Liberace on Batman (
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Liberace on Saturday Night Live (NBC via Getty Images)
The Liberace beloved by audiences was nothing like the strange, perverse figure portrayed in HBO’s “Behind the Candelabra.” He used television to spread the fame he was already enjoying in live performances. In 1952, he had a 15-minute summer replacement series for Dinah Shore called “The Liberace Show.” While it did not lead to a place on the fall schedule, he later expanded the inroads he’d made with appearances on talk shows (“The Tonight Show”) and cameos on the inane sitcoms of the day, including “Here’s Lucy” and “The Monkees,” where he played himself and smashed a grand piano with a sledgehammer. He also appeared in two CBS specials that were filmed at the Las Vegas Hilton in 1978 and 1979. Some of his other memorable appearances on TV include:
“Batman”
In 1966, Liberace played a dual role on the ABC hit, as a concert pianist named Chandell and his twin, Harry, a gangster doing time. It was one of the series’ highest-rated episodes. Adam West, who starred on the show with Burt Ward, still remembers some of Liberace’s dialogue: “Now, are you going to call Batman or do I have to call him myself on that famous hot line I’ve read so much about?”
Speaking from his home in Sun Valley, Idaho, West says that Liberace had two grand pianos shipped to the studio and even brought his own costumes. “He was thoroughly professional. Always on time. It was funny to see him walk around the stage trying to be the character who was tough. It was a hoot. His assistant was his brother, George. He played piano on the set and we’d all sing. I was impressed that our producer Bill Dozier would cast him.”
“The Sonny and Cher Show”
Cher (left), in her Laverne get-up, took a tour of Liberace’s Hollywood Hills mansion in January, 1974.
“Saturday Night Live”
On March 30, 1985, Liberace (below center) appeared as himself in a spoof “The Joe Franklin Show.” Billy Crystal (seated at desk) played Franklin. Martin Short was Irving Cohen and Christopher Guest was Señor Cosa.
“The Oprah Winfrey Show”
Liberace’s last interview aired on Christmas day, 1986, on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” He wore a sharkskin suit with a claret-colored shirt, red shoes and red socks. He played Christmas carols for Oprah and her audience. Oprah mentioned Scott Thorson’s palimony suit, but he he brushed it off, saying, “I don’t think the public much cares.” Then Oprah asked him, “Do you know how much you’re worth?” His reply was almost prophetic: “I’ve been told I’m worth more dead than alive.” He died the following February.
During the interview, Oprah asked Liberace how he lost his virginity and the entertainer went into a long story about being seduced on the road by an older woman. “Let’s just call her Miss Behavin’,” he said. “She spoiled me.” Oprah played along, never asking him, especially after the palimony suit, if he was gay. “As I got older I was more attracted to the younger girls,” he said.