Wisconsin Celebrities
Here is a small sampling of the great minds and talent to come out of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin can boast of giving birth to many great and well-loved celebrities who have now become famous around the world. The list is extensive, but here are some of the best-known ones.
American character actor Al Molinaro was loved by television audiences for his recurring roles on The Odd Couple and Happy Days. He was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on June 24, 1919 and played the supporting roles of the policeman Murray the Cop on The Odd Couple and drive-in owner Al Delvecchio on Happy Days. He later made guest appearances in many other television series and commercials.
U.S. Representative Paul Ryan is a Republican from Wisconsin who, in the 2012 presidential election, was the running mate of Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Ryan was elected to become speaker of the House in late October 2015. He was born on January 29, 1970, in Janesville, Wisconsin and has been serving as the U.S. representative of Wisconsin's Congressional District 1 since 1999. He became the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee in January 2015.
Mark Ruffalo is an environmental activist and actor who has become known most recently for his portrayal of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the movie 'The Avengers.' Born on November 22, 1967, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Mark Ruffalo made his stage debut in 1990, and a decade later his career took a major turn with a role in the film You Can Count on Me. Parts in such high-profile films as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Shutter Island followed, and 2012 took Ruffalo to a new level of fame when he portrayed the Hulk in the smash live-action film The Avengers.
Marissa Mayer led the development of Google's most successful products for more than 10 years and was appointed CEO of Yahoo in 2012 at the age of 37. She has said "I helped build Google, but I don't like to rest on (my) laurels. I think the most interesting thing is what happens next." Born on May 30, 1975, in Wausau, Wisconsin, Marissa was appointed CEO of Yahoo in 2012. Prior to joining Yahoo, she spent 13 years at Google, where her work in product development largely contributed to the site's unique look and feel. At the time of Mayer's Yahoo appointment, she was one of only 20 female CEOs in charge of a Fortune 500 company.
Chris Noth is an actor who is best know for his roles as a detective on the television drama series Law & Order and as Big on HBO's Sex in the City. Chris was born November 13, 1954, in Madison, WI. He made his feature film debut in Smithereens in 1982. In the late 1980s, Noth moved increasingly from theater toward roles in film and television. In 1990, he landed the role of Detective Mike Logan on the critically acclaimed drama series, Law & Order. In 1998, he took the role of Mr. Big on the HBO series Sex and the City.
Tyne Daly is an award-winning actress of stage and screen, known for a wide array of projects that include ‘Cagney & Lacey,’ ‘Judging Amy’ and ‘Gypsy.’ Born in 1946 in Madison, Wisconsin, Tyne Daly came from a thespian family and went on to pursue an acting career of her own, starring as a policewoman in The Enforcer (1976) and then as Mary Beth Lacey in the hit cop series Cagney & Lacey.
Actor Gene Wilder become extremely famous when he played the title character in Mel Stuart's film adaptation of 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.' Gene began his movie career in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde, but he became famous as a favorite of writer/director Mel Brooks. His wacky roles in films such as Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein have made him an unforgettable comedy icon. In his later years, Wilder has become a serious novelist, writing a memoir and several novels. He was also married to fellow actor/comedian Gilda Radner.
Les Paul was a musician who designed a solid-body guitar in 1941, which then was a new type of instrument. He said “The only reason I invented these things was because I didn't have them and neither did anyone else. I had no choice, really.” Les designed a solid-body electric guitar in 1941, but by the time it was ready for production by Gibson in 1952, Leo Fender had already mass-produced the Fender Broadcaster four years earlier, thus beating Paul to popular credit for the invention. However the Les Paul acquired a devoted following, and its versatility and balance made it the choice instrument of many rock guitarists.
And then of course, there is Liberace.
Showing posts with label Wisconsin Celebrities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisconsin Celebrities. Show all posts
Monday, November 23, 2015
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Liberace Milwaukee
Liberace's Days in the Milwaukee Area
Liberace was a flamboyant pianist who twice had his own TV show and frequently performed in Las Vegas. Born in Wisconsin in 1919, Liberace appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 16. He later began giving concerts in over-the-top costumes with ornate pianos and candelabra, playing primarily popular music. Very successful, he hosted his own TV variety series, The Liberace Show (1952–55, 1969), and appeared in films such as Sincerely Yours (1955). In later years he performed frequently in Las Vegas. He soon became one of the world's most popular entertainers, and enjoyed a six-decade career playing the piano and entertaining the crowds of all ages. He sold more than 60 million records and was awarded six gold records.
