31st October

The Steven Sondheim musical Gypsy, starring Ethel Merman, is performed on Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 702 performances.

The musical Irma La Douce is running at The Plymouth Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA. It runs at The Plymouth for more than a year before transferring to The Alvin Theatre.

The Noel Coward-composed musical Sail Away is presented at The Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 167 performances.

The musical Milk And Honey, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, is playing at The Martin Beck Theater on Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 543 performances.

The stage musical Do-Re-Mi, starring Max Bygraves, with music by Jule Styne, is playing at the Prince Of Wales Theatre, London, England, Europe, during a run of 169 performances.

The stage musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, starring Rudy Vallee, is playing at the 46th Street Theater on Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 1,417 performances.

Tommy Steele, Teddy Johnson And Pearl Carr, Jimmy James, The Raindrops, Joe Baker And Jack Douglas, Desmond Walter-Ellis, The KIms and Regine And Andre Berny play during a seven-week season at The Coventry Theatre, Coventry, England, UK, Europe.

The Platters are playing during a two-week engagement at The Social Ritz Club, Mexico City, Mexico, North America.

Connie Francis is playing during a two week engagement at The Latin Casino, Merchantsville, New Jersey, USA.

The musical Kwamina is playing at The 54th Street, Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of just 32 performances.

Timi Yuro, Shep And The Limelites, The Spinners, The Marvelettes, Tommy Hunt, The Stereos and The G-Clefs are playing during seven nights at The Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York City, USA.

Malcolm Hale, lead guitarist of Spanky And Our Gang, dies of carbon monoxide poisoning due to a faulty heating system, in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Hurricane Hattie makes landfall near Belize City, Belize, Central America, killing over 300 people and destroying most of the city. Inspired by this natural phenomenon, fourteen year old Jimmy Cliff will write and the song Hurricane Hattie, with producer Leslie Kong of Beverly's Records in Kingston, Jamaica. It will give Cliff his first of many hit singles.

The Riverside Jazz Stars, including Clark Terry and Blue Mitchell, spend the first of two days recording the album A Jazz Version Of Kean, for Riverside Records in New York City, USA.

In Fort Ord, California, USA, Army private James Marshall Hendrix [later to find fame as Jimi Hendrix] receives orders transferring him to Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Jackie Wilson plays the first night in a week of shows at The Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York City, USA.

Impresario Larry Parnes' package tour, Star Spangled Nights, plays at The Granada, Woolwich, England, UK, Europe. Featured artists include Billy Fury, Eden Kane, Joe Brown, Tommy Bruce, The Allisons, The Viscounts, The Karl Denver Trio, Peter Jay And The Jaywalkers, Terry Hale and newcomer Georgie Fame.

Rockabilly vocalist Wanda Jackson records Don't Ask Me Why, Seven Lonely Days and other tracks, for her Capitol Records album Wonderful Wanda in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Bobby Darin, with producer Ahmet Ertegun, records Irresistible You, Jailer Bring Me Water and Baby Face in Los Angeles, California, USA. The band on the session includes Alan Reuss, Tommy Tedesco, Nino Tempo (guitars), Ray Siegel (bass), Plas Johnson (tenor sax), Harold Diner and Marshall Cram (trombones) and Julius Wechter (French horn). Arranged and conducted by Jimmie Haskell handles the arrangement and conducting chores.

The Springfields (including Dusty Springfield) play at The Two Red Shoes Ballroom, Elgin, Scotland, UK, Europe.

The musical Irma La Douce is presented at The Alvin Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA during a total of 524 Broadway performances.

Jazz arranger and composer Gil Evans records Moon Taj for Impulse! Records in New York City, USA.

Ray Price is playing in Duncan, Arizona, USA.