need help please with php sites

I hope this is a common question which has a simple answer.  I'm not the 
list so hopefully won't get bashed to for asking the same thing :)

I am using mod_layout 3.2.1 on a Cpanel server and it is working for the 
most part.  But a lot of PHP sites, if I run a header or footer, it kills 
the site and just puts:

<

Am I doing something wrong?