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Liza Minnelli on Sullivan

Liza Minnelli Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Liza Minnelli Visits NBC's Smash - Behind The Scenes Exclusive!

Liza Minnelli Talks Smash Appearance, Arrested Development Return

http://www.accesshollywood.com/liza-minnelli-talks-smash-appearance-arrested-development-return_article_74194

First Published: December 21, 2012 3:39 PM EST Credit: Access Hollywood

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Liza Minnelli knows how to put on a show, but the stage queen isn’t planning a big bash for New Year’s Eve.

“Not really,” the Broadway legend said when Access Hollywood asked her on the “Smash” set if she had big plans for December 31. “No, I’ve had it with New Year’s (laughs).”

WATCH: Liza Minnelli On Staying In Shape & Maintaining Those ‘Cabaret’ Moves

While she won’t be ringing in 2013 with a bang, she will be making a splash on “Smash,” which is gearing up to return for Season 2 in February.

Liza’s episode won’t air until late on in the spring, but she has been indulging in being around the “Smash” talent.

“It’s fun because I admire all of the people. And the directors are wonderful, and all the stars in this are just great, aren’t they? I have great fun watching it,” she told Access. “I’m a fan of the show.”

WATCH: Liza Minnelli: ‘I’m So Proud’ To Be A Part Of ‘Cabaret’

There’s another show Liza will be in in 2013 – “Arrested Development” – which will premiere its fourth season on Netflix. (She plays Buster’s cougar girlfriend, Lucille.)

“We finished shooting,” she said. “It’s really good… It’s fun to do.”

The “Smash” Season 2 premiere airs February 5 at 9/8c on NBC.

Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.

Liza Minnelli & Gene Kelly, How Long Has This Been Going On...

Liza Minnelli to Make Appearance on KATHY, 1/10

http://tv.broadwayworld.com/article/Liza-Minnelli-to-Make-Appearance-on-KATHY-110-20121220

According to the Huffington Post, Liza Minnelli will be the first guest on the new live version of Kathy Giffin's Bravo talkshow, 'Kathy'. Tune in on January 10 to watch the Broadway legend in action.
Click here to read the full article.
An acclaimed Boadway veteran, the actress was last seen onstage in Liza's at The Palace, for which she won a Tony Award. She has also graced the Broadway stage in Minnelli on Minnelli, Victor/Victoria, The Rink, The Act, Chicago, Jule's Friends at the Palace, Liza, Flora, the Red Menace and more. Her Off-Broadway shows include Best Foot Forward.
Minnelli's film credits include The Sterile Cuckoo, Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, the film version of the musical Cabaret, for which she won an Academy Award.

Liza Minnelli sings Alexander's Ragtime Band in Miami 1996.

Liza Minnelli Frontiers Gay Men's magazine cover Dec 2012

Liza Minnelli - Frank Mills (US TV, 1969)

Liza Minnelli shows O.C. her life is still a cabaret...

http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/minnelli-380692-song-many.html

Judy Garland's hyper-talented daughter, 66, has suffered more than her share of travails over the years, the result of being in the spotlight practically since birth and, well, being Judy Garland's daughter: Four divorces, a boatload of personal demons, a bout of viral encephalitis in 2000 that nearly killed her.

KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

 

Broadway legend sings Christmas concert with MenAlive at Segerstrom Center.

By PAUL HODGINS / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

America loves its survivors, and there are few survivors more celebrated or worshipped than Liza Minnelli.
Judy Garland's hyper-talented daughter, 66, has suffered more than her share of travails over the years, the result of being in the spotlight practically since birth and, well, being Judy Garland's daughter: Four divorces, a boatload of personal demons, a bout of viral encephalitis in 2000 that nearly killed her. Anyone who has seen Minnelli perform (and she does so rarely in these parts) would probably agree with New York Times critic Ben Brantley: "Her every stage appearance is perceived as a victory of show-business stamina over psychic frailty. She asks for love so nakedly and earnestly, it seems downright vicious not to respond."

 

Minnelli's appearance on Thursday with MenAlive, Orange County's gay men's chorus, in the group's Winter Spectacular concert at Costa Mesa's Segerstrom Hall, was classic Liza in every respect: a mixture of the expected, the unexpected and the downright eccentric.
Of course, we were treated to the theme song from "Cabaret," the Kander and Ebb musical that transformed Minnelli from Broadway star to pop-culture icon when Bob Fosse's movie version opened in 1972. Minnelli no longer owns Sally Bowles' sinuous, chair-straddling moves, but the spirit and sauciness of the song are presented intact.

Composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb were Minnelli's touchstones and she was their muse for many years. At this stage in her long career, some of their songs are almost painfully poignant.
"But the World Goes 'Round" is probably the best example. It's hard to hear her deliver these lines without getting just a little teary: "Sometimes your dreams get broken in pieces/But that doesn't matter at all/Take it from me, there's still going to be/A summer, a winter, a spring and a fall."
Minnelli's voice was always a triumph of delivery over technique, and these days that's especially true. Suffering from a cold, she struggled with some of the high notes, even making light of the limitation. Rather than trying to hide or skate over her shortcomings, she celebrates them as the scars of living a tumultuous life.

