Liberatchy Home

Here's a weird one for you! Going through a pile of old slides, I found one hand-labeled "Liberatchy house, Sherman Oaks". First of all, I love that Liberace was spelled "Liberatchy". Second of all, I used to live near Sherman Oaks, and wondered if Liberace really had a house there once. So down the internet vortex I went. As it turns out, he did own a home, at 15405 Valley Vista Boulevard - I've driven right past it on my way to merge on to the 405 freeway.

Here's the 1958 photo - it's surprising how modest it looks compared to the the mega-mansions that we expect celebrities to own these days.

Here's a vintage postcard with a better view of the home, which was built just for Liberace (he moved in in 1953). At the time it was supposed to be very modern, with push-button conveniences. It was a house of the future, only not made of plastic.

One of the most famous features was the swimming pool, shaped like a piano!

Looking at a Google satellite view, the pool is still there.

Apparently Liberace's mother, who lived in the home, was attacked by two masked men in 1957. Realizing that the house was just a little too accessible to fans (and non-fans), Liberace sold the house in 1958. Fans still flocked to the Sherman Oaks house, and the subsequent owner had to resort to placing a sign in his front yard.

Liberace was one of those people I would see on TV when I was growing up... I always thought his schtick was odd, and yet the audiences loved his gaudy costumes and corny jokes. The guy could play the piano though. I'm reminded of a joke from "The Benny Hill Show". "I called one of my dogs Skinny, on account of he's the leanest; I called another dog Killer, on account of he's the meanest; and I called the third dog Liberace, on account of he's the pianist". It's one of those jokes that works better when heard, rather than read!