For Mothers of A Certain Age

"Liberace Extravaganza" by Connie Furr Soloman and Jan Jewett   Harper Design   223 pages   (lavishly illustated)   $29.99

I write about Liberace today on Mother's Day because he was a great favorite with older women.   And one of the things these women liked was that he was devoted to his mother.

Liberace's only misstep in a 46 year long career was when a manager convinced him to throw away the excess and to be "more manly."  His career tanked.  He thought about it, fired the manager and bought even more outrageous costumes and flourished as never before.

He referred to a spectacular red outfit - jacket, pants and matching boots - as his "lasagna suit.  I wear it when I make lasagna," he purred, "The stains don't show!"

He came onstage one evening and told the audience, "This isn't my most spectacular outfit, but it is the most expensive -- these three buttons on my shirt are real diamonds...but I couldn't come out here wearing just three diamonds..."

His famed (pretend) avarice was tempered by humor.  He told a critic, "Your review hurt me.  I cried all the way to the bank."  Later in his career, he would say, "You know that bank I used to go crying to? (smug smile) I bought it." 

On other occasions, he might say toward the close of the show, "You've been such a wonderful audience tonight -- I hate to take your money (beat) but I will."

All of his costumes were custom made and all of his clothing relationships remained warm and close until they or he died.  He was a loyal man. 

His stage costumes (excluding capes which were considerably more) ran as high as $24,000 each.  He took 40 of them ($960,000) on tour with him at casinos and Radio City Music Hall.  They were not made of lightweight gauze either.  A couple of the capes weighed as much as 150 to 200 pounds.  Try bounding onto a stage and twirling toting a load like that and not falling on your face!  Liberace was stronger than rent!