With Minnelli, as with so many great Broadway stars, technical excellence is beside the point; in fact, it's the rough edges of imperfection that create the drama. And manufacturing a character and a mood are central to the success of every Broadway song. They were made to help tell a story, and Minnelli has always excelled at that.
The best such moment was her performance of "My Best Friend" from "Chicago."
On the surface, it's a light tune filled with false bravado, and I've seen it played that way. But Minnelli painted a detailed and nuanced picture of the scene for us, putting the song in chilling context.
Roxie has just been told she could hang for the murder she has committed, and the song is her way of talking herself back from the edge of the cliff. We were treated to a scene complete with two characters, introductory dialogue and the song, and for a minute or two we were transported completely into Roxie's desperate and delusional world. Minnelli's interpretation reveals the essence of her immense talent – a galaxy of complementary skills that work in synergy, making her one of the most powerful musical-theater stars you'll ever see.
Moments like that could make you forgive Minnelli's many weaknesses of technique and quirks of affect. But even at her best, she's not a relaxing performer, always interrupting herself, full of busy tics and asides, improvising in oddball ways that can even throw off her seasoned band, which is led by her longtime pianist, the low-key but sublimely talented Billy Stritch.
Minnelli's appearance was the second half of MenAlive's Winter Spectacular concert, and the 130-member men's choir provided some light accompaniment. Clearly, many of them were awestruck by the opportunity to stand on the same stage as Broadway royalty, but they didn't let such butterfly-inducing proximity undermine their professionalism.
The first half of the concert featured some holiday-season standards, a few comic numbers and some tastefully rendered classics. The evening began with "Sparklejollytwinklejingley" from "Elf." A septet of soloists fronted the choir in a number that showcased some real talent (this was the case with many numbers in the first half, although sadly the featured performers aren't singled out in the program).
The choir was well-rehearsed, carefully balanced and thoroughly choreographed on other numbers as well, some of them Christmas-y, others not so much: Steve Allen's "Cool Yule," "When You Believe" from "The Prince of Egypt," "Brotherhood of Man" from "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." Many of the songs were artfully arranged by the choir's assistant conductor and accompanist, Bob Gunn.
MenAlive artistic director Rich Cook led the evening with a steady baton. Silver-haired and avuncular, he epitomizes the group's cool élan. And Cook seemed thoroughly charmed by the Queen of Broadway, even as she upstaged him and his chorus. Other than Liza, who could pull that off?
Contact the writer: 714-796-7979 or phodgins@ocregister.com

 

America loves its survivors, and there are few survivors more celebrated or worshipped than Liza Minnelli.

Minnelli's appearance was the second half of MenAlive's Winter Spectacular concert, and the 130-member men's choir provided some light accompaniment. Clearly, many of them were awestruck by the opportunity to stand on the same stage as Broadway royalty, but they didn't let such butterfly-inducing proximity undermine their professionalism.

Liza Minnelli performs with MenAlive at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa

 

The choir was well-rehearsed, carefully balanced and thoroughly choreographed on other numbers as well, some of them Christmas-y, others not so much: Steve Allen's “Cool Yule,” “When You Believe” from “The Prince of Egypt,” “Brotherhood of Man” from “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

 

Anyone who has seen Minnelli perform (and she does so rarely in these parts) would probably agree with New York Times critic Ben Brantley: “Her every stage appearance is perceived as a victory of show-business stamina over psychic frailty. She asks for love so nakedly and earnestly, it seems downright vicious not to respond.”

 

Props and costumes are an important part of the evening.

 

 

Liza Minnelli to return to Royal Festival Hall 40 years after Cabaret

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/liza-minnelli-to-return-to-royal-festival-hall-40-years-after-cabaret-8417296.html

Friday 14 December 2012  Robert Dex

Liza Minnelli is returning to the Royal Festival Hall 40 years after her last appearance there as part of a celebration of Cabaret-era Berlin.

