A Variety Of Fun! 40 Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know About ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’
The Ed Sullivan Show was responsible for a lot of laughs and entertaining acts that appeared on it. Anyone who was a guest on the program was immediately talked about the next day. And, of course, the show helped herald in the "British Invasion" of musical acts that came to the U.S. from across the pond.
But the show was much more than that. It was a way for Americans to enjoy the last few hours of their day together, and to laugh a little while doing so. Here are some amazing behind-the-scenes facts you might not have known about The Ed Sullivan Show.
Ed Sullivan Was Known By Guests To Actually Be Very Awkward In Person
Ed Sullivan was a beloved television icon who hosted The Ed Sullivan Show for over 20 years. During that time, he was an amazing host — although he didn't always exude himself as a confident one. Ed was—to put it bluntly—kind of an awkward master of ceremonies. He could be shifty on stage, and often messed up his lines.
Even though he occasionally messed up, that was part of the appeal of the show. Ed was a regular guy, inviting you to watch amazing acts alongside him. It was this type of fun style of showmanship that made watching Ed Sullivan so entertaining.
George Carlin Had A Tough Time Appearing On The Show
The Ed Sullivan Show often brought on stand-up comedians. One who appeared close to a dozen times was famed comic George Carlin. The gig was a good one to get his name out there, but it was also difficult, Carlin later recalled.
"The Ed Sullivan Show's worst weapon of torture was that it was live," the comic wrote in his autobiography. "There were no second takes on Sullivan. During your set, Ed would stand onstage over to stage right. Out of camera range but onstage. So the entire audience never watched the comic. They were watching Sullivan to see if he would laugh. And he never did. Playing comedy to the Sullivan audience was agony. You’d get more laughs in a mausoleum."
Ed Sullivan Could 'Read' An Audience
Ed Sullivan had a knack for knowing what would work. Knowing what the audience likes before even they even know what they might enjoy is a rare skill that not too many have in the world of media and Sullivan was adept at it like nobody else.
He had the uncanny ability to tell when something was going to go over big, and when it was right to pass on an act that others might say would be a good fit for his program. The basic rule that everyone understood was simple: if Ed thought it would be a hit, it typically ended up being one.
The Stage Was Too Small For Some Animal Acts...But The Show Must Go On!
Not all of the acts went as planned, and some of them were downright frightening. Being a live show, if something horrific occurred, it would be seen by millions of viewers at home as it happened on stage.
Such was the case when animal tamer Clyde Beatty appeared on the program. In one appearance, Beatty found, while rehearsing with his animal acts, that the stage was too small for him to safely perform in front of a live audience with his tigers. Sullivan wasn't too worried, however, and said the show must go on. It did, but it was not a good outcome...read on to see what happened next!
The Animal Tamer Loses Control
If you guessed that the outcome of Ed Sullivan's advice to animal tamer Clyde Beatty's concerns over the stage being too small was not so great, you'd be right. The animals disobeyed their leader on several occasions, which was entertaining to be sure, but dangerous for obvious reasons.
Fortunately for audience members of The Ed Sullivan Show, Beatty was able to subdue the animals without incident or detriment to anyone who was there. But it was definitely a tense few minutes for everyone involved — Sullivan himself later recalled Beatty's appearance on the program was "the roughest act" he had ever featured.
Topo Gigio Was One Of Ed's Favorite Guests
Even though he had many guests on the program, with many of them making repeat appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, there can only be a few that make the tier of "favorite" among them, and for Ed, one of the winners of that moniker, without dispute, was Topo Gigio.
The mouse puppet had already been famous in Italy before appearing on the show in 1963, but quickly achieved even bigger success (as many guests do) after appearing with Ed. Topo Gigio was, undeniably, one of Ed's favorite "guests." Before appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, the mouse puppet had a full-length film, called "The Magic World of Topo Giogio."
The Show Originally Had A Different Title
The Ed Sullivan Show started right at the beginning of television, in 1948, back when many homes still didn't have a set in them. The show and television, in general, grew in popularity. But the original name of the program wasn't The Ed Sullivan Show.
It was originally titled Toast of the Town, which seems appropriate as the show's antics, guests, and performers would be talked about all over towns across the nation. As the host Ed Sullivan became more popular, people in general just began calling it the Ed Sullivan show, which became its official title in 1955.
