'80s Teen Heartthrob Sets the Record Straight on Liza Minnelli Make-Out Rumor
Andrew McCarthywas a teen heartthrob in the mid '80s after starring in hits like Pretty in Pink and Weekend at Bernie's. While making a name for himself in Hollywood, there's one long-standing rumor at the height of his fame about making out withLiza Minnelli that he says didn't happen.
House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert wrote in her 2010 memoir, Prairie Tale, about a crazy night in the '80s that involved the Cabaret star. She had gone to dinner with Rob Lowe, her then-boyfriend at the time, his agent, and McCarthy at a restaurant called Spago. According to Gilbert, Minnelli had suddenly joined the table and was also joined by pop iconMichael Jackson.
As dinner ended, the group fell silent on what to do next, until Jackon finally spoke and invited them to his home. Recollection of that night had them going to Sammy Davis Jr.'s home before landing at Michael Blake's apartment, Lowe's agent.
According to Gilbert's memoir, they were all at the apartment, minus Jackson, "where suddenly Andrew and Liza started making out." McCarthy was in his mid to late 20s at the time, with Minnelli being in her early 40s.
Is the story true? Page Six spoke with McCarthy as the off-Broadway revival of Are You or Have You Ever Been and asked to confirm or deny the story. The Pretty in Pink actor reveals that only some of the story details are true.
"I would love to have made out with Liza Minnelli, but we did not," McCarthy said.
McCarthy went on to confirm that he did have dinner at Spago's with Gilbert, Lowe, and Black. He recalls how Minnelli was seated next to the group, but never mentions Jackson being one of the guests. They did, however, all go to Davis Jr.'s home afterwards.
"It was an incredible night," he said. "I should have quit show business then. We did not sing around the piano; mostly, we did a lot of drinking. Sammy was sober, but he was playing bartender."
McCarthy got so intoxicated that Minnelli ended up driving him home and remembers her being "super lovely to me." The Orange is the New Black director also remembers Minnelli and Davis Jr. being so generous with him and being told by the blues legend, "‘I've got my eye on you young cat, I like what you're doing!' It was great, Rat Pack meets the Brat Pack."
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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 7:51 AM.