Danny Gans’ auto collection mirrors his variety-laden show; Jerry Lewis jabs at Vegas’ corporate culture

By John Katsilometes

Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010 | 1:02 p.m.

Danny Gans was famous for his quick shifts onstage and his innate ability to steer his performances. But not many fans were aware of his keen interest in vintage cars.

They will be next month.

Ten of the 12 cars once owned by Gans are to be sold at the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Collector Car auction Sept. 23-25 at Mandalay Bay. Gans died May 1, 2009 and left two of his cars to his kids. The rest are to be sold at "no reserve" — meaning with no minimum required bid — and the Gans auction will be broadcast on the Speed cable channel.

"He was a serious collector," Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis said in a phone conversation last week. "He was an icon, and I think the collection represents what he meant to a lot of people. There's a lot of variety, a lot of personality, in these cars.

Barrett-Jackson will sell Gans' 1932 Ford 3-window coupe, 1934 Ford 3-window coupe, 1955 Chevrolet Cameo pickup and 1955 Chevrolet 210 2-door sedan. The group also contains a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko SC tribute car, 1970 Plymouth Barracuda coupe, 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, 2003 Chevrolet Corvette coupe, 2000 Dodge Viper and 2008 Harley-Davidson Street Glide FLHX. (I have previously blogged about this collection, but now we have photos of these cool vehicles).

The cars will be sold individually, not as a single lot.

To initiate the process, Davis was contacted by Gans' widow, Julie, who had become familiar with Barrett-Jackson during the company's previous auctions in Vegas. Barrett-Jackson has held three such showcases at Mandalay Bay and is in the fourth year of a multiyear contract at Mandalay Bay.

"We've had a great relationship with MGM (Resorts) and the city," Davis said. "Everyone has been very thoughtful and appreciative."

Davis himself is a collector of Gans' items: He owns a few $10 slot coins from Gans' days at the Mirage, and also bought a set of palm trees that were originally planted at the hotel.

"I saw him there and really enjoyed the show," Davis said. "My job now is to create another Danny Gans show."

Lewis revved up

Working on a column about Jerry Lewis to appear in the next couple of days. It was a wild-and-woolly session with the 84-year-old legend, who does prefer Vegas as it used to be before the advent of corporate-owned resort companies.

When did the city sour for him?

"When Howard Hughes showed up," he said. "These hotels are too big. When someone comes up to cash a second $10,000 check at the front desk, the manager should see that guy and say, 'I hope you go home a winner. And if we can help you get back to Pittsburgh or wherever you're from, my office can help you.' You should get a damn coach ticket for that man and he'll go back and tell his friends at home and tell everyone that he did fine! But for no one to say anything, greet him, acknowledge his presence, in 10 years you won't have him anymore! That man represents 20 or 30 thousand people!"

The purpose of the conversation was to promote the "Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon" set for Sunday and Monday at South Point. The broadcast on KTNV Channel 13 from 6 p.m. Sunday through 3:30 p.m. Monday. Again, more from the energetic Mr. Lewis within 48 hours.

The sun never sets

One of the foremost literary figures in the ever-fertile world of adult entertainment now has a regular column in LA Weekly. We speak, of course, of writer/brothel maven/racehorse entrepreneur and Las Vegan Sunset Thomas, who now writes for the weekly pub, whose editor is former Las Vegas Sun editor Drex Heikes.

Thomas writes for the magazine's online After Dark section. I'd provide the actual link, but Thomas' column photo is a little too wardrobe-malfunction-ish for this family media site. But it's easy to locate, with a little drilling.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.