More Episodes Of Ed Aired Than Of Homer
Nowadays, when many people think about television shows that have lasted many years, they think of The Simpsons. But even the family from Springfield doesn't have anything on Ed! The Ed Sullivan Show aired more than 1,000 episodes. The Simpsons, meanwhile, is just shy of 700. Don't tell Homer—d'oh!
This is probably no surprise after learning that the show aired for over 20 years, that there have been many hours logged in filming The Ed Sullivan Show.
He Had A Handful Of Recurring Acts
The Ed Sullivan Show was famous for bringing on new acts and talent to take part in the variety show. Many big names like The Beatles and The Doors got their big starts thanks to Ed. Still, what's a good program without a little bit of regular occurring segments?
One of those was Ed's puppet sidekick Topo Gigio, who frequently made appearances alongside the host. Another regular guest of the program was another puppeteer act — a ventriloquist named Señor Wences, who also made many frequent appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show over the many years it was on the air.
Elvis Sets A Record — And Ed Wasn't Even There
In 1956, a little-known musician named Elvis Presley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and it changed music forever. Elvis appeared shaking his hips and caused fans in the audience to shout at the top of their lungs.
Oddly enough, Ed Sullivan wasn't at the initial 1956 show that featured Elvis, as he was recovering after a car accident. Still, the show had an enormous rating surge, as 60 million people—86.2 percent of the television audience for that night—watched Elvis sing. The ratings record still stands to this day!
Jackie Gleason's "Honeymooners"
Another regular fixture on The Ed Sullivan Show was Jackie Gleason. Jackie appeared several times on the program, appearing first in 1949 performing a sketch discussing his love for a jukebox.
Gleason would appear again in 1952, performing a number of acts, including one in which his character got into a squabble with his wife, believing she was having an affair when in fact she was simply planning his surprise birthday party. That sketch later went on to inspire what would become "The Honeymooners." Gleason returned regularly to The Ed Sullivan Show, even subbing for Ed when he was unable to host one time in the 1960s.
Who Could Forget The Infamous Performance By The Beatles?
This should give you some idea of how big a deal it was for The Beatles to perform on The Ed Sullivan Show. Their brand of rock and roll music was listened to by nearly 74 million people who tuned into the show that evening in 1964. That's a big number by any year's standards, but in the 1960s that represented nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population.
With two out of every five Americans watching John, Paul, George, and Ringo rocking out on their TVs, it's no wonder the band saw such a phenomenal rise after being on the show.
Ed Sullivan Raised Awareness About Mental Illness
In the 1940s and 1950s, people who suffered from mental illness were not encouraged to talk about it. It was a social stigma that caused millions to suffer alone through, making life difficult for countless numbers. Ed Sullivan helped change that.
In an episode featuring director and writer Joshua Logan, Sullivan discussed with him the mental difficulties he was facing. It was a moment that Sullivan felt very proud of doing later on, as it undoubtedly helped millions of his viewers understand that these were real problems going on, and not a sign of weakness for those who were suffering through them.
Ed Featured Every Type Of Performance Imaginable
The Ed Sullivan Show really was a variety show in every sense of the word "variety." While many look back on it as a show that featured musical acts that later went on to influence rock and roll (and other genres) for the years ahead, it wasn't just a show about music.
Comedians did skits, circus acts appeared, people read from dramatic plays, and ventriloquists were regular guests on the program. And yes, Ed told the occasional joke or two himself. It really was the "toast of the town," as people would talk with their neighbors the next day about what they saw on the show the night before.
Got A Spot On Ed's Show? Be Prepared To Be A Superstar
Ed Sullivan had the rare talent of knowing which acts were talented and which were not. That meant that it was nearly a sure thing that whoever showed up on his program was going to be popular — and audiences knew it, too.
An appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show typically meant that the guests on it could count on being talked about the day after, across the entire nation. This was a near-guarantee that, if you appeared on the show, you were going to make it big. It typically worked out that way.
Wayne And Shuster Appeared Dozens Of Times
The show had a few repeat guests, to be sure. Ventriloquist acts, musicians, circus acts, and other comedic entertainment that made Ed laugh was bound to be invited back to be guests on The Ed Sullivan Show. Some came back just a few times, while others made many appearances. But only one act can have the most repeat appearances, and that was the comedic duo from Canada Wayne and Shuster.
Their act consistently made audiences—and Ed—smile. Undoubtedly, this is why they appeared on the program no less than 58 times during it's storied 24 years on television.
