Concert programs rock

The American-born entrepreneur arrived here in the early 1950s and during nine or 10 roller-coaster years started Australia's first strip club, drive-in restaurant and sound lounge, with varying degrees of success. He tried to launch the Roller Derby in 1955 and announced plans to stage a bullfight in Sydney. He was one of the founders of the long-running Les Girls nightclub.

Gordon's biggest impact was as promoter of live musical shows. It has been estimated that he brought 471 entertainers to Australia before his death in London in November 1963, having fled there to avoid bankruptcy and drug charges.

Sinatra first appeared here in 1955 under Lee Gordon's promotion. Johnnie Ray and Nat King Cole also toured several times. He brought out Bob Hope, Abbott and Costello, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis jnr and Frankie Laine. Most of these acts appeared at the Sydney Stadium and the old Melbourne Stadium, before it was known as Festival Hall.

In January 1957, Bill Haley and his Comets headlined what is regarded as Australia's first rock'n'roll tour, supported by black artists such as La Vern Baker and Joe Turner. The next show featured Little Richard, Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran on the same bill - enough raw talent to make rockers' hearts skip a beat. Johnny O'Keefe opened this show.

The Big Shows, as they were usually called, were package deals with six or more performers doing three or four numbers each. One show, billed as The Battle of the Big Beat, pitted some middleweight US performers against Australia's rising talent. It was a typical Lee Gordon gimmick.

These promotions were huge financial risks, making enormous profits when they succeeded but putting Gordon deep in debt when they bombed. He claimed he always came up with his best ideas when he was broke.

The most powerful reminders of this period are the concert programs, which some fans (see My Collection) have kept for more than 50 years. These were lavish publications for the time - beautifully designed, usually with full-colour covers. They are now highly collectable.

A colleague who once ran a shop specialising in pop culture collectables suggests that any Lee Gordon program should be worth from $10 to $30 these days, depending on the face on the cover and its condition.

A 1955 Sinatra program would be in the higher bracket but obscurities such as Sal Mineo, who toured in 1959, could well be worth more since he has become a cult figure and gay icon, especially in the US. A Lenny Bruce program (if any exist) would be the rarest of all. The comedian's 1962 tour was cancelled because of controversy over his use of the "Lady Chatterley word", as it was quaintly described at the time.

The precise value of these items is a grey area and can't be judged by online results, where a bidding war between two obsessive fans can push prices far above normal expectations. But we should have a better idea next year.

Giles Moon, the head of the collectables department at Bonhams & Goodman in Melbourne (it will start trading as Leonard Joel Collectables next year), says he has been speaking with a client who wants to sell a significant collection of Lee Gordon programs. At time of writing, he was hoping to include these in the first sale next year.

One program has been signed by Sinatra. Autographs add greatly to value and Moon estimates that this item alone would be worth between $600 and $800.

He is planning to sell the entire collection of about 15 programs and publicity photos for between $1000 and $1500. Other stars noted include Johnny Cash, Bobby Rydell, Ricky Nelson, Spike Jones, Jimmy from the Mouseketeers and Fabian (also signed).

For those interested in Lee Gordon programs, an impressive visual collection appears on a website (www.nugrape.net) set up in 2001 by a Melbourne enthusiast.

MY COLLECTION

Born in Malta, Vince Spiteri came to Australia in 1951 then settled in Melbourne in 1957. One of the first things he did when he arrived was see Little Richard perform at the old Melbourne Stadium, an event that sparked a life-long passion for early rock'n'roll music.

He saw most of Lee Gordon's shows and kept all of the programs. After retiring from his job as a plant supervisor at the Ford factory in Broadmeadows he has been concentrating on his vast collection of rock memorabilia.

"It's my full-time hobby," he says. "I now work 24 hours a day."

One of his proudest possessions is a rare 1949 copy of The Fat Man, the first single by Fats Domino on the Imperial label. Vince has since got to know the New Orleans performer and stays with him on visits to America. His musical tastes are diverse. He also collects Roy Rogers, Al Jolson and Rosemary Clooney ... "but I don't like opera or that heavy trad jazz".

Such unique personal collections are increasing in value but Vince says he will never sell. He is hoping his daughter will eventually take it over.

$10

Collector Vince Spiteri describes the Sal Mineo show as the worst one he saw but the program is considered a rarity.

$20

Programs for Frank Sinatra's first few Australian shows are relatively common. This one is from 1959 when he accompanied Ava Gardner, who was filming On The Beach in Melbourne.

$200

The 1957 Big Show featuring Little Richard, Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran was a classic. This program is signed inside, which adds greatly to its value.