Lee Gordon Presents

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Post-war Australia didn't know what to make of promoter Lee Gordon. To some he was a typical Yank: crass, loud and outspoken, focused on just one thing - making money. But to others, such as rocker Johnny O'Keefe, Lee Gordon was a mentor, a guru and a lifeline to the big time. One thing is undeniable: without Lee Gordon, there would be no billion-dollar entertainment industry in Australia today; and names like Michael Gudinski, Harry M. Miller and Michael Chugg would mean little. Gordon was a true original, who lived fast and hard, spent big - he had a private bank vault - and died far too young, just as he had predicted. 'Lee Gordon was the pioneer,' said Harry M. Miller. 'He created and invented for Australia large-scale entertainment in big arenas. He was very imaginative, way before his time.' When Lee Gordon arrived in Sydney in September 1953, the only place Australians could see international stars like Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope was on the big screen. But over the next