The Show Lasted Four Decades
The Ed Sullivan Show aired for 24 seasons, but has a very distinct record: it actually was on television for four separate decades! That's due partly to the fact that the show began in 1948, and stopped airing in 1971. The show is one of the longest-running weekly programs in the history of television.
The show was also immensely popular, with millions of viewers tuning in to see which hot new act Ed would have on. This helped to keep the show alive for many years.
You Didn't Want To Get On Ed's Bad Side
Ed Sullivan's ability to see who would be the next big thing didn't always mean he was happy about it—and even though he had a few repeat appearances come back to perform, he didn't always invite everyone back.
If you got on Ed's bad side, even for the smallest of grievances, it usually meant you weren't coming back anytime soon...or at all! Ahead, some of the biggest grudges he had.
Ed Gets Petty With Buddy Holly
One of the deepest grudges ever witnessed on The Ed Sullivan Show was when Buddy Holly and The Crickets performed. Ed Sullivan was not particularly happy with one of the songs they had planned to play, believing the lyrics to the song "Oh Boy" were too suggestive. He told the band to pick a different song to play. They refused.
Sullivan infamously retaliated against the band. He deliberately mispronounced Holly's name. He even made sure his guitar amplifier didn't work. The band was never invited back to the show again.
The Doors Were Also On Ed's "No Return Invite" List
Both Ed and the network that The Ed Sullivan Show aired on, CBS, also had some problems with the acts getting out of hand or not following the rules that they set forth.
The Doors were banned after they broke a deal with Sullivan and the network to change some of the lyrics of one of their more popular songs. It didn't help either that lead singer Jim Morrison capped the song off with his signature screaming.
Critics Say The Ed Sullivan Show Stands The Test Of Time
The Ed Sullivan Show is one of the longest-running shows in television history. When it was on the air, it consistently got huge rating numbers. Some episodes were in the tens of millions. Many shows these days would be grateful to get even just one-fifth of the audience Ed was able to pull in.
Beyond those measures, however, The Ed Sullivan Show is significant for another reason: among television critics, it is consistently named one of the best shows ever. Website lists, magazines, and other forms of media have regularly listed it as one of the best. Considering it's been nearly 50 years after its last episode aired, that's a very notable feat.
Ed Passed Away Suddenly
Ed Sullivan captivated audiences for 24 seasons but finally ending his program in June, 1971. People had many fond memories of the show, and the years he was on the air. Sadly for fans of the show, Ed's time on the earth would come to an end a short few years after the end of The Ed Sullivan Show as well.
In the fall of 1974, Ed and his family discovered he had esophageal cancer. Unfortunately, it was discovered too late, and quickly progressed. Ed passed away in October of that same year. He was just 73 years old at the time.
Ed Sullivan Helped Bring African American Acts To The Mainstream
In the late 1940s up until the 1970s (and beyond), minority voices and representation on television, in radio, and in other media were scarce. It was difficult for anyone at that time to break into such artistic endeavors — but for artists who weren't white, it was nearly impossible, save for a few names here or there.
The Ed Sullivan Show helped change that. Ed brought on a number of names that Americans didn't know before, including The Supremes and James Brown. He also had Louis Armstrong on the program. It's true that some bigoted voices criticized him for putting these individuals on his program but Ed shrugged it off, knowing he was in the right.
Some Believe The Show Promoted Civil Rights
As previously mentioned, Ed Sullivan helped showcase many actors, musicians, and other artists of color who ordinarily wouldn't be seen regularly on television during an era of divide and segregation. Among those who adored the groundbreaking way he promoted such acts was Diahann Carroll, an African American actress and singer who has won Tony, Emmy, and Golden Globe awards over her storied career.
Carroll appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show nine times during its run. "It was a glorious time," the actress said. Speaking to her daughter, Suzanne Kay, about her time on the program, Carroll explained that Ed helped her career in big ways...
Jerry Stiller And Anne Meara Found Fame On The Show
Actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, as the husband-and-wife comedy team "Stiller & Meara," made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on April 7th, 1963, and were such a hit that they made a total of 36 appearances on the program throughout the '60s and '70s.
Years later, Stiller discovered a resurgence in his fame playing the cranky Frank Costanza on Seinfeld, a role that earned him an Emmy nomination. Anne Meara passed away on May 23, 2015. She was 85. Nearly five years later, Stiller died at the age of 93.
