The Beatles on Ed Sullivan

[RockaFowler]

I wasn't old enough to see them live on Ed Sullivan, but my mother tells me the story of the day they were on Ed Sullivan for the first time. February 9th, 1964. It's been 51 years since they were on Ed Sullivan.

I was doing a little TV research today and found this little tidbit:

For weeks, celebrities were calling in to get tickets for their kids. Walter Cronkite and Jack Paar scored seats for their girls; composer Leonard Bernstein tried but failed; while Richard Nixon’s 15-year old daughter, Julie, became one of the lucky few to get a seat. Even Sullivan himself had trouble getting extra tickets. On his show the week before The Beatles’ debut, Ed asked his audience, “Coincidentally, if anyone has a ticket for The Beatles on our show next Sunday, could I please borrow it? We need it very badly.”

It should be remembered that while this hullabaloo was happening, there was still an air of gloom in America. Just 77 days prior to The Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan, President Kennedy had been assassinated. By now, the country was ready for some much needed diversion, and it came in the form of four young lads from Liverpool – their sound, their look, their energy and their charisma.

At 8 o’clock on February 9th 1964, America tuned in to CBS and The Ed Sullivan Show. But this night was different. 73 million people gathered in front their TV sets to see The Beatles’ first live performance on U.S. soil. The television rating was a record-setting 45.3, meaning that 45.3% of households with televisions were watching. That figure reflected a total of 23,240,000 American homes. The show garnered a 60 share, meaning 60% of the television’s turned on were tuned in to Ed Sullivan and The Beatles.

This is unheard of in today's ratings universe unless you are watching the Super Bowl. Today's highest rated weekly show is NCIS with maybe 18 million viewers. Even in its heydey American Idol was getting maybe 30 million viewers (nowhere near that number today).

Here is a little more information for your reading pleasure . . .
http://www.edsullivan.com/artists/the-beatles

[Freddie]

1. My brother and I were glued to the (black & white) set

I was 7, he was 11. Loved them from that moment and still love them today.

[napkinz]

2. Buckley on The Beatles

[hifiguy]

8. Leonard Bernstein, on the other hand,

thought the Beatles were great and that Lennon and McCartney were songwriters who deserved to be mentioned in the same breath as Franz Schubert. Nuff said.

[napkinz]

9. from 1967 ...

[hifiguy]

13. I remember seeing that when I was a kid of 11.

Nice find!!

[Vinca]

3. I was in the 9th grade and a total Beatlemaniac.

I remember that broadcast and racing to the phone to dial (yes DIAL) up my Beatlemaniac best friend in between sets. It was really, really fun!

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

10. I was in 9th grade too at the time

It was a major event and the next day the girls in the class were all abuzz about which Beatle they liked. The boys were combing their hair down. Our teacher who was in his mid 20s and a Pat Boone fan got absolutely nowhere with the class when he said they were physically unattractive and untalented. He was shouted down. TV back in those days, maybe because there were so few channels, was more of a shared almost tribal event. In watching the Beatles, you had a feeling you were sharing a social phenomenon with everyone else. I don't feel that anymore when I watch a TV channel.

[karynnj]

27. I was in eighth grade

I was lucky enough to see them live at a Chicago baseball stadium and the international amphitheater (?) It was unbelievable. I have seen Paul shows.

A few years ago on a trip through england, Ireland and Wales that we took with a daughter doing her masters in London we went to liverpool. We took the bus tour that thethe government had that let you actually go into john, so and paul's homes. Really fascinating.

[Vinca]

30. I saw them in Chicago, too . . . and Cleveland.

I've been trying to remember the Chicago venue. It must have been the amphitheater. One of my best friends had co-conspirator parents who drove us there from the middle of Ohio for the show. They made reservations at a French restaurant at the hotel the Beatles were staying in which got us in the door. We had a great adventure sneaking up a back stairwell (hearts pounding) and actually getting to the top floor. Sadly, when we emerged only feet away from where "the boys" were staying, a cop turned us around and sent us back down. I remember encountering another girl who was the daughter of the hotel manager. She was clutching a glass John had used and had a pile of dirty linens she was hoarding. If she kept them she's probably rich! The only person we managed to meet was Malcolm Evans outside the concert site. I remember the show itself was exciting, but it seems we were miles away from the stage and, of course, all you could hear was screaming. The entire "Beatle experience" is my best memory from my teen years and, to this day, I'm more likely than not to have a Beatle's CD playing in the car.

