Thursday, June 18, 1959: Liberace wins libel suit
Posted on February 6th, 2006 – 1:28 AMBy Ben Welter
Which adjective – colorful or flamboyant — best describes Liberace, the pianist born in West Allis, Wis.? It’s pretty much a toss-up, if a Google search is any measure, so I’ll use both.
In the 1950s, the colorful and flamboyant entertainer had to sue a London tabloid to protect a secret and preserve his career. In a mean-spirited piece, the Daily Mirror implied that Liberace was a homosexual (and “the biggest sentimental vomit of all time”). He testified that he was not a homosexual and won the case — and a $22,400 judgment — in June 1959. It’s not clear how the paper defended itself or whether truth was a valid defense under British law. Liberace is credited with coining the phrase “I cried all the way to the bank” in connection with the case.
The three photos below appeared in the Minneapolis daily papers between 1951 and 1971. The captions are the originals, warts and all.
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| LIBERACE, American pianist, wore a big grin as Londoners surrounded him to cheer his victory in a libel action against London Daily Mirror and its columnist William Connor. In a 1956 column, Connor implied Liberace was a homosexual. Liberace was awarded $22,400. After the court victory, the touring pianist went on in his regular performance at the Cheswick Empire theater in London. The court said Connor’s column did not represent fair comment. (AP Wirephoto; June 18, 1959) |
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| PRACTICE: Solomon Wasserman, 11, 1636 Sheridan avenue N., got a bit of advice on how to play the piano from Liberace, now appearing at the Minnesota Terrace of the Hotel Nicollet, before the two presented a show there. Solomon was named winner over 50 other youngsters in a contest held by the Liberace Talent club. (Minneapolis Tribune photo by Jack Gillis; March 29, 1951) |
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| STAR-SPANGLED: Liberace set ‘em back on their heels Thursday night at the State Fair Grandstand Show. Wearing a star-spangled red, white and blue HotPants outfit, the showman-pianist, at one point in the performance, strutted onstage twirling a baton and the audience of 10,000 exploded into applause and laughter. The veteran entertainer set the tone of the evening when he first walked onstage, wearing a 23-carat gold-trimmed Russian waistcoat over an Argentine gaucho outfit and diamond rings. Said Liberace: “Well, look me over. I don’t dress this way to go unnoticed.” He didn’t. (Minneapolis Star photo by Peter Freeman; Sept. 3, 1971) |
14 Responses to "Thursday, June 18, 1959: Liberace wins libel suit"
So did liberace have to give the money back? It seems to me that would only be fair.
Read closely… The article said that Liberace “testified that he was not a homosexual…”
You’re not allowed to lie in court, so he’s not gay! It was all an act!
So, did the Mirror later go after Liberace for perjury?
Amazing how little progress has been made in almost 50 years! I’m white, he’s black, she’s straight, he’s not, etc. Why does any of that matter and why should the adjective matter more than the subject? We are ALL just PEOPLE! All the same, yet different - I like ice cream, you don’t.
[…] The Strib says this is the 49th anniversary of Liberace winning a lawsuit against the Daily Mirror for alleging that he was a homosexual. […]
And to think, Liberace actually couldn’t understand why people thought he was gay. . . .He spent his whole life denying it, when everyone knew he was and didn’t care. All the old blue-haired ladies who filled his audiences cared about was that they wouldn’t lose him to another woman.
I like ice cream…
So does anyone reading this article know what became of the little pianist practicing with Liberace in the photo?
Hi, Sue. Good question. I almost always try to track down people featured in Yesterday’s News who may still be alive. But I may have missed Mr. Wasserman. I’ll look into it this week.
1951 Photo: Records show the property address listed for the young pianist is owned by Minneapolis PHA.
He should NOT have to have given the money back. Publications in the 50s routinely published ridiculous and cruel articles instructing the public on how to spot and turn in gays, and institutionalizing misinformation on how gays “threatened” society. In that environment, the newspaper should be ASHAMED to label anyone gay.
Besides, in that environment, even Liberace could have been confused regarding his sexuality!
Not surprisingly, those jurors were later selected for the O.J. Simpson trial.
Little Solomon is now a lawyer in Minneapolis.
[…] June 18, 1959: Liberace wins libel suit […]