The Documentary "Sullivison"
Carroll's daughter and granddaughter (Suzanne Kay and Margo Precht, respectively) later went on to produce a documentary about The Ed Sullivan Show. Entitled "Sullivision," the documentary highlights the many ways the program had a positive impact on promoting black culture in American homes, and in turn how this helped promote the ideal of equality and rights for all. The impact of being on Sullivan's show for African Americans was no small thing — as Carroll explained to her daughter in the film, "you could build a whol career around the exposure you got on Sullivan."
Quite A Few Bands Had Breakout Performances On His Show
From the late 1940s to the early 1970s, thousands upon thousands of acts appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. Ed had the uncanny ability to pick and choose acts he knew were going to be successful, and this included acts within the music industry.
He and his producers were adept at finding the up-and-coming groups and singers that maybe just broke into the mainstream, and helped propel them into stardom by appearing on his show. Among those acts include The Beach Boys, Elvis, The Beatles, and The Doors.
Once It Ended, The Magic Left With It
As shows tend to do, The Ed Sullivan Show started to slow down. In 1971, variety shows were becoming less popular and the program came to an end. They hoped another variety show would take over the time slot and be equally successful.
The thing was, no matter how many producers tried, the network couldn't find a good fit to replace Ed Sullivan with. Simply put, the amazing variety acts and knack for finding the next big thing couldn't be surpassed or even close to matched by any of the shows that tried to take Ed's place.
Bo Diddley Was Yet Another Feud
Bo Diddley was another major act to get "banned" from The Ed Sullivan Show for not following directions, but on this occasion, it appears to have been an error in communication. In 1955, Diddley had a nationwide hit with a song named after himself, called "Bo Diddley." While backstage, however, Sullivan heard Diddley singing a popular Tennessee Ernie Ford song called "Sixteen Tons." Sullivan asked Diddley to sing that song instead, and he agreed.
When Diddley came to the stage, he saw on the setlist the words, "Bo Diddley. Sixteen Tons." He read that to mean that Sullivan wanted him to do both songs. He performed his hit first but was cut off to commercial before he could do the second. Sullivan was furious, and never let him appear on the show again.
His Twin Brother Died Young (So Did His Sister)
Although many remember the cheerful times watching The Ed Sullivan Show, Ed's early years weren't so bright. Ed Sullivan had two siblings who died young. This, unfortunately, happened more often than people might think.
One of Sullivan's deceased siblings was his own twin brother. Sullivan was born Edward Vincent, and his brother, Danny, died just a few months after they both were born. Unfortunately, death struck the Sullivan household again for one of their children. Sullivan's sister also passed away, at the age of five. Following her death, the family moved out of Harlem into Port Chester, New York.
He Experienced A Tragic Romance
Tragedy seemed to follow Sullivan into adulthood, too, this time taking away his first true love. Sullivan was engaged to a woman named Sybil Bauer, who was talented in her own right. An Olympic swimmer, Sybil won the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke in the 1924 games.
Their engagement was never meant to turn into a marriage, sadly. Sybil died of cancer at just 23. She was entering her senior year of college when she passed away, in 1927, just three years after her Olympic win. In addition to her gold medal, she had set 23 world records in swimming at the time.
Sullivan Finds Love Again, But It Wasn't Easy
Ed Sullivan would go on to find love again. He met and began dating a woman named Sylvia Weinstein. Sylvia came from a Jewish family and, knowing that they'd oppose her dating a man who wasn't Jewish, told them the man she was seeing was named Ed "Solomon." Her brother didn't buy it, and let the family in on the truth.
Both Ed's and Sylvia's families didn't approve of the relationship, but the two continued to date on-again, off-again for three years, up until their marriage in April 1930. In spite of their families' opposition to the relationship, the couple remained married for 42 years, up until Sylvia's death in 1973.
Sullivan's Memory Began To Lapse
There were some who suggested that Ed Sullivan had a few issues with memory — nothing major, just gaffes that he'd make from time to time. Among those making such claims was Moe Howard of "The Three Stooges." Appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show with the other members of his comedic troupe, Howard recalled once that Sullivan had incorrectly labeled the trio "The Ritz Brothers."
Sullivan was, if anything, however, a master of improvising when he needed to be. Recognizing his error right away, Sullivan corrected himself by humorously adding that the Rit Brothers "look more like the Three Stooges to me." That's one way to get yourself out of a pickle!
