1966 Press Photo Sergio Franchi, strikingly handsome singer. - nox20532

Magnetic, strikingly handsome Sergio Franchi, whose photographs don't do him justice, has New Orleans women gasping en masse. For the first time in memory, the late-show audience Wednesday was almost half women seated by themselves. And the notes stream in, he admitted yesterday under questioning in his Roosevelt suite..from those who simply want to express admiration for his Blue Room show to those unblushingly making a pass. "One girl wrote that she is 24, and other personal information and then said she would like to travel with me," he said with uplifted eyebrows. What does he do with mail like this? "Safety is in silence," he admitted. So far, his New Orleans admirers haven't been so brash as a woman in the East who came to the table where he was seated with his wife, got an autograph, then asked for a kiss. Sergio grinned at the memory. "I don't mind, but ask my wife," he said. "And you know, she did ask. My wife said no."

Photo is dated 1966.

Photo measures 8 x 10 inches.