Revered music and theatre promoter/agent Harry M. Miller passes

High profile Australian music and entertainment promoters Harry M. Miller has died at 84.

Over 50 years, Miller brought a sense of pizzazz to the role, describing himself as a “super-agent” and with a womanising high-flying lifestyle that accompanied the role, as he recounts in his autobiography, Confessions of a Not-So-Secret Agent.

He discovered a 16-year old Marcia Hines, and turned Jon English into a multi-media performer.

Among his tours in the 1960s were Tom Jones, The Rolling Stones, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Judy Collins and Shirley Bassey.

He launched box office blockbusters as ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ and ‘Hair’ in Australia in the ‘70s.

The stars themselves showed immense loyalty to him.

At a TV Awards night, Jon English reminded the entertainment industry and middle Australia of his immense contribution to Australia’s showbiz.

This was when Miller served ten months in jail in 1982 when he was convicted of fraud after his ticketing company Computicket, which he began in 1978, went into receivership within six months.

Miller was born in New Zealand on January 6, 1934, and was put in a Jewish orphanage for a time.

From a sales and marketing background, he moved into artist management and tour promotion.

The story goes that the unknown turned up at Louis Armstrong’s management office in New York to get the star for a tour in New Zealand.

“Got any money, kid?” he was asked.

When he replied no, the manager laughed uproariously and, admiring his chutzpah, gave him the tour.

Miller moved to Australia in 1963.

He established the firm Pan Pacific Productions Pty Ltd in partnership with Sydney restaurateurs Keith and Dennis Wong, owners of Chequers nightclub.

His rise was quick and aroused the rivalry of promoters as JC Williamson and Kenn Brodziak.

In 2007, he gave his daughter Lauren the reins to his publicity firm HMMG. He retired two years later and was diagnosed with dementia in 2011.

Among the tweets at his passing came from Derryn Hinch: “Harry M. Miller and I crossed the ditch from NZ, seeking fame and fortune, around the same time in 1963. A favourite line in later years: “If you shake hands with Harry, count your fingers”.

Another summed up in his book: “All the great impresarios have had highs and lows, a stint in prison and an ability to reinvent themselves — Harry fits that bill perfectly.”