The star appeared at the venue, on London's Southbank, in 1973 in a performance of her solo show Liza with a Z.
She said: "I'm always so excited to perform in London. I have so many friends and fans there I consider it my second home. And to be returning to the Royal Festival Hall after all this time is thrilling; I remember bringing Liza with a Z there in the early 70s and having such a swell time. So I can't wait to see all you guys again."
Minnelli, the daughter of The Wizard of Oz star Judy Garland, won the best actress Oscar for her performance as Sally Bowles in the 1972 film Cabaret which is set in Germany during the Nazis' rise to power.
Her concert, next March, will see her perform songs from the hit musical and is part of the Southbank Centre's Berlin in the '20s and '30s weekend which will also include a screening of the film.
Jude Kelly, artistic director of the Southbank Centre, said: "We are delighted to welcome back Liza Minnelli to the Royal Festival Hall to perform as part of our year-long The Rest Is Noise Festival. Fosse's Cabaret is one of the most iconic, intimate depictions of 1930s' Berlin and we are thrilled that the artist who so brilliantly gave life to the complex character of Sally Bowles can take part as we look back at this particular moment in history."
PA

Liza Minnelli and Alan Cumming Will Share Town Hall Stage

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/173101-Liza-Minnelli-and-Alan-Cumming-Will-Share-Town-Hall-Stage

By Andrew Gans
11 Dec 2012

Liza Minnelli, who won an Academy Award for her performance as Sally Bowles in the film version of Cabaret, and Alan Cumming, who won a Tony for his work as the Emcee in the Broadway revival of that John Kander and Fred Ebb musical, will join forces for a concert at New York's Town Hall in March 2013.

The March 13 concert will celebrate Minnelli's 67th birthday. The duo previously teamed for sold-out shows in Fire Island.

Daniel Nardicio produces.

At Town Hall, press notes state, "these incomparable stars will duet on familiar songs from Cabaret and Liza will dip into her repertoire of signature songs known the world over. Alan will perform his renditions of songs – from Annie Lennox to his own original compositions. These two old friends will also interact on stage together—sharing stories, songs, and banter of their adventures in life and show-business."

The evening will be under the musical direction of Emmy-winning composer Lance Horne.

Tickets are $110-$200 and go on sale Dec. 12. To buy tickets visit www.lizaandalan.com.

LIZA ~ This year, Orange County spells Winter Spectacular with a ‘Z’

http://www.frontiersla.com/Features/Exclusive-Interviews/story.aspx?ID=1835813

This year, Orange County spells Winter Spectacular with a ‘Z’
Stephan Horbelt
12/6/2012
LIZA—if you name it, she’s accomplished it, and undoubtedly excelled at it. Her show business pedigree requires no enumeration, really, as her nearly five decades of accomplishments have been so very well-documented—and besides, who on Earth has the time to recall such a lengthy syllabus?
In short, Liza Minnelli is part of a select group of individuals whose accolades and distinctions not only span the gamut but have widened it as well. Bestowed with honors left and right—an Academy Award, a BAFTA, two Golden Globes, an Emmy, a Grammy Living Legend Award, four Tony Awards and copious nominations, to scratch the surface—it appears the only thing she has not attempted is the art of relaxation.

To this day—63 years after her first on-screen appearance, 47 years since her first Tony Award and 12 years in the wake of a potentially career-haulting bout of encephalitis—we’re still unable to count Liza down for the count. This month, the iconic performer returns to Southern California, performing with a full band and MenAlive, the Orange County Gay Men’s Chorus, in a Winter Spectacular at Segerstrom Hall that can only be described as fitting a living legend.

Liza began her career in the entertainment industry onstage, and while she has very successfully ventured into film and television—her celebrated performance in 1972’s Cabaret perhaps her most recognized accomplishment, with contributions to Arthur, Arrested Development, Sex and the City 2 and Saturday Night Live also among her résumé—it seems that Liza always returns to the artform that initially sparked her interest.

“I don’t know what keeps me coming back to the stage,” the living legend had to say over the phone while on a rehearsal break. “I just remember when I saw my first Broadway show and thought, oh man. See, I wanted to be an ice skater; then I saw Bye Bye Birdie and thought, maybe I’d rather do that. All the kids were in it and everything—it looked like such fun.”

The stage isn’t the extent of Liza’s upcoming work, however. Fans will be happy to hear that her plans to return to the small screen are definite as well. “I’m doing Arrested Development again,” she says, and while everything the 66-year-old entertainer relates to me comes across as lively and convivial, she seems particularly elated about returning to the critically acclaimed sitcom. “It’s such fun. It’s just wonderful to work with everybody again. That man [Larry David] is so wonderful.”

As someone who has garnered so many awards throughout the years, has broken so many box office records and has a litany of ‘firsts’ under her belt, I had to know whether there were any accomplishments that stood out as particularly meaningful for Liza.

“They all did. They’re so exciting at the moment,” she remarked. “Winning the Academy Award and singing next to my father were incredible. And all of the others. I remember them all very well.” One other night stands out in her mind—”I remember my first Tony Award. I didn’t have a dress, so I was wearing my agent’s dress when I won it. [Laughs]” How times have changed.

Earlier this year, Liza released the historic concert album Legends of Broadway: Liza Minnelli Live at the Winter Garden, marking the first time the entire 1974 concert had seen release. The show itself, dubbed simply Liza, was momentous, selling out an entire month’s run of concerts at the Winter Garden Theatre in 36 hours.

