LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Nearly 30 years after his death, Liberace’s mark on the Las Vegas Strip continues to shine through a collection of instruments, costumes and artifacts that made him an icon.
Before the Rat Pack, before Elvis and long before a cavalcade of stars would take up residencies along the Las Vegas Strip, there was Liberace.
“His first ever performance is at the El Rancho. He moves immediately to The Last Frontier, where he opens for Sophie Tucker. And that’s in 1944. He’s 25 years old,” said a tour guide at the Liberace Collection.
Creating the Vegas residency model
The flamboyant pianist created the first-ever residency show when he opened at the Riviera in 1955.
“It’s 1955 when he opens the Riviera. He created the first ever residency show there, the first time where a property was dependent on the star to fill the hotel to fill the casino,” the guide said.
That residency was just one of many firsts for Liberace.
“He’s the first to bring showgirls on stage. He’s the first to create the residency. He’s the first to bring cars on stage. He’s the first to create spectacles on the street outside to draw people into the theater,” the guide said.
From humble beginnings to Vegas stardom
Born in Milwaukee in 1919, Liberace started playing piano at age three and secured a key mentorship at age eight. His professional path then took a dubious turn.
“He’s playing every gin, joint, dice club, back alley, poker game, bordello, gay club, you name it,” the guide said.
The venues troubled his mother, but his father had a different complaint.
“But his father didn’t care about the places he was playing. His father cared that he wasn’t playing the top-notch instruments. His father was a purist,” the guide said.
Collection showcases pianos and elaborate costumes
Liberace would eventually own around 100 pianos over his lifetime, with a few surviving in the collection.
“This is a Chickering Grand. This is an ancient player piano that was donated to the foundation many years ago. It’s one of the early advanced player pianos, which still is in great playing condition as a playable piano,” the guide said.
The collection also features elaborate costumes with hand-sewn beading and intricate designs.
“This is the run of the mill in the Liberace Museum collection,” the guide said of one outfit. “It’s actually this hand-sewn beading that you’re seeing there. That’s hand-sewn beading and a very elaborate design.”
“But the thing is, it is actually made for the spotlight. And when you hit it with the spotlight, you get a whole other set of layers that you don’t get otherwise,” the guide said.
Costumes became increasingly elaborate
As years passed, Liberace’s costumes became more elaborate. One jacket features Swarovski crystals with Tiffany backing and electronics to create a candelabra design.
“This jacket is really the harbinger of it all, in my opinion,” the guide said. “This is Swarovski crystals with Tiffany back sewn into the jacket. It’s got electronics to create that candelabra on the right breast there that turns on with a pulse.”
The heaviest cape in the collection weighs 180 pounds and contains 1,600 light bulbs.
“It’s got 1600 light bulbs inside and out. Wired together into a battery pack in his pocket. The cape alone is 180 pounds. It takes three of us to put it on the mannequin,” the guide said.
Marketing mastery and lasting cultural impact
The glitz and glamour contributed to Liberace’s brand and marketing skills.
“He masters the press around the same time he starts playing Las Vegas. He and his brother learned to manipulate the press and to direct it towards their promotion, no matter what they happened to be talking about at the time. And that serves him very well,” the guide said.
Even after his death, Liberace maintained a prominent place in pop culture.
“Grandpa Simpson has a Liberace action figure. Now, you know you’ve arrived when you become Grandpa Simpson’s action figure. Family Guy even licensed him in their video game,” the guide said.
Liberace owned six different homes in Las Vegas and opened a museum bearing his name to display his collection. It closed in 2019, but his personal items have since moved into the Thriller Villa, the house where Michael Jackson lived during his time in Las Vegas. The Liberace Foundation offers private tours of the collection.
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