Scott Thorson, Liberace’s lover and ‘Behind the Candelabra’ author, dies at 65

Liberace’s former lover Scott Thorson has died.

According to Variety, Thorson died on August 16 in Los Angeles at the age of 65.

The cause of his death is not yet known, although he was reportedly a patient at the LA Healthcare Center and was suffering from cancer as well as heart disease.

Thorson wrote the 1988 memoir “Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace,” revealing intimate details of her six-year romance with the late matinee idol, who died in 1987 of HIV/AIDS-related illnesses.

The book was later adapted into an Emmy Award-winning HBO film of the same name, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Michael Douglas as Liberace and Matt Damon as Thorson.

Among the many controversial claims made in “Behind the Candelabra,” Thorson alleged that Liberace paid him to have plastic surgery to make him look like a younger version of the singer, including nose surgery and a chin implant.

Thorson had already given details about his and Liberace’s romance in 1982, when he filed a $113 palimony suit against the Las Vegas legend. In statements made as a result of the suit, Liberace denied that he was gay and insisted that Thorson had never been his lover.

Thorson and Liberace settled in 1986, with the actress’ former girlfriend receiving $75,000 in cash, three cars, and three pet dogs valued at $20,000.

Thorson played Liberace’s chauffeur at his Las Vegas shows during all six years of their tumultuous relationship.

The two parted ways when Thorson began abusing drugs more heavily. He accused Liberace of being partly responsible for his addiction, saying he only began abusing drugs when he was prescribed Quaaludes, amphetamines, cocaine, and Demerol while recovering from plastic surgery that Liberace had ordered.

A second, equally salacious event occurred in Thorson’s life when he became a key figure in the 1981 murder trial known as the Wonderland Massacre.

Thorson testified against nightclub owner and drug dealer Eddie Nash after four men were killed on Wonderland Avenue in Los Angeles’s famous Laurel Canyon neighborhood. Nash believed the four men were responsible for robbing his home and shooting a bodyguard.

Despite Thorson’s testimony, Nash was charged with masterminding the murders but was acquitted after a trial due to differences in the jury. Nash died in 2014.

Thorson said he went into federal witness protection after the trial and changed his name to Jess Marlow.

Thorson struggled with drug addiction for the rest of his life. In 2008, he was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to felony drug and theft charges.

He was later sentenced to 8 to 20 years in prison for failing a court-ordered drug test while on probation for aggravated burglary and identity theft conviction.