Asked what she remembers about that 1974 show, Liza recounted, “I remember how exciting it was, and I remember being with Fred [Ebb, one of the show’s songwriters] and Marvin [Hamlisch, the show’s musical director]—all of these wonderful people. What pops up the most is gratitude, and having worked with so many talented people, and always looking for the talent. I’m grateful. I don’t like ‘yes people’—I want to learn.

“I remember it was very exciting. It was wonderful. But yeah, I’m sure I was on top of the world, because that was a first. It was the first time I think an artist had performed in a Broadway house in a concert as a show.”

I would be remiss if I failed to mention in these pages Liza’s lengthy stint as a supporter of the world’s gay community and AIDS charities, support that Liza noted is motivated by “the people that I’ve lost, and my respect for them. And always fighting for the underdog. I just don’t think some things are fair.”

Speaking of the gay community, Liza’s upcoming performance with MenAlive is sure to be one for the history books. Asked what we can expect from the two-night holiday show, Liza remains brief and humble:—“A good show, I hope!”—as if there were any doubt. Expect a high-energy night filled with spectacular effects, dancers, glitzy costumes and over-the-top moments. Liza and her band will perform a full set of Broadway classics, pop standards and holiday tunes—many with the chorus accompanying.

Rich Cook, the founder and artistic director of MenAlive, has been working with Liza’s musical director Billy Stritch on the Winter Spectacular since June. “Liza decided what she wanted to do with the chorus, and Billy and I proceeded to work out the arrangements,” Cook tells us. “Some of her choices were classics of hers. Of course, ‘Cabaret’ is one of those. Then another she selected just for this show is ’It's the Holiday Season,’ written by Kay Thompson, her godmother. There are more of her classics we're doing together, but I can't give it all away!”

The MenAlive Winter Spectacular will be Liza’s first Orange County performance in nearly 20 years, and marks her first-ever performance with a gay men’s chorus—simply one more milestone under her belt. With all that Liza Minnelli has accomplished throughout the years—the accolades, the occasional setbacks and the industry landmarks—in many ways she has become a persona bigger than any one indvidual. Not simply a gay icon, she has become the embodiment of entertainment in any medium, a legend of dynamic proportions.

Asked whether she ever stops to contemplate the significance of all she’s accomplished, she very adamantly answers, no. “I think when you stop to think about it, you get satisfied. And if you get satisfied, I don’t think you work as hard. I’m grateful—extremely grateful. And the gratitude makes me always want to do better.”

MenAlive’s Winter Spectacular with Liza Minnelli comes to Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa, Dec. 13-14, 8 p.m. For more info and to order tickets, go to SCFTA.org. Photo by Ruven Afandor.

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Liza Minnelli to perform Christmas concert with OC gay men's chorus on 13 and 14 December

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/liza-minnelli-perform-christmas-concert-oc-gay-mens-chorus061212

Tony and Oscar award-winning gay icon will sing in two concerts with California's MenAlive choir

06 December 2012 | By Matthew Jenkin

 

Gay icon and performing legend Liza Minelli will sing with Orange County's top gay men's chorus in two special Christmas concerts.

The Oscar and Tony award-winning star will join MenAlive on stage at the Segerstrom Center in California's famous district on 13 and 14 December.

In an interview with the Orange County Register, Minelli praised the choir and said she will be singing a version of Jingle Bells which her godmother Kay Thompson performed.
'I want to move people, hopefully for the better,' the Hollywood star said of what makes her a great singer.
'Sometimes people come in who have sadness. Maybe one great lyric by a wonderful composer can help them just a little. I think you always have to sing to that one person. Actually, you have to make each person think you're singing just for them.'

http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/minnelli-379758-register-first.html

Published: Dec. 5, 2012 Updated: Dec. 6, 2012 9:25 a.m.

Liza Minnelli performs O.C. Christmas concert with gay men's chorus

Broadway and Hollywood legend will sing from her vast songbook at Segerstrom Hall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liza Minnelli sings two concerts with Orange County's premiere gay men's chorus, MenAlive, on Dec. 13 and 14.

By PAUL HODGINS / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

 

