Liberace at the Rubber Bowl – July 6, 1956

Ad from the July 2, 1956 Lorain Journal

Sixty-four years ago this month, one of the oddest entertainment spectacles ever to hit the Buckeye State was planned for Akron’s Rubber Bowl on America’s birthday.

As the ad above from the July 2, 1956 Lorain Journal notes, flamboyant pianist and entertainer Liberace was to appear at two concerts at the well-known Akron venue in a big 2-hour show on July 4th. Appearing with Liberace was his brother George (and his violin) and a 35-piece orchestra.

But that’s not made it odd.

Also on the slate that day were stock car races, midget auto races, an appearance by Indiana Senator Homer Capehart during the flag raising ceremony, and fireworks at 1:30 in the afternoon, and 8:00 at night.

It sounds like quite a day of entertainment, designed with something for everyone.

Here’s another ad for the same event. This one is from the Massillon Evening Independent and ran on the same day as the Journal ad. (I like the Journal ad better, with the great caricature.)

Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. Both concerts were washed out in a downpour. The big event was rescheduled for Friday, July 6th, but there was only one concert, and attendance was low in the 40,000 seat stadium. It convinced Liberace to switch to smaller venues in the future that he could sell out.

After a successful entertainment career spanning four decades, Liberace passed away in 1987.

Today, the Rubber Bowl is in the process of being demolished.

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For many kids, Bugs Bunny cartoons on Saturday morning were their first exposure to Liberace, albeit in an animated parody. In one of these cartoons, Wideo Wabbit (1956), Elmer Fudd is chasing Bugs with his gun around a TV studio, and the rabbit ducks onto the set of the ‘Liverace’ TV show. Bugs makes himself at home in front of the piano, performing for a few moments before commenting, “I wish my brother George was here.”

Here’s that sequence.

This link will take you to a website with the whole classic cartoon (also featuring Bugs doing imitations of Groucho Marx, Art Carney, etc.), if you’d like to watch it while you eat your Cheerios.