Liberace was born in West Allis, right outside of Milwaukee, and named Wladziu (Polish for Walter) Valentino Liberace, one of four children of a very musical family. His Italian father was a classically trained musician and a member of the Milwaukee Philharmonic, playing the French horn: later, he never cared for his son's popular music. His Polish mother played the piano and his brothers and sister were also musically talented. He started playing the piano by ear at the age of four and received lessons at seven. Liberace's talent was evident early on, and when the renowned Polish pianist Ignace Paderewski visited the family, he recommended him to receive a scholarship to the Wisconsin College of Music. Liberace attended West Milwaukee High School where he played with his first band, "The Mixers." He was a soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony at age 13, and at age 16 with the Chicago Symphony. He alternated between the classical music he loved with the jazz and popular music that also interested him. He played with symphony orchestras but he was also performing in Milwaukee's honky-tonks. He used two names to keep his musical personalities separate: He was Walter Liberace when he played with the Milwaukee Symphony, but Walter Busterkeys when he played in dance bands.
Liberace was no stranger to scandal, and newspapers were sued by him on some occasions as they implied, correctly, that he was homosexual. He continued to deny this however, and won his court cases. In 1982, Scott Thorson, Liberace's 22-year-old former chauffeur and live-in lover of five years, sued the pianist for $113 million in palimony after he was let go by Liberace. Liberace continued publicly to deny that he was homosexual and he insisted that Thorson was never his lover. The case was settled out of court in 1986, with Thorson receiving a $75,000 settlement, plus three cars and three pet dogs worth another $20,000.
At the time of his death in 1987, Liberace had traversed a long and arduous road into show business immortality. Through it all, he had lived the American dream – an aspiring tale of growing up in the straits of poverty, working hard towards success, enjoying vast wealth and becoming a worldwide personality. Almost from childhood, Liberace was a man with a plan and although he earned upwards of an estimated $5 million a year, the impression of his poorer days never left him. “You’ve got to be careful,” Liberace would advise young musicians. “Make sure to never forget your roots.” And for Liberace, those roots were deeply planted in West Allis, Wisconsin.
Liberace was a flamboyant pianist who twice had his own TV show and frequently performed in Las Vegas. Born in Wisconsin in 1919, Liberace appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 16. He later began giving concerts in over-the-top costumes with ornate pianos and candelabra, playing primarily popular music. Very successful, he hosted his own TV variety series, The Liberace Show (1952–55, 1969), and appeared in films such as Sincerely Yours (1955). In later years he performed frequently in Las Vegas. He soon became one of the world's most popular entertainers, and enjoyed a six-decade career playing the piano and entertaining the crowds of all ages. He sold more than 60 million records and was awarded six gold records.
Liberace was born in West Allis, right outside of Milwaukee, and named Wladziu (Polish for Walter) Valentino Liberace, one of four children of a very musical family. His Italian father was a classically trained musician and a member of the Milwaukee Philharmonic, playing the French horn: later, he never cared for his son's popular music. His Polish mother played the piano and his brothers and sister were also musically talented. He started playing the piano by ear at the age of four and received lessons at seven. Liberace's talent was evident early on, and when the renowned Polish pianist Ignace Paderewski visited the family, he recommended him to receive a scholarship to the Wisconsin College of Music. Liberace attended West Milwaukee High School where he played with his first band, "The Mixers." He was a soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony at age 13, and at age 16 with the Chicago Symphony. He alternated between the classical music he loved with the jazz and popular music that also interested him. He played with symphony orchestras but he was also performing in Milwaukee's honky-tonks. He used two names to keep his musical personalities separate: He was Walter Liberace when he played with the Milwaukee Symphony, but Walter Busterkeys when he played in dance bands.
Liberace was no stranger to scandal, and newspapers were sued by him on some occasions as they implied, correctly, that he was homosexual. He continued to deny this however, and won his court cases. In 1982, Scott Thorson, Liberace's 22-year-old former chauffeur and live-in lover of five years, sued the pianist for $113 million in palimony after he was let go by Liberace. Liberace continued publicly to deny that he was homosexual and he insisted that Thorson was never his lover. The case was settled out of court in 1986, with Thorson receiving a $75,000 settlement, plus three cars and three pet dogs worth another $20,000.
At the time of his death in 1987, Liberace had traversed a long and arduous road into show business immortality. Through it all, he had lived the American dream – an aspiring tale of growing up in the straits of poverty, working hard towards success, enjoying vast wealth and becoming a worldwide personality. Almost from childhood, Liberace was a man with a plan and although he earned upwards of an estimated $5 million a year, the impression of his poorer days never left him. “You’ve got to be careful,” Liberace would advise young musicians. “Make sure to never forget your roots.” And for Liberace, those roots were deeply planted in West Allis, Wisconsin.
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