Behind the Candelabra

Hi.

Hi.

I'm Bob.

Scott.

Okay, there you go. Good boy.

Wait, no, don't lick it off. Don't. That's good.

Okay. I mean, look.

Look how Cannibal's doing it, see?

See there? That's it.

Good boy.

I need them on set, Scott.

Right away. Okay, you know your lines?

You know your lines?

Come on.

Lou says we can't do the growl and the attack in one shot.

We can do it, but we need to do it in two separate pieces.

We need to prep the dogs separately for the attack.

I just don't understand why we can't get it in one.

Because he's got the bite suit on under his clothes,

so the dogs see him as a big old chew toy.

I mean, it's fun for them, they love it.

It's a safety issue.

Scene 37, take one.

Speed!

A and B camera, common mark.

Brownie!

Cannibal!

Bullet!

Right here, boys.

- We set? - Set.

And action!

Scottie. Your mother called.

What did she want?

To see you.

- Do I have to? - No.

Joe.

No, of course not, but... she's your mother.

She says she's doing much better.

- For how long this time? - Joe, stop.

I'll think about it.

Humph.

Oh, and a man named Bob Black called.

Oh, okay.

Is that one of them San Francisco fellas?

No. He's from here. West Hollywood.

Oh.

- Hey, cheeks! - Shh!

This is where you live?

Yeah. Why?

You must have moved in after the Clampetts left for Beverly Hills.

Bye, Rose. I'll see you tomorrow!

- Have a good time! - Okay.

This is Bob.

- Oh, hi, Bob. - Hi, Rose.

And now, ladies and gentlemen,

the star of the show...

the man who's famous throughout the world...

for his candelabra...

and his piano...

Mr. Showmanship...

Liberace!

Hey!

Now, this next part of the boogie woogie is so strange,

it really calls for an explanation.

It's called a boogie woogie break.

When I'm playing it and I stop at a certain point...

you're going to think I've forgotten the music.

But I didn't forget the music.

There's just no music written for that part.

That's why they call it a break.

Hey!

Oh, this is fun.

Let's try something.

Suppose only the ladies in the audience

this time, okay?

All the girls together.

Hey!

Oh, that was terrific.

Okay, fellas. It's your turn now.

Hey!

I love it! That was terrific!

You see, George? I told you

men do come to my concerts.

Well, I really appreciate it.

And I know somebody else out in the audience

who appreciates it, too. And that's my mom.

Mom, I tell you what.

Let them hear it from you... and I'll play it just for you.

Okay, Mom?

Hey!

Oh, Mom, you're in the groove tonight.

I really thank you all

for joining me in this boogie woogie.

I'd like to try a little experiment.

I've been playing this boogie woogie

at eight beats to the bar.

I'd like to try playing it now

at 16 beats to the bar.

Wow!

He's incredible!

Thank you. Thank you very much.

- Thank you. - Bravo.

You know...

No, that's all right. Stare as long as you want.

I mean, you paid for it.

You know, I always get asked... "How do you play the piano

with all those rings on your fingers?"

And I always tell them, "Very well indeed."

Thank you.

And now I'd like to introduce

another pair of piano-playing hands

to join me in a duet.

My protégé and friend,

Mr. Billy Leatherwood!

Oh, look!

A matched pair of queens.

Oh.

It's funny that this crowd would like something this gay.

Oh, they have no idea he's gay.

There's Ray. See him? In the black.

Come on, come on!

Ray! Ray.

Bobby!

- I'm so glad you made it! - We loved it. Thank you so much.

This is my friend, Scott Thorson.

- Hi. Nice to meet you. - Hi.

That was really something. Thank you.

- Come on back and say hi to Lee. - You sure?

Yes, he'd love to see you!

Lee? Look who's here!

- Hello, Bobby! - Lee, you were fantastic!

This is my friend, Scott Thorson.

His first time in Las Vegas.

A lost babe in the woods, huh?

It's like a Disney movie. Little Bambi.

Very nice to meet you.

You were incredible out there.

Oh, I'm just a piano player.

But everybody did seem to enjoy themselves, didn't they?

You were great, too, Billy.

Ray, why don't we fix everybody a drink?

- All right. - I'm not going to have one.

I still have another show to do.

What... you're going to do that all over again?

I don't know how you do that.

Oh, aren't you sweet!

It's not bad for an old bag, huh?

Oh, you look fantastic!

And those bits with the audience are gold!

They work every time.

I stage this show once a year.

It works the same way every single night.

I'll tell you, when I was working saloons in my youth--

back in Milwaukee, they called them saloons.

That's how old I am.

I'm from Wisconsin, too.

No! You are?

Well, this must be fate.

One night, this audience asked me

to play this popular hit parade song called "Three Little Fishes".

It barely had a melody,

it wasn't a challenge at all...

but I played it, you know, and they were happy.

And then, I don't know where it came from...

but I got this inspiration to play it

as if it was composed by Strauss.

And they loved it! They ate it up!

You would have thought that I invented the piano.

And I knew right then

it was all about giving them a good time.

And that's what I'm all about.

I love to give people a good time.

Bobby, you boys staying in town tonight?

Oh, yes. It's too late to drive back to L.A.

Lee, why don't we have the boys over for brunch tomorrow?

No, that's too much for you.

No, no. That's a great idea!

Of course! Let's do it.

But after 3:00, okay?

'Cause I need my beauty sleep.

Welcome, gypsies!

Is this a palace?

Lee thinks he's King Ludwig II.

- Who's he? - The Liberace of Bavaria.

Oh, is he a piano player, too?

No.

Wow.

Almost time for a dip.

I'm sorry I'm so informal.

So happy you all could come.

Don't these things belong in an oven?

He's so mean to my babies.

I mean, this is my family.

And this is Baby Boy.

Baby Boy,

he's very old. He's deaf, and he's blind.

I'm his seeing eye person.

I could get something to help clear up his eyes.

- Scott works with animals. - Oh.

I worked for a vet you know, for a while,