Wisconsin Native, The Legendary Liberace, On The Queen Mary
A couple of members of our cheesehead team sent in these photos of a Liberace poster on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. Few people realize that the worlds most famous pianist was born, grew up, and returned to Wisconsin repeatedly throughout his career. His world famous Valentines Day Concert was recorded on the Queen Mary and broadcast on CBS to tens of millions.
NOTE: The information below about one of Wisconsin’s most famous sons is taken from the websites linked at the bottom of this page, and for promotional purposes only.
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“Liberace’s outlandish costumes and lifestyle seemed far removed from the small Wisconsin town where he was born and raised. Yet he often returned to the Milwaukee area to play local theatres “with special enthusiasm,” never really losing his Midwest connection. According to one of his autobiographers, “the trajectory of his career, and his ambition, energy, perseverance and good nature all represent elements of his baptism in Midwestern American values.” Beneath the bejeweled jacket and fancy stage set beat the heart of a true Midwesterner.”
In 1956, he performed on the Queen Mary. He played there again Queen in 1979 in a performance that was taped and broadcast on CBS-TV as “Liberace: A Valentine Special,” which also included performances at the Las Vegas Hilton, Liberace’s Vegas villa – and at the Liberace Museum.”
Curators’ Favorites: Museum Online Collections from the Wisconsin Historical Museum.
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Cheeseheads: The Documentary 