Liza Minnell: Friday July 1

PERFORMER: Liza Minnelli

BORN: Hollywood, 1946 the daughter of American actress and singer Judy Garland and film director Vincent Minnelli.

CAREER SPAN: 1963-present

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: performances in movies Sterile Cuckoo (1969) Tell Me That You Love Me (1970) Cabaret (1972) for which she won the best actress Oscar for her iconic performance of nightclub singer Sally Bowles..

Appearing opposite Robert De Niro in the 1977 film New York, New York (she was the first to sing the song later covered by Frank Sinatra) Starring opposite Dudley Moore in the 1981 film Arthur. Playing a harassed dance teacher in 1991 movie Stepping Out. Teaming up with The Pet Shop Boys in 1989 to record a series of hit songs.

PERSONAL LIFE: four marriages, from 1967-1974 to Peter Allen

1974-1979 to producer and director Jack Hayley Junior

1979-1992 to sculptor Mark Gero.

2002-2007 to concert promoter David Gest.

BIOGRAPHY: Minnelli made her first film appearance at the age of three in one of her mother’s movies and started out in her teens as a nightclub singer in major venues from Washington to Las Vegas. Her success as a live performer led to recording several albums at Capitol Records: Liza! Liza! (1964), It Amazes Me (1965) and There Is a Time (1966) recording traditional pop standards as well as show tunes from various musicals that she starred in. In the 60s and 70s she made a string of successful films as well as recording music and appearing on Broadway, most recently in 1997 when she took over the title role in the musical Victor/Victoria, replacing Julie Andrews. After a serious case of viral encephalitis in 2000, doctors predicted she would spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair and might not speak again. But with the help of vocal and dance lessons she recovered and returned to the stage in 2001 when asked by long time friend Michael Jackson to perform at Madison Square Garden. Minnelli has served numerous charities and causes including The Institutes for The Achievement of Human Potential (IAHP), a non-profit educational organization that introduces parents to the field of child brain development. She also dedicated much time to amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.