Who could ever think of the songs “New York, New York,” “Cabaret,” or “Ring Them Bells” without hearing Liza Minnelli giving them the full-throttle treatment?
The following collection of popular and rare performances are a thrilling testament to Minnelli’s lifelong career in show business.
Happy Birthday, Liza May!
Where it all began. Minnelli made her Broadway debut at 19 in the Kander and Ebb musical Flora, The Red Menace. It would be the beginning of her lifelong creative relationship with the songwriting team behind Cabaret, Chicago, and The Rink. Here's a clip of “Sing Happy” from Flora.
In this segment from 1966, a 20-year-old Liza thrills at the Olympia in Paris with “Liza With a Z” (performed in French), as well as Aznavour’s “Le Temps,” “I Will Wait for You,” and “Maybe This Time.”
Kander and Ebb may be the signature songwriters of survival: “So, What?” from Cabaret.
And here's “Mein Herr” from Cabaret:
As well as “Cabaret.”
Trust us when we say that it’s worth ignoring the Swedish subtitles to witness Liza and Goldie Hawn performing “All That Jazz” as the finale to their Emmy-nominated 1980 TV special Goldie and Liza Together. Fun fact: Liza, is, of course, dressed by Halston, with Bob Mackie dressing Goldie.
Liza and Mikhail Baryshnikov perform a medley of showtunes in the 1980 television special Baryshnikov on Broadway.
Opening The Sammy Davis Jr. Show with “My Own Best Friend” from Chicago.
Ever the activist, she turns Kander and Ebb’s “The Day After That” into an anthem of hope for a cure for AIDS on national TV with Jay Leno.
A signature Halston red sequined pantsuit and “City Lights.” What more can we say?
Has anyone made more out of the phrase “Goodbye to blueberry pie” (or done better choreography)?
Showing ‘em how it's done on Inside the Actors’ Studio. Performing Charles Aznavour’s “Quiet Love.”
Singing the Jerry Herman gem “I Don't Want to Know” from Dear World.
Turning a song into a scene, as always: Kander and Ebb’s “Don’t Smoke in Bed,” written just for Liza.
A fantastic moment on The Muppets performing “Copacabana. ”
She learned from the best: with her mother, Judy Garland, singing “Together Wherever We Go” from Gypsy.
Another song with her mother, the classic duet “Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again” (first made famous with Barbra Streisand), but here it’s all in the family in 1964 at the London Palladium.
A wonderful duet with her sister Lorna Luft during the 1993 Tony Awards. Listen for the orchestra to play a musical moment referencing “Over the Rainbow” just before the medley concludes.
“But the World Goes Round” from the 1977 film New York, New York.
Minnelli performs from The Act at the 1978 Tony Awards.
Minnelli's appearance at the 1984 Tony Awards, performing Kander and Ebb’s “Yes” and “Cabaret.”
Minnelli returned to Broadway to co-star with Chita Rivera in the 1984 Kander and Ebb musical The Rink. Here they are performing “Wallflower” at the Tony Awards.
“What Makes a Man a Man?” from Liza's At the Palace.
Liza performs “A Quiet Thing” from Flora, The Red Menace.
Minnelli is a two-time Tony Award winner for her work in Flora, the Red Menace and The Act. She is also the recipient of a 1974 Special Tony Award and was nominated for her performance in The Rink. Minnelli won the Oscar for playing Sally Bowles in Bob Fosse’s film adaptation of Cabaret and earned an Emmy for her TV special Liza With a Z. She was among the first to receive the inaugural Grammy Legend Award in 1990 (a non-competitive honor), making Minnelli an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner.
