Behind the Candelabra

OBSESSION: WHAT LIBERACE HAD IN COMMON WITH CALVIN KLEIN!

While watching the delicious HBO movie “Behind the Candelabra” we were struck by the similarities between Liberace’s relationship with Scott Thorson, and Calvin Klein’s relationship with Nick Gruber. It’s the SAME story without the mink and rhinestones! Not long ago, Nick was shopping around a book about their time together and we managed to learn many of the details. Both Nick and Scott grew up in foster homes and were young and naïve when they met their celebrity boyfriends-to-be. Both Liberace and Calvin showered gifts upon their lovers- jewelry, designer clothing, and cars. (Which they eventually took BACK.) Liberace and Calvin both talked about “adopting” their boyfriends and they both had large and sometimes unusual, sex appetites. Both urged their lovers to take diet pills and had plastic surgery with them. Both young men eventually felt “trapped” like birds in a gilded cage, and turned to drugs. Drug use got both boyfriends kicked out and left stranded. Nick, who also claims to be bisexual, ALMOST followed in Scott’s footsteps and published his book, but last we heard he and Calvin were back together and on vacation.

BACK IN TV HISTORY, LIBERACE ATTEMPTED TO OUTSMART BATMAN!

Here’s something to whet your appetite for the Liberace HBO movie “Behind the Candelabra” premiering this weekend. Our brainy friend Chris Nichols, who writes the Ask Chris column (among other things) for Los Angeles Magazine, sent us this hilarious campy 1966 episode of Batman in which Liberace plays twin piano playing villains, and one seems to be a LOT straighter than the other. You’ll also see a trio of gorgeous girl criminals who look very familiar (is the brunette Edy Williams?) Let us know if you figure out who they are…

LIBERACE’S EX-BOYFRIEND SCOTT THORSON IS SITTING IN JAIL

Leave it to the Enquirer to dig up some dirt on Liberace’s boyfriend Scott Thorson right before the HBO movie “Behind the Candelabra” is scheduled to air in May. Thorson was Liberace’s boyfriend and wrote the book about Liberace on which the movie is based. He might be in jail when the movie airs – but not for drugs this time. Thorson (who now uses the name Jess Marlowe) was arrested in Reno after he “found” a wallet containing credit cards and promptly used them to run up bills all around town. Thorson, who is suffering from anal cancer, says the “Candelabra” cast and crew ignored him when he visited the set. (Above, Scott Thorson’s mug shot)

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA- “TOO GAY” IS BETTER THAN “NOT GAY ENOUGH”

We wonder if the studio executives who turned DOWN the Liberace story “Behind the Candelabra” (we bet they were men) because they felt it was “too gay” are sorry now that HBO has this great looking Steven Soderbergh movie. The movie, starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, debuts on May 26 and chances are it will be a ratings bonanza.

MICHAEL DOUGLAS AND MATT DAMON: TWO GLAMOROUS PEAS IN A POD

#Mmichaeldouglas #liberace #janetcharlton

The more photos of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon we see from the HBO movie “Behind the Candelabra” the more we salivate to see the movie. This is a still from Liberace’s Las Vegas home (note the initial on the bottom of the pool) and he and his boyfriend (played by Matt) are wearing matching short and long caftans. Everybody knew the flamboyant Liberace was gay, but nobody said it – until the chauffeur/boyfriend came along. Both guys look very authentic. Can’t WAIT to see this!

Photo via: Vanity Fair

FRANCESCA HILTON HAD A LIBERACE FLASHBACK IN HER OWN HOME

Zsa Zsa Gabor’s daughter Francesca Hilton had a startling déjà vu moment when she paid her bedridden mother a visit the other day. Her mother’s house was surrounded by Warner Brothers movie trucks and equipment so it wasn’t easy navigating the property. The housekeeper opened the door and Francesca was greeted by the sight of a bejeweled Liberace in an extravagant silk robe and slippers standing in the foyer. Wow – it was like seeing a ghost. Francesca remembered Liberace as a frequent visitor in her home when she was a young girl. It was, of course, Michael Douglas in character for his HBO movie “Behind the Candelabra.” At that moment Matt Damon, wearing only a blonde wig and underpants, scurried by, and Francesca HAD to laugh. The visit was a success. Zsa Zsa’s husband rented out the house to the film production company for the three week shoot for $70,000.

MICHAEL DOUGLAS AND MATT DAMON DONE UP AS LIBERACE AND HIS GAY BOYFRIEND

This is the first peek we’ve had of Michael Douglas dolled up in 1970’s polyester finery and bewigged as Liberace along with Matt Damon as his gay lover Scott Thorson for their HBO movie “Behind The Candelabra.” After Liberace dumped him, Scott sued the flamboyant singer for palimony in 1982 and wrote the book that revealed Liberace’s not so secret sexuality. During their relationship, Liberace paid for Scott to have plastic surgery to look more like him – he enjoyed pretending Scott was his son. Matt makes a rather fetching pretty boy – in the scene above the two are shopping for a new car. The photo below is the real Liberace and Cher in character as Laverne.

IS THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER DOING TO JOHN TRAVOLTA WHAT CONFIDENTIAL DID TO LIBERACE YEARS AGO?

#liberace #danaykroyd #janetcharlton #confidential

It’s interesting to note that our favorite vintage tabloid Confidential Magazine wrote in 1957 about Liberace making unwanted passes at an unnamed young male publicist. At the time this was shocking beyond words. Liberace sued and his career was undamaged, but years later the real story of his double life was revealed. His live-in drug addled boyfriend Scott Thorson (the one who had plastic surgery to look like Liberace) wrote the book that’s being made into the HBO movie “Behind the Candelabra.” Michael Douglas is playing Liberace and Matt Damon plays Scott Thorson. Dan Aykroyd has just been added to the cast to play Seymour Heller, Liberace’s longtime manager who disapproved of the boyfriend.

“BEHIND THE CANDELABRA” DOCUMENTS THE STORY OF SCOTT THORSON PULLING LIBERACE OUT OF THE CLOSET

It makes sense that the Liberace biography “Behind the Candelabra” would land at HBO where they did such a good job with the Jack Kevorkian story. Michael Douglas is still set to play Liberace and Matt Damon is cast as his boyfriend Scott Thorson. (The script is based on Thorson’s book “My Life with Liberace.”) Liberace fell for 17 year old Scott in 1976, and they lived together for five years until drugs and cheating broke them up. Scott Thorson shocked the world in 1982 when he sued Liberace for palimony and revealed all the details of their gay relationship, including the fact that Liberace paid to have Scott get plastic surgery to look more like him! Liberace was devastated. He was adored as a performer but he was forced to lead two lives because he was always in the closet- it’s a fascinating story. (Photos above show Scott and Liberace at the height of their romance)