Platters Prove A Sensation in Oran

ORAN, NORTH AFRICA — The Platters have developed into one of the United States’ foremost ambassadors to foreign lands. The popular Mercury recording group, recently on tour in North Africa, was smothered by thousands upon thousands of fans. When they appeared in Oran, it seemed as though every teenager converged on the group’s hotel. The Platters couldn’t get out of their hotel until a police escort arrived. When the group made an appearance at a leading Mercury retailer in Oran, more than 2000 youngsters stormed the shop. It took police more than an hour to clear away the kids so that the group could get out of the store. While traveling through
Oran, the French Foreign Legion as- signed a military police unit to the Platters to escort them wherever they had to go. The Platters played two sell-out shows in the Municipal Theatre, the biggest auditorium in Ojan. The
Municipal Theatre has never played a U. S. attraction. After the second show, the group went to the Foreign Legion base where an officers’ ball was in progress. Zola Taylor, the femme fifth of the group, turned the place
upside down by dancing with Generals and Colonels. She left the ball with numerous military decorations. The next day the Platters did a 54-minute show in the Oran bull ring and played to a SRO crowd in the arena which seats more than 14,000 people. This is what has been happening to the group in all the countries they have appeared.

At the same time:

Red Caps Booked For South America Shearing And Saye Feted

NEW YORK—Jolly Joyce, booking agent for ABC-Paramount recording artists Steve Gibson and the Red Caps, has set
the vocal-instrumental group for a month-long tour of South America in October. The group will receive $7,500 per week and will entertain at Fred’s Supper Club in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the first two weeks in October, and at the Oasis Club, Sao Paulo, Brazil, the following- two weeks. Jovce also set a deal for songstress Janet Stewart to appear at the Colony Club in London, England, for the month of. July In addition to numerous other acts, Joyce books Bill Haley in South America.