Liza Minnelli sings two concerts with Orange County's premiere gay men's chorus, MenAlive, Dec. 13 and 14 at Costa Mesa's Segerstrom Hall. The legendary performer is the winner of four Tony Awards, an Oscar, a special "Legends" Grammy, two Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy. We talked with Minnelli, who has earned the mantle Queen of Broadway over her lifelong career, about her upcoming concerts with the choir at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
The Orange County Register: Have you ever sung with a gay men's choir before?
Liza Minnelli: No, this is the first time. But they sing great! They're wonderful. I like the way they sound, their blend and sense of harmony and pitch.
Register: What will you sing?
Minnelli: I'll be singing a version of "Jingle Bells" that my godmother Kay Thompson did. It's terrific and kind of out there. It's been around for a while but it's not that well known. I'll also do some stuff of my last album ("Confessions," 2010) and a couple of surprises. I'm not going to tell you everything! The truth is I don't know right now.
Register: You're 66 and have survived some serious health issues. How do you keep on top of your game?
Minnelli: I think the trick is warming up well and knowing how to warm up. I had a very good teacher, a coach. I didn't need her until after I had encephalitis (in 2000). I had to re-train my voice to sing after that. I also had to learn how to walk and talk again. But I was determined. I'm a Minnelli.
Register: Do you have a favorite song?
Minnelli: I know so many songs. (My preferences) change. I really love (Kander and Ebb's) "The World Goes 'Round," that philosophy and how it changes from desperation to a kind of acceptance.
Register: You're known as one of the best song interpreters of your generation. What's your secret?
Minnelli: I want to move people – hopefully for the better. Sometimes people come in who have sadness. Maybe one great lyric by a wonderful composer can help them just a little. I think you always have to sing to that one person. Actually, you have to make each person think you're singing just for them.
Liza Minnelli: A life in show business
•Born March 12, 1946 in Hollywood to Vincent Minnelli and Judy Garland.
•At 3, Minnelli landed her first movie role in the final scene of the 1949 musical, "In the Good Old Summertime," starring Garland and Van Johnson.
•Her first adult professional role was in an Off-Broadway revival of the musical "Best Foot Forward" in 1963. She received the Theatre World Award.
•Performed with her mother at the London Palladium in 1964.
•Won a leading actress Tony Award in 1965 for "Flora the Red Menace." At 19 she was the youngest performer to win the prize.
•Her first album "Liza! Liza!" was released in 1964. It was quickly followed by "It Amazes Me" (1965) and "There Is a Time" (1966).
•In 1969 she received an Oscar nomination for her first film role, Pookie, in Alan J. Pakula's "The Sterile Cuckoo."
•Achieved international fame and won an Oscar playing Sally Bowles in Bob Fosse's film version of the Kander and Ebb musical "Cabaret" in 1972.
•Minnelli appeared in "New York, New York" with Robert De Niro in 1977, a film that gave the performer a famous signature song of the same name.
•Her co-starring role in "Arthur" with Dudley Moore in 1981 marked the end of the active part of Minnelli's film career.
•Minnelli returned to Broadway in 1997, replacing Julie Andrews in the title role in the musical "Victor/Victoria."
•In the last decade Minnelli has made appearances in several TV shows, including "Arrested Development," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Drop Dead Diva."
Contact the writer: 714-796-7979 or phodgins@ocregister.com

PHOTO COURTESY © SONY MUSIC ARCHIVES

 

 

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Liza Minnelli,Betty White, Wendie Malick and Tamara Tunie Visit Michael Feinstein

http://www.playbill.com/multimedia/gallery/4673/Betty-White-Liza-Minnelli-Wendie-Malick-and-Tamara-Tunie-Visit-Michael-Feinstein/?pnum=1

Betty White, Liza Minnelli, Wendie Malick and Tamara Tunie Visit Michael Feinstein

Betty White, Liza Minnelli, Wendie Malick and Tamara Tunie were on hand for opening night of Michael Feinstein's "A Gershwin Holiday" engagement at Feinstein's at Loews Regency.

Photo's  by Joseph Marzullo/WENN

By Matthew Blank
28 Nov 2012

The show continues through Dec. 22.

Feinstein, the multi-platinum-selling, two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated entertainer dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” is considered one of the premier interpreters of American standards. His 200-plus shows a year have included performances at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House and the Hollywood Bowl as well as the White House and Buckingham Palace. In 2007, he founded the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative, dedicated to celebrating the art form and preserving it through educational programs, Master Classes, and the annual High School Vocal Academy and Competition, which awards scholarships and prizes to students across the country. Michael serves on the Library of Congress’ National Recording Preservation Board, an organization dedicated to ensuring the survival, conservation and increased public availability of America’s sound recording heritage.
Feinstein's at Loews Regency is located at 540 Park Avenue at 61st Street. There is a $60 cover charge per person with a $40 food and beverage minimum. Special packages with signed books and a “meet and greet” opportunity are also available. Jackets are suggested but not required. For reservations, call (212) 339-4095. For more information, visit FeinsteinsAtTheRegency.com.

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Adams on Reel Women: Liza Minnelli on beauty, mom and dad, and her first Oscar nomination for ‘The Sterile Cuckoo’

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/the-reel-breakdown/adams-reel-women-liza-minneli-beauty-mom-dad-201104245.html
By Thelma Adams | The Reel Breakdown – Mon, Nov 19, 2012 3:11 PM EST

