. ▁Kn own ▁as ▁" L iber ace ", ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁highest ▁paid ▁ent ert ainer ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁while ▁emb rac ing ▁a ▁l ifest yle ▁of ▁fl am boy ant ▁excess . ▁The ▁film ▁first ▁a ired ▁less ▁than ▁two ▁years ▁after ▁his ▁death , ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁as ▁a ▁CBS ▁Sunday ▁Movie . ▁ ▁Description ▁The ▁mod est - length ▁production ▁( 9 7 ▁minutes ) ▁traces ▁Liber ace ' s ▁life , ▁as ▁played ▁by ▁Canadian ▁actor ▁Victor ▁Gar ber , ▁from ▁his ▁hum ble ▁beg inn ings ▁in ▁a ▁Mil w au kee ▁sub urb , ▁through ▁his ▁major ▁life ▁high s ▁and ▁l ows , ▁cul min ating ▁with ▁the ▁highly ▁public ized ▁pal im ony ▁law suit ▁file d ▁against ▁him ▁by ▁his ▁former ▁lim o ▁driver ▁and ▁alleg ed ▁live - in ▁boy friend ▁of ▁five ▁years , ▁Scott ▁Th ors on ▁( play ed ▁by ▁Michael ▁Dol an ), ▁and ▁his ▁failing ▁health , ▁ending ▁with ▁his ▁death ▁at ▁age ▁ 6 7 ▁on ▁February ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁from ▁A ID S ▁comp lications . ▁ ▁The ▁film ▁has ▁been ▁noted ▁ ▁for ▁the ▁early ▁casting ▁appearance ▁of ▁the ▁then ▁ 2 0 - year - old ▁Sh awn ▁Le vy ▁as ▁Gl enn , ▁a ▁post - Th ors on ▁acquaint ance ▁of ▁Liber ace ' s ▁through ▁the ▁pian ist ' s ▁final ▁days . ▁ ▁The ▁movie ▁was ▁directed ▁by ▁Em