Waiting, Waiting For Their Elvis
by Max Norris
Daytona Morning News
August 10, 1956

Elvis Presley, whose tortured moans have found a vast audience in a tin eared nation, slept here Wednesday night.

And camped outside his door at the Copacabana Motel were three West Palm Beach girls who had come here by bus san parental knowledge or consent jut to be near him.

This same devoted trio-Frances Klempner, 15, Barbra Silver, 16, and Irene Isabella, 15- also were first in line at the Peabody Auditoium where their hero performed last night.

For Irene waiting for Elvis was no new experience.

"Three other girls and I hid in his hotel closet in Miami" she boasted. "We were there two hours before his brother came and let us out".

Despite her vigil here, her Miami experience and another attempt in West Palm Beach, Irene has yet to meet the reigning king of cacophony. But she keep hoping and waiting.

Waiting in line at 4 p.m. four hours before show time) yesterday were many other like her:

Wilma Wartman and Nancy Reilman, both 19, and here on vacation from Bellvue, Ky., sat devouring an Elvis Presley picture book, sandwiches and colas waiting for the 8pm show.

Janet Williams, 12, Date City, had used the show as an excuse for a special visit to her uncle-Evening News City Editor Bill Finney.

Anne Muncy, 18, St. Petersburg, hadn't had enough of her hero's swivels and screams in St. Petersburg, Tampa and Lakeland. So she accompanied her hometown entrants in the Junior Olympics here for a listen.

Nilla Shea, 17, came along on the bus with Anne although she had seen Elvis is Atlanta as well as St. Pete, Tampa and Lakeland.

"We like Elvis," said Anne and Nilla, speaking as more mature Presley fans, "because we've read so much about him and heard of all the nice things he did for his folks and we just know he's a nice boy."

Courtesy of Kurt Hinkle