Photo: Everett Collection

It's that voice that got me when Liza Minnelli phoned last Friday. The way it squeaks at times and then expands with feeling; the way it rises up as if it's trying to touch you, to prod you, to share the same emotion as the speaker. The way the voice never stays still and carries a bit of her mother, Judy Garland, like a genetic imprint, but still is all Liza (with a "z").
Liza made her film debut as a lead actress in 1969 for director Alan J. Pakula in "The Sterile Cuckoo." Now available for the first time on DVD and Blu-Ray from Olive Films, the dramedy is a simple story: A young woman named Mary Ann "Pookie" Adams takes the bus upstate to a girl's college near Hamilton, New York. She meets a straight-laced boy, Jerry (Wendell 'Where is he now?' Burton), who's traveling to the neighboring men's college and badgers him into a friendship. In her freshman year, Pookie loses both her virginity and her equilibrium, but manages to come out the other end with her spirit battered but intact.
Minnelli earned an Oscar nomination for this, her first lead role in a film notable for the strong portrayal of a kooky young woman of unconventional beauty at its center. It anticipates "Love Story," which came out the following year, without the melodrama and uber-beauties Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal. Pakula, having gotten his taste of directing with "The Sterile Cuckoo," went on to make the "paranoia" trilogy "Klute," "The Parallax View," and "All the President's Men."  Meanwhile, the newly minted Oscar nominee went on to win an Oscar for "Cabaret" and star in "New York, New York" and "Arthur." She's recently turned up on TV's "Arrested Development." And Liza popped around by phone to discuss "The Sterile Cuckoo," her first-born and a movie of which she's still enormously and rightfully proud.

Thelma Adams: I'm so happy there's a revival of "The Sterile Cuckoo." It was made over 40 years ago and it still looks fresh and raw. When was the last time you saw it?
Liza Minnelli: It's been years. I went to the opening with everybody in L.A. At the time, I didn't care much about doing movies. I loved Broadway. And my friend Tony Bill sent me the book and thought I should play Pookie Adams. I loved the character. I fought for it and I waited. I went in to audition and everybody was dressed in kooky clothes — it was the '60s. I wore what my father would have dressed me in for school but with the zipper undone on the skirt. The shirt collar was in the sweater. And they believed in me.
TA: What happened next?
LM: So Alan Pakula, who was producing, said he would do it. His partner Robert Mulligan ("To Kill a Mockingbird") was the director. And then Alan said, "I want to direct it." We went to studios and they wouldn't accept me. They said, "She's not discovered, people. She's never been in a film." So meanwhile, I went to London and got a job in Pakula's "Charlie Bubbles" to get a credit. The studio still didn't want to do it, so Alan changed studios to Paramount and we finally got it done.
TA: Do you think it hurt your career that you're not — I hate to say it — conventionally beautiful?
LM: Of course, but neither was Pookie. I hope I helped her out a little bit. My father [director Vincente Minnelli] was very smart. After I cut my hair off — before the screen test I had long hair — he said you still look almost too distinctive. "You should dye you hair," Daddy said. "You should have it streaked."(Because I have dark Italian hair.) Daddy said, "You have to look more conventional, more nothing. And you're very distinctive." So I followed his advice and it worked.

TA: It definitely did. What I love about the movie is that it's constructed around this rare bird of a young woman. She's not conventionally beautiful like Ali MacGraw in "Love Story."  Pookie doesn't fit in, although she tries. She's not an obvious love object. She's in your face. She withholds emotional information. She gets drunk and tells intimate secrets about other girls, only some of which are true. And yet she is an idiosyncratic character that fits perfectly in the American movies of the late 1960s and 1970s.
LM: The best I can do in this article is agree with you. In that era, conventional beauty was happening, in movies like "Love Story," and all those wonderful movies with perfectly happy endings. It was weird — the guys were starting to get less conventional: Jack Nicholson, John Cassavetes, and Dustin Hoffman.
TA: There's a wonderfully awkward scene when Pookie and Jerry go off to one of those seaside cabin courts in the dead of winter to make love for the first time. She wants to have sex and he's reticent once they've finally entered the chilly hotel room. And it's clearly told from Pookie's point of view.
LM: I was so into the part and into Pookie. I was looking at everything from her perspective. We went up to Hamilton College. We were really isolated. It was wonderful. I never went to college and I changed schools so much because we traveled. I knew how Pookie felt in school. Being quiet and not saying much of anything. I wasn't like her, but I understood her. She was lonely and needy and full of spirit. She was not part of the in crowd, the kind of girl that had one best friend in school. We changed schools so often you didn't have time to be in the groove and I was shy. I was much more like Pookie than Sally Bowles.

TA: How was the movie received at the time?
LM: It was received really well and I got nominated for an Academy Award. I couldn't believe it!
I was all surprised and my dad said, "You do a good job and these are the consequences." He said, "I'm really proud of you."
TA: How did your mother [Judy Garland] react?
LM: I remember being so enthusiastic about this, that I had found a part that I could play. I sent her the script and she called me. I was in New York and she said, "Why do you want to do this part?" I said, "It's a really good part." She said, "But she's so lonely."
TA: What was your response?
LM: "There's part of her in all of us, isn't there? Isn't that why you're asking, Mother?"

liza minnelli Happy thanksgiving 2012

Liza Minnelli shares Judy Garland's anti-bullying advice

LIZA MINNELLI TO APPEAR ON CURRENT TV's JOY BEHAR: SAY ANYTHING!" ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20

By Official Liza Minnelli

TUNE IN ALERT!

