Documentary. Liberace was one of the most charismatic performers of his generation. His meteoric rise to fame in the 1950s made him the highest paid entertainer in the world. In February 1987, Liberace was pronounced dead at his home in California. Liberace's doctor had signed a death certificate, giving the cause of death as cardiac arrest. But the coroner wasn't satisfied. He suspected foul play and ordered an autopsy. So what exactly killed Liberace? Dr Jason Payne-James examines the case.