The Ed Sullivan Show

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The Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964; Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and John Lennon sing and play guitars at the front, with Ringo Starr on drums in the back.

Meeting Ed Sullivan

Buddy Holly stands in a spotlight playing electric guitar and singing onstage at the Ed Sullivan Show, with a bassist performing in the background.

The Ed Sullivan Show

American television program

Also known as: “Toast of the Town”

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Last updated

June 25, 2026

Quick Summary

The Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964; Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and John Lennon sing and play guitars at the front, with Ringo Starr on drums in the back. — The Beatles British rock group the Beatles performing on The Ed Sullivan Show, February 9, 1964: (clockwise from top) Ringo Starr, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney.

The Ed Sullivan Show, originally titled Toast of the Town, was a highly popular early American television variety program that aired from 1948 to 1971. Hosted by Ed Sullivan, the show featured a diverse range of entertainment, including musicians, comedians, and other performers. Sullivan, known for his reserved demeanor, was adept at discovering and promoting new talent.1

The show was inspired by the vaudeville format, which offered a flexible and inexpensive way to present various acts live on television. It became a Sunday night staple, significantly impacting the careers of many performers. Notably, The Ed Sullivan Show hosted iconic performances by Elvis Presley and the Beatles, helping to launch them into superstardom. Sullivan also championed African American artists.12

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Brian Epstein
The Beatles
…band’s nationally televised performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964 drew some 73 million viewers, opening the door to shows at large venues, including Shea Stadium in New York City. Epstein not only secured huge gigs for the Beatles but also marketed them aggressively, putting their likenesses on…
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…band’s nationally televised performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964 drew some 73 million viewers, opening the door to shows at large venues, including Shea Stadium in New York City. Epstein not only secured huge gigs for the Beatles but also marketed them aggressively, putting their likenesses on…
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Late Show
Late Show with David Letterman
… that was the home of The Ed Sullivan Show. Like other late-night talk shows, the program featured interviews with celebrity guests interspersed with comedic segments, skits, and musical performances.
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… that was the home of The Ed Sullivan Show. Like other late-night talk shows, the program featured interviews with celebrity guests interspersed with comedic segments, skits, and musical performances.
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Elvis Presley
Colonel Tom Parker and national celebrity
…television appearances, especially those on Ed Sullivan’s Sunday night variety show, set records for the size of the audiences. Even his films, a few slight vehicles, were box office smashes.
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…television appearances, especially those on Ed Sullivan’s Sunday night variety show, set records for the size of the audiences. Even his films, a few slight vehicles, were box office smashes.
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Rock and television
…TV appearances, above all on The Ed Sullivan Show; the following year Ricky (later Rick) Nelson, one of the two sons on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, began to perform rock-and-roll numbers regularly on the series, with the nicely symbiotic result that TV exposure boosted his record sales even…
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…TV appearances, above all on The Ed Sullivan Show; the following year Ricky (later Rick) Nelson, one of the two sons on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, began to perform rock-and-roll numbers regularly on the series, with the nicely symbiotic result that TV exposure boosted his record sales even…
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Ed Sullivan
…Town (1948–55) and later as The Ed Sullivan Show (1955–71). It presented a wide variety of types of entertainment acts, and Sullivan was noted—and teased—for his stiff, almost uncomfortable demeanor and for his terse way of introducing guest performers; his usually reserved manner won him the sobriquet “the Great Stone…
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…Town (1948–55) and later as The Ed Sullivan Show (1955–71). It presented a wide variety of types of entertainment acts, and Sullivan was noted—and teased—for his stiff, almost uncomfortable demeanor and for his terse way of introducing guest performers; his usually reserved manner won him the sobriquet “the Great Stone…
Read More

Television in the United States
Variety shows
…the Town (CBS, 1948–71; renamed The Ed Sullivan Show in 1955), and Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts (CBS, 1948–58). Within a few years, entertainers such as Jackie Gleason, Dinah Shore, Perry Como, Red Skelton, and George Gobel would headline their own popular variety series. Common elements to most such shows included…
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…the Town (CBS, 1948–71; renamed The Ed Sullivan Show in 1955), and Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts (CBS, 1948–58). Within a few years, entertainers such as Jackie Gleason, Dinah Shore, Perry Como, Red Skelton, and George Gobel would headline their own popular variety series. Common elements to most such shows included…
Read More