LIZA MINNELLI TO APPEAR ON CURRENT TV's JOY BEHAR: SAY ANYTHING!" ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20

"Joy Behar: Say Anything!" will welcome the legendary Liza Minnelli for the first time on Tuesday, November 20.

Minnelli will be a guest on the Current TV program to talk about her new CD Liza Minnelli Live At The Winter Garden which was released earlier this year and her year-long tour which concludes on December 13 & 14 at the Segerstrom Center For the Arts in Costa, Mesa, CA.

The long-awaited Live At The Winter Garden recording is derived from the original master engineered by Phil Ramone. The recording includes performances from Minnelli's Broadway show in Janyary 1974 as well as three recently discovered live bonus tracks that were not included on the original LP. Only pirated versions of the album have circulated since.

Liza's Costa Mesa concerts will find her sharing the stage with MenAlive: The Orange County Gay Men's Chorus. She will perform a signature set accompanied by her own band and will collaborate on numbers featuring the MenAlive Chorus.

"Joy Behar: Say Anything!" airs on Current TV at 6:00PM (EST) and repeats at 9:00PM (EST).

Liza Minnelli on the SCANDALOUS Red Carpet - Exclusive Opening Night Video

Liza Minnelli VIDEO @ Scandalous Opening Night

Liza Minnelli, Carolee Carmello, Kathie Lee Gifford, Have Faith in Broadway's Scandalous on Opening Night

http://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/11-2012/carolee-carmello-kathie-lee-gifford-liza-minnelli-_63782.html#36

Nov 16, 2012 • New York City

Hoda Kotb, Frank Gifford, Kris Jenner, Matt Lauer, and Regis Philbin were among those took in the heavenly new bio-musical at the Neil Simon Theatre.

By David Gordon

The Broadway premiere of Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson celebrated its opening night on Thursday November 15 at the Neil Simon Theatre. Following the performance, the cast, which is led by two-time Tony nominee Carolee Carmello, and VIP guests headed to the Copacabana on 47th Street to celebrate.

Following the life of McPherson, an evangelist who became the world's first media superstar, the work features a book and lyrics by Kathie Lee Gifford and music by David Pomeranz and David Friedman. David Armstrong directs the production, which features choreography by Lorin Latarro and musical direction/arrangements by Joel Fram.

The principal cast of Scandalous also includes Tony Award-winner George Hearn, Candy Buckley, Roz Ryan, Andrew Samonsky, and Edward Watts.

Featured in the ensemble are Nick Cartell, Joseph Dellger, Erica Dorfler, Carlos L. Encinias, Hannah Florence, Corey Greenan, Benjamin Howes, Karen Hyland, Elizabeth Ward Land, Alison Luff, Jesse Nager, Sam Strasfeld, Betsy Struxness, Billie Wildrick, Dan'yelle Williamson, and Matt Wolfe.
Guests at the performance included Gifford's husband, football legend Frank Gifford, and their children Cassidy and Cody; Gifford's Today Show cohorts Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, Matt Lauer, Al Roker, Natalie Morales, Sara Haines, Willie Geist, Jill Martin, and Bobbie Thomas; Tony and Oscar winner Liza Minnelli; legendary TV personality Regis Philbin, television personality Kris Jenner, playwright Theresa Rebeck, Tony Award-winner Lillias White, and stage favorites Eve Plumb, Jim Caruso, and Jackie Hoffman.

Click here for more information and tickets to Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson.

Click here for TheaterMania's review of Scandalous.

Click here for TheaterMania's interview with Kathie Lee Gifford.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/14/liza-minnelli-photo_n_2118642.html


The Huffington Post  |  By Amanda McGowan Posted: 11/14/2012 8:56 am EST

Getty Images

 

Liza Minnelli Sports A Fall Style That's Award-Worthy

The Huffington Post  |  By Amanda McGowan Posted: 11/14/2012 8:56 am ESFollow:

 Video, Liza Minelli, Liza Minnelli, Liza Minnelli Hair, Liza Minnelli Lashes, A Look Back, Cabaret, The Fashion Page, Liza Minnelli Fashion, Liza Minnelli Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli Style, Liza Minnelli Style Icon, Liza-Minnelli-Halston, Style News

As one of the few performers who's earned an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award Liza Minnelli knows how to put on a good show. And her love for drama doesn't stop when the curtain closes. She's a girl that loves to dress up -- no jeans and t-shirts here. She inherited her mother Judy Garland's sense of old Hollywood glamour, but has always put her own adventurous twist on things.
Liza really came into her own during the '70s when she often wore the designs of her best friend and default personal stylist Halston. Once under Halston's fashionable wing, the raven-haired beauty became a favorite of Andy Warhol and a frequent party-goer at Studio 54. She also developed a killer wardrobe with sequins, draped pants suits and furs galore. The combination of her show-stopping style, unconventional looks and that trademark short hairdo (popularized by the film "Cabaret") turned her into a fashion icon. Even at 66 she's still fabulous and has that sense of humor (have you seen Arrested Development?) we've always loved her for.
In this 1970 photo Liza grins for the paparazzi as she steps out in a swoon-worthy fall look. With her matching gray suit, fur stole and silver pendant necklace she oozes seventies New York cool. We can only imagine what hip party she was headed to. Would you try Liza's chic ensemble?

