Liberace’s Lover Scott Thorson Dies at 65
Scott Thorson, who had an interesting and often tumultuous life, has passed away at the age of 65 from cancer and a heart condition. Thorson, perhaps best known for being Liberace‘s lover, wrote a memoir called Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace about their time together, which was turned into an Emmy award-winning movie of the same name.
Before writing the tell-all book, Thorson filed a $113 million palimony lawsuit against Liberace in 1982, which was eventually settled in 1986. During court proceedings, Liberace denied that he was gay and that Thorson was his lover. Thorson received $75,000 in cash plus three cars and three pet dogs in the settlement, just a year before Liberace died of HIV/AIDS-related illnesses.
Washoe County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images
In the book, Thorson claims that Liberace paid for him to get plastic surgery in order to look more like a younger version of Liberace. He added that he partially blamed Liberace for his drug addiction, which came after being prescribed drugs for recovery of his plastic surgery.
Thorson’s relationship with Liberace wasn’t the only time he got media attention. In 1989, he was a key witness in a murder trial of Eddie Nash, over the murders of four people on Wonderland Avenue. Thorson testified that he was at Nash’s house buying drugs and saw John Holmes being beaten and threatened. After he spoke at the trial, he entered federal witness protection and changed his name to Jess Marlow. Thorson also had run-ins with the law himself, serving time in prison for drug and burglary-related crimes.
Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
If you are interested in learning more about the murder case and trial, there is a new docuseries airing next month on MGM+ called The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood, based on the podcast The Wonderland Murders and the Secret History of Hollywood on Audible.
Remind 
’80s Where Are They Now
March 2023
Who can forget all the great TV shows, movies and music of the ‘80s? See what your favs are up to now!
Buy This Issue