did when he was alive!
He was talented, that's for sure.
2021 THE BEST!!!.
Wonderful accompaniment by the Tonight Show band.
Very nice, Edgar
❤ I met Danny La"rue in Brick lane Truman's Brewery in the 1980s he did a cabaret show! Managed to speak to him afterwards, I didn't know he was Irish 🙈 ❤
He was a television pioneer. He made a variety show loved by millions. Very talented business man. The clown show was an act. He was smart. Money poured in.
Very talented. He played beautifully. Any piece of music by ear
What a sparkly outfit! Just flaming!
When people talk about Johnny having class, this is what they're referring to.
I only realized watching this that maybe Elton John got the idea for his glitzy outfits from Liberace.
At the end of the show, Liberace leans to the actress beside him and says “It was nice to meet you.” That’s so classy.