Bob Barry’s Unearthed Interviews Podcast: Liberace
It’s time to put a Milwaukee native on the podcast. Famous pianist, singer, and actor Liberace was born in West Allis, Wisconsin. His father was an immigrant from Italy and his Polish mother was born in Menasha, Wisconsin. During his heyday he was the highest paid entertainer in the world. He made his millions performing at concerts, recordings, television, movies, and endorsements. He was referred to as a one-man Disneyland due to his outlandish costumes. He told me a story about his clothes and the IRS. Liberace was a huge box office attraction into the 80s at the Las Vegas Hilton and Lake Tahoe, where he earned $300,000 a week. He told Johnny Carson: “I don’t cry all the way to the bank any more – I bought the bank!” Remember when the Chordettes included him in their number one hit “Mr. Sandman.?”
