Did Michael Douglas actually play the piano in Behind the Candelabra?

Michael Douglas plays the legendary Las Vegas entertainer in Steven Soderbergh’s film, which shows the actor (as Liberace) tickling the ivories as only a skilled piano player could. It probably won’t come as a surprise that Douglas wasn’t actually playing. But how did the movie make it look so real?

Is Behind the Candelabra a true story?

Behind the Candelabra premieres this weekend on HBO. It is based on the hard to believe but true story of one of the most popular and flamboyant stars of the 1950’s and 60’s, who went by just one name: Liberace.

How much money did Behind the Candelabra make?

$2,568,300
Behind the Candelabra (2013)

Theatrical Performance
Domestic Box Office n/a
International Box Office $2,568,300 Details
Worldwide Box Office $2,568,300
Home Market Performance

What movies did Michael Douglas win an Oscar for?

In 1976, he won an Academy Award® for producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and in 2009 accepted a Lifetime Achievement in Motion Pictures Award from the Producers Guild of America.

Is it true Liberace couldnt close his eyes?

And though Liberace was initially pleased with his surgery results — which Thorson wrote made the performer appear 20 years younger — Liberace’s eyes had changed “in appearance and function,” Thorson wrote in his book. “He couldn’t close his lids completely.

Is Jerry Lee Lewis considered a good piano player?

An amazing musician. The ‘jazzers’ don’t really understand Jerry Lee but he just performed in the most incredible fashion. He played the piano like nobody else. There were Western swing pianists before him, such as Moon Mullican and Merrill Moore, but the way Jerry Lee played across the beat was unique.

Did Liberace ever play at Carnegie Hall?

Liberace appeared at Carnegie Hall in 1953 and earned a staggering $138,000 for his 1954 performance at Madison Square Garden. In 1955, he commanded $50,000 a week to perform at the Riviera in Las Vegas.

What happened to Scott Thornton?

RENO, Nev. (AP) — A former lover of Liberace who was the subject of an HBO film on the pianist’s life has been sentenced to eight to 20 years in a Nevada prison for failing another court-ordered drug test while on probation for burglary and identity theft convictions.

How much was Liberace worth when he died?

Liberace Net Worth: Liberace was an American pianist and vocalist who had a net worth of $18 million at the time of his death in 1987.

Did Matt Damon play Liberace?

The film is based on a book by Liberace’s long-time lover, Scott Thorson, who’s played by Matt Damon, often wearing just a spray tan and a Speedo. Douglas, 68, made the movie after recovering from stage-four throat cancer.

How much is Michael Douglass worth?

Michael Douglas Net Worth

Net Worth: $350 Million
Date of Birth: Sep 25, 1944 (77 years old)
Gender: Male
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Profession: Actor, Voice Actor, Film Producer

What is Michael Douglas most famous movie?

Arguably, Douglas’ most famous role, corporate raider Gordon Gekko epitomized to many the selfishness of those who had been making a killing on Wall Street, with Gekko’s famous line, “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” For his performance as Gekko, Douglas earned his second Academy Award (and his first for …

Did Ann Miller have a prosthetic nose?

Even if the ideal natural result failed, she was able to wear an artificial piece over her nose to hide the dent and take stunning photos. Ann Miller understood and worked glamor throughout her Hollywood career.

Was Liberace narcissistic?

The dazzling Liberace was a narcissist. Though he was a hugely successful entertainer, he simply could not get beyond himself. He was a user, a sexual predator and, in the end, an empty, lonely, sick man. In many cases, narcissists are running away from their origins and their past.

What ruined Jerry Lee Lewis’s career?

And now, via Cuepoint, comes fascinating insight into the relationship that pretty much destroyed Lewis’ career — his 1958 marriage to his 13-year-old third cousin, Myra Gale Brown. Today, she’s known as Myra Williams, and she’s a real-estate broker in Atlanta.

Did Jerry Lee Lewis shoot his bass player?

Today in 1976, enjoying his own birthday celebrations, Jerry Lee Lewis accidentally shot his bass player, Norman Owens, in the chest. Lewis had been blasting holes in an office door. Owens survived but sued his boss.

Was Liberace considered a good pianist?

What’s certain is that Władziu Valentino Liberace had the potential to be a great concert pianist. He was described as a prodigy during his teenage years in the suburbs of Milwaukee, often eschewing typical social activities to practice instead.

Was Liberace buried in a piano?

Forest Lawn, Los Angeles, CALiberace / Place of burial

Who inherited Liberace’s fortune?

What was Liberace’s net worth? When Liberace died in 1987, it is reported that he was worth $115million (£89million). He bequeathed most of his estate to his scholarship foundation. His Las Vegas mansion was sold to a British businessman and fan in 2013 for $500,000.

What happened to Liberace’s jewelry?

When Myers died in 2005, he bequeathed his treasured archive of Liberace mementos to his mother, Helen. Now a nonagenarian, Mrs. Myers has chosen to consign the unique collection to Mid-Hudson Galleries, who will offer it in a 425-lot auction on Dec. 3rd.

How many awards did behind the Candelabra win?

Behind the Candelabra won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Movie or Miniseries and TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries, and Specials. The film won two Golden Globe Awards and eleven Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Miniseries or Movie and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for Douglas.

Is behind the Candelabra an official part of the festival?

This is not an official part of the festival but takes place at the same time. Behind the Candelabra won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Movie or Miniseries and TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries, and Specials.

Is behind the Candelabra a true story?

It dramatizes the last ten years in the life of pianist Liberace and the relationship that he had with Scott Thorson. It is based on Thorson’s memoir, Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace (1988).