An original Bill Haley – Platters 1956 concert poster featuring several great, early rock & roll and R&B touring musicians from mid-century.

The first thing you’ll notice is that the top is missing from this Bill Haley – Platters 1956 window card; someone trimmed it off back in the day, probably to frame it.

Not only that, but the other three edges of this Biggest In Person Show of 56 placard are also gone. So the trimmer left no white border, anywhere.

As a result, many collectors would consider this to be a maimed, or defaced, Bill Haley – Platters 1956 boxing style poster. But hey, it’s so much better than nothing at all, right?

I’m especially tickled by the way Bill Haley is shown in a plaid sports jacket and bow tie, and was photographed while singing and playing his famous hollow-body electric guitar, on this Biggest In Person Show of ’56 show placard.

Globe Posters of Baltimore made this Bill Haley – Platters ’56 tour poster, but you can’t tell on this copy because their bottom-line credit (always in the white border) was trimmed away.

The trimming culprit was actually pretty sloppy… the lower left-hand corner of this Biggest In Person Show of ’56 broadside was severely cut into as well, taking part of Shirley Gunter’s misspelled name with it.

It’s quite odd how the photograph of The Platters on this Bill Haley – Platters 1956 window display is actually a composite of three different pictures pieced together! Maybe that was because of a group personnel change or two.

Although this is a very colorful vintage rock poster, all of the lettering on this Biggest In Person Show of 56 display is in either black or white, except for tour promoter Super Attractions in the upper left-hand corner, which is in blue.

I know it’s getting picky, but this Bill Haley – Platters 1956 sign identifies Bill Haley’s group as The Comets incorrectly; they were always known as His Comets.

With 20/20 hindsight, the most famous musician on this Biggest In Person Show of 56 concert placard was, by far, Chuck Berry… but at this early point in his career, he’s placed in the bottom half of the poster.

You gotta love the design of this Bill Haley – Platters 1956 billboard, the way the Globe poster layout person implemented the colorful blue, yellow and red inks on a black background.

Before it was hacked up, the original size of this Biggest In Person Show of 56 show poster was 22 x 28”. I like to call this the leftover “trunk” of what once was.

Now for the entire wording, just as it reads on this Bill Haley – Platters 1956 tour placard, from top to bottom:

Super Attractions Present… The Biggest In Person Show of 56

Bill Haley and the Comets, “See You Later Alligator”; The Sensational Platters, “Magic Touch” and “My Prayer”; Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, “Why Do Fools Fall In Love”;

(now into the blue rectangles): Clyde McPhatter, “Treasure of Love”; The Clovers, “Love, Love, Love”; (in yellow oval) Chuck Berry, “Roll Over Beethoven”;

And then four musicians with no photos or song titles given at all: Ella Johnson, Shirley and Lee, Shirley Gunther [sic – should be Gunter] and The Flairs

11 Big Attractions 11, All In Person – (and last but not least, the bandleader) Buddy Johnson and his BIG Orchestra

As a side note, it’s not often you see a Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers window card, due to the fact that Frankie departed that group in 1958 for a solo career.

On the other hand, an original Platters concert poster from the 1950s is much easier to find because they stayed together and toured throughout most of the decade.

This Biggest In-Person Show of 56 ticket poster is brought to you by way-back poster collector Pete Howard in California (phone 805-540-0020 or E me at pete@postercentral.com). As an early rock ’n’ roll collector, I will pay top dollar for this Super Attractions concert poster with venue information, or any similar concert poster from the 1950s-60s.

You’ll see why I collect these beauties once you go see a few more on this page right here on my web site: http://www.postercentral.com/multi-act_1950s.htm