Back in 1960, piano virtuoso Liberace actually visited Irvine. Yes, I know, it's pretty unbelievable, but it's true.
The occasion was the opening of the Eglinton Arms Hotel. The owner, Joe Caldwell, had told some friends in the national press that he wanted a celebrity to perform the official opening for publicity purposes. One journalist accordingly put him in touch with Liberace's people, and the popular entertainer, who was then performing at the Glasgow Empire, surprisingly agreed to come.
Due to his performance commitments, the time for the event was scheduled to be in the wee small hours.
But word soon got round, and a large, rowdy crowd, estimated at 2000, began to gather in the High Street on the evening of June 28th 1960.
When Liberace arrived he was surprised see such a packed High Street at such a late hour, and was also afraid of being mobbed, so that he actually turned around in his pink Cadillac and headed back to Glasgow. Luckily, a local official Angus McMillan, driving a Mini, managed to catch up with him at Torranyard (about 6 miles from Irvine). Here Liberace was persuaded to return on condition that he could be smuggled into the hotel.
This was done, with Liberace apparently being helped into the hotel via a window, as both doors were completely blocked by the crowds desperate for a glimpse of the showbiz legend.
Once in the hotel, Liberace relaxed and enjoyed a drink with around 180 invited guests. He then spoke for about 20 minutes, and performed the official opening ceremony at around 2 am on June 29th, autographing the hotel wall soon afterwards. Following the ceremony, the honorary title of "Burgess of the Royal Burgh" was bestowed on him.
Not surprisingly Liberace long remembered his unusual visit to Irvine, and every year sent a Christmas card to the Eglinton Arms from his California home.
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