Liza Minnelli to do super debut in 'Smash' on NBC!

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-liza-minnelli-20121113,0,432317.story

By Deborah Vankin

November 13, 2012, 1:23 p.m.

The legendary Liza Minnelli epitomizes Broadway flash and pop – and now she’ll sing and dance her way across the small screen in “Smash.”

NBC announced Tuesday that Minnelli -- already a Tony, Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe and Grammy winner –- will appear as herself in an episode of “Smash.”  The show returns for a second season in early February. Minnelli’s episode, “The Surprise Party,” will air later in the spring.

Minnelli, daughter of actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli, will sing an original song in her “Smash” debut with Christian Borle (who plays Tom on the show).

The iconic performer played Sally Bowles in the 1972 film adaptation of Broadway’s “Cabaret”; the role earned her an Academy Award for best actress.
In a statement, NBC Chairman Robert Greenblatt called Minnelli “the essence of a multi-talented, singular show business sensation, particularly for her extraordinary contributions to Broadway."
"What could be more fitting than to have her legendary talent on a show that celebrates a world Liza has dazzled for decades?”  Greenblatt said. “I had the pleasure of working with Liza when we restored her landmark television special ‘Liza With a Z' at Showtime, and to see her artistry up close and personal is a thing to behold."

(Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times / August 11, 2012)

Passion still shows when Liza hits the stage

http://www.chron.com/entertainment/article/Passion-still-shows-when-Liza-hits-the-stage-4030731.php

By Everett Evans | November 12, 2012

Liza Minnelli can still do it - still storm on stage, take command and galvanize an audience.
She proved that Saturday at Galveston's Grand 1894 Opera House, from the moment she strutted out to apply her old-time show-biz sell to "Alexander's Ragtime Band," the venerable Irving Berlin standard that's virtually the granddaddy of 20th-century song.
It made a fitting opener for a star who is one of the last of her breed: the pure entertainer who's crazy about performing, loves her audience and always gives it everything she's got.
Sure, the voice is not what it once was - breathless at times, with moments of slurred diction or uncertain pitch. It's hard for her to nail those big high notes now, harder still to hold them, so she sometimes tries the repeat-attack approach. Yet the anticipatory "Can I hit it?" leading into such moments only puts the audience more in her corner. Her step, too, is wobbly now and then, and she spends half her stage time perched in a director's chair. Given her tumultuous life and health problems of recent years (including hip replacements and a broken knee), it's a wonder she can stand at all.
Yet it's amazing how little any of this matters, because her presence, charisma and performer's instincts are undiminished. The gutsiness and indomitability are as much a part of her mystique as her storied career and phenomenal lineage. The rapport between the star and her fans has an almost-revivalistic fervor, as was certainly the case Saturday. She knows how to build the rapt attention and rhapsodic enthusiasm to fever pitch, making every song a personal manifesto.

Especially plying her husky lower range in intimate readings of quieter ballads, Minnelli's voice still impressed with its warmth, musicality and genuine passion.

Intense feeling and neat phrasing marked her graceful melding of the Gershwins' "Love Is Here to Stay" and Kurt Weill and Alan Jay Lerner's "Here I'll Stay." She was slyly knowing in Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz's innocently naughty "Confession." With Hugh Martin and Marshall Barer's "On Such a Night as This," she artfully worked the nostalgia for golden age Hollywood. She applied her considerable acting skill and nuance of gesture in a telling reading of "What Makes a Man?" Charles Aznavour's poignant, pre-gay rights portrait of a lonely drag queen.
Naturally, John Kander and Fred Ebb, Minnelli's own patron saints among the great songwriters, were well represented. She recalled her replacement stint in the original "Chicago" with the torchy "My Own Best Friend." Of course, the night's biggest cheers greeted her signature songs "Maybe This Time," "Cabaret," "New York, New York," and (arguably the team's best of all) "The World Goes Round," in which her intense focus and charged delivery proved particularly potent.
Her superb accompanist/music director Billy Stritch and his seven-member band supported her splendidly throughout; he also contributed some spiffy vocals, really percolating in "No Moon at All."
Even without sequins (the airline lost her luggage, she said, explaining her simple red sweater over black top and slacks), Minnelli razzle-dazzled 'em. Whatever it is that makes a star, she's still got it.
everett.evans@chron.coms