I cannot imagine what Liza is thinking! Perhaps all the black hair dye has fried her brain....
Wed Apr 3, 5:02 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The 94-year-old stepmother of Liza Minnelli has sued the entertainer for elder abuse and breach of contract for trying to evict her from a Beverly Hills residence by cutting off the electricity and dismissing the gardener and pool man.
The suit brought by Lee Anderson Minnelli and filed this week in Los Angeles Superior Court alluded to Liza Minnelli's recent star-studded wedding in New York to concert promoter David Gest, saying:
"While defendant is honeymooning all over the world, having fed 850 of her closest friends a 12-foot cake, plaintiff is alone in a cold, dark house, at age 94."
A spokesman for the singer said Liza Minnelli sold the house that she had let stepmother live in for years rent-free and offered to buy her a condominium but the woman refused.
In the lawsuit, Lee Anderson Minnelli claimed she was guaranteed housing in the will of director Vincente Minnelli, her late husband and Liza's father, until her death.
She said that Liza, as executor and trustee of the estate, is required to maintain her in that house in substantially the same condition as it was when Vincente died.
Yet Liza, whose mother was legendary singer Judy Garland, "has instructed her representatives to remove (Lee) by whatever means necessary," according to court papers.
Liza Minnelli's spokesman Warren Cowan said in a statement: "Liza ... has sold her home in Beverly Hills where Lee Minnelli has lived for many years during which time Liza has paid for all of Lee's expenses including housekeeper, gardener, etc. In addition, Liza has offered to buy Lee a condominium but apparently her generous offer has been refused. It is now in the hands of attorneys."
An attorney for Liza Minnelli was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
Lee Minnelli's attorney, Tamara Green, said her client, who is 4 feet, 10 inches tall, hard of hearing, can't drive and weighs 88 pounds, has lived in the same house for more than 40 years and that the trauma of moving would "be the end" of her.
She said the elderly woman asks that a constructive trust for $1 million be placed on any proceeds from the sale of the $3.5 million house.
She also seeks a court order requiring Liza Minnelli to pay utility and household bills, Green said.
"Use Vincente's money to take care of Vincente's widow who is living in Vincente's house. The estate owns the house. It's not Liza's house until Lee Minnelli dies or relinquishes her life estate," Green said.
"Who knew she would live nearly 100 years? She's so disoriented from the depression of the last few months she's clinging to the house. That's all she has left now."