A Variety Of Acts, Who Performed A Variety Of Talents
Every night of The Ed Sullivan Show featured something new or different to see. Even returning acts had something new up their sleeve to show off to Ed's audience, in person, and over the airwaves.
Variety was the name of the game, and The Ed Sullivan Show definitely delivered. One of the favorite guests of the program was the piano player Liberace, who made six appearances in total. He performed songs, which was to be expected, but in keeping with the variety theme, he also did comedic bits with the show's host. Ed even got piano lessons from Liberace during the show!
Ed and Sylvia's Daughter Betty
Even though their family members were adamantly opposed to their union, Ed and Sylvia married in 1930. They had a daughter in the same year, who they named Elizabeth. "Betty" was the only child the couple ended up having.
Betty ended up marrying a Navy officer herself years later, and lived a long life, longer than her father had. She passed away in 2014, making it to age 83 (surpassing her father's age at death a full 0 years). Pictured above is an image of the family together, in 1950, when Betty was about 20 years old.
The Sullivans Called The Delmonico Hotel Home
Ed Sullivan, his wife Sylvia, and daughter Betty lived in New York City in some pretty fancy digs. The family called the Hotel Delmonico home for many years. Sullivan had two separate suites in the hotel, one for his family and another that served as his personal office.
The hotel itself has a lot of history. For instance, it's the location where folk rocker Bob Dylan famously introduced The Beatles to marijuana (we doubt Sullivan had anything to do with that interaction). In 2001, then-businessman Donald Trump purchased the hotel, converting it into condominums when he did so.
Dining Around Town
Ed Sullivan may have appeared bumbling, coy, or even shy at times on The Ed Sullivan Show. But that didn't mean the man didn't like to go out on the town — which he did frequently with his wife, and later, sometimes with his daughter coming along, too. The Sullivans enjoyed dining at many of New York City's famous hot spots of the time, including Danny's Hideaway, the Stork Club, and Jimmy Kelly's.
Sullivan enjoyed dining with celebrities, too, and could be seen in public doing so on the regular. He ate and socialized regularly, with famous actors, presidents, and even some Popes!
The Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City
Ed Sullivan filmed his legendary program The Ed Sullivan Show at CBS studios in New York City, from the late 1940s to the early 1970s. The theater he filmed the show in was called Hammerstein's Theater, which opened in 1927, two decades before Ed's eponymous show began airing across the nation.
Today, the theater where Ed Sullivan had his many variety acts is named in honor of him. From 1993 to 2015, David Letterman hosted "The Late Show" at the Ed Sullivan Theater, and Stephen Colbert, who took over late-night duties for Letterman, continues to film his program there as well.
A Fight Involving A Urinal
Before he was a famed host of a variety show, Ed Sullivan was a newspaper columnist. He had a pretty big rivalry with another columnist named Walter Winchell, and their passions once got the better of them.
The two were both at the Stork Club one evening. After getting rough with one another, Sullivan reportedly took things to the extreme. According to Jerry Bowles, Sullivan "grabbed Winchell, held his head firmly in the bottom of a urinal and 'gleefully pumped the flush lever' while his victim uttered 'sobbing noises.'" We've noted that Sullivan knows how to hold a grudge against others, but even this seems to go a bit too far!
A Hollywood Star For The Legendary Showman
Ed Sullivan was truly a star on the small screen. Through hosting The Ed Sullivan Show from 1948 to 1971, Ed brought into the homes of millions of Americans a variety of musical, comedic, and other varieties of acts. In honor of his contributions to the entertainment industry, Sullivan received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960.
If you're ever in Hollywood, you can find Sullivan's star at 6101 Hollywood Boulevard. It's not the only honor Sullivan has received over the years, of course: he's also won a Golden Globe and Peabody awards.
It's The Longest-Running Variety Show In American Television History
Ed Sullivan's television show has been imitated several times, but it's never been duplicated. It's also never been surpassed. Variety show formats are easy to put together for networks, but they don't have the staying power that other types of programs might (late night shows, popular series like Law & Order or The Simpsons, and so forth).
The Ed Sullivan Show was different. It lasted from 1948 to 1971, making it the longest-running variety show in the history of American television. Perhaps only Johnny Carson can claim he was on the air longer than Sullivan, but then again, Carson's late-night talk show wasn't a true variety show like Ed Sullivan's was.
