Liza Minnelli: biography

Liza Minnelli is a singer actress who has won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony Award for her work. She embodies American show business with all the personal and professional highs and lows that come with that.

Beginnings

Liza Minnelli was born on March 12, 1946 into Hollywood royalty. Her mother is the legendary Judy Garland, her father the film director Vincente Minnelli. She made her first screen appearance at the age of two, appearing briefly in her mother's film 'In the Good Old Summertime' (1949).

Career

Minnelli began performing professionally at the age of 17 in the Off-Broadway musical 'Best Foot Forward'. The multi talented Minnelli made an immediate impression on the public, and soon also began starring in films like 'The Sterile Cuckoo' (1969) and 'Tell me That You Love Me Junie Moon' (1970). These showed off Minnelli's emotional range.
She also started recording her music that led to the albums 'Capitol Records: Liza! Liza!' (1964), 'It Amazes Me' (1965) and 'There Is a Time' (1966). In 1972 Liza Minnelli appeared in her most iconic role as Sally Bowles in 'Cabaret'. In it she acts, dances, sings and performs and it earned her the Oscar for best actress. In 1977 Minnelli made the musical 'New York, New York' opposite Robert de Niro. Even though it gave Minnelli a signature theme song, the box office results were poor. Minnelli continued to perform on stage and on screen in 'Arthur' (1981) which was a huge success and 'Stepping Out' (1991). Since then Minnelli has not played the lead but has appeared in small parts in 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent', and as herself in 'Sex and the City 2' (2010). She still continues to tour internationally to this day.

Achievements

Liza Minnelli became the youngest woman to win the Tony Award for best actress in a leading role for her part in 'Flora the Red Menace'. She also won a special Tony for the season of 1974 and a Tony for best actress in a musical for 'The Act' in 1978. In 1973 she received an Emmy for her television concert of 'Liza with a Z'. She received an Oscar nomination for her part in 'The Sterile Cuckoo' (1969). She won the Oscar for Cabaret (1972) and also won the Golden Globe for the same movie. In 1996 she received a Grammy nomination for her album 'Gently'. In 2005 she received a Grammy Legend Award.