[karynnj]

33. cool adventure nt

[Divernan]

4. I watched that telecast live & filmed my 9 mo. old dtr. dancing to the music.

[pinboy3niner]

5. Some of us here watched it on TV AND saw the Beatles perform live in concert

A whole bunch of us at DU, in fact. I recall seeing a post from one member who saw them perform more than once.

[RockaFowler]

17. I've seen Paul & Ringo Live

2 of the best concerts I've ever gone to

Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band with Peter Frampton was AMAZING!!

I saw Paul at Joe Robbie Stadium in 1991 with my parents. Had the best time EVER!

As a matter of fact I saw both concerts with my Mom. She was the biggest Beatles fan (Ringo was her fav). She was the reason why I have always loved anything Beatles related.

[H2O Man]

6. I remember it.

It was outrageously good.

[hifiguy]

7. I was 7, loved the Beatles and knew, somehow,

that they would change the world when I saw them on Sullivan.

America really needed the Fab Four after the shock of JFK's murder.

[ProfessorGAC]

31. Same Here

Seven closing in on 8 at the time. Piano student, but before i switched to jazz, so was still playing elementary classical stuff. Didn't think much at all about popular music.

After the Sullivan show, that changed for me. Suddenly, pop music wasn't Purple People Eaters, and Polka Dot Bikinis. It had energy and wasn't silly.

[Trajan]

11. I was in Second Grade, and I missed the first broadcast ...

But, after hearing about it at school all week, I certainly didn't miss the broadcast on the next Sunday ....

[Ichingcarpenter]

12. Beatles Ed sulivan New York, USA on 9th February 1964

All My Loving, Til There Was You, She Loves You, I Saw Her Standing There, I Wanna Hold Your Hand

No autotune.....just 4 guys

good recording on youtube

watched it with my two brothers and my mom and pop............WE went out and bought the record that coming week

on the school bus two days later......kids, as did ,I went crazy listening to their music on their new small Japaneses am radios

I got to meet George and Ringo and say hello, in hawaii for a short time, on maui when i lived and worked there.

[Ichingcarpenter]

14. Rare bbc doc on john lennon

never seen in the states, rare interviews with his half sisters and others you have never seen

[Ichingcarpenter]

15. Btw ...... Stu's german girl friend

cut their hair and gave them the mop top look.

[msongs]

16. and they didnt go on the grammies show and whine like babies when they didnt win nt

[Mnpaul]

18. PBS had a show detailing artists appearing on the show

There are some interesting stories. The Doors agreed to sing "Light My Fire" with altered lyrics but Jim did it as written. Ed was furious because Jim sang "girl, we can't get much higher".

[spanone]

19. i watched it like a hawk....it was amazing.

not the first time they were shown on teevee....jack paar showed a video of them before sullivan....saw it too.

saw them live on tour later that year.

[Auggie]

20. I was 6 1/2, and I remember watching

[Brother Buzz]

21. Kodak saw a tick in Brownie and Instamatic film sales

I know more then one girl that burned a roll of film trying to capture the Beatles on TV. The photos appeared at school a week later and they looked like warmed over crap. Hell, the flash didn't help for shit, either.

[Omaha Steve]

22. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" film clip

I was in the TV audience that night BTW. A fan for life.

Read Morgan played the father in this scene. We got his autograph in 2002 of a shot from the film. He loved it. He asked where wer were from? We said Omaha. That started a conversation about how Warren Buffet made him BIG $ when he invested in his company Berkshire Hathaway. He was fun.

Our 2002 TZCon page: http://www.steveandmarta.com/graveyards/tzcon2002.htm



Read Morgan and William Windom; Mickey Rooney is just out of sight to the left, and Amzie Strickland is out of sight to the right

[frogmarch]

23. I'd just turned 20 and was

spellbound by them.

[C Moon]

24. I enjoyed reading that. Thanks! It's amazing that Ed Sullivan was asking for tickets. :D

[bamademo]

25. That night changed my life. I kid you not.

[longship]

26. The screaming ruined the performance.

Why did they all scream? Stupid kids.

[LiberalElite]

28. Were you there being disturbed by the "stupid kids"?

I was at Shea Stadium when the Beatles played there in '65. I couldn't hear a thing but the screaming from the moment they stepped onto the field. (Of course I was screaming also.) I had no idea what they were playing (I was up in the nosebleed section over third base) and had to read the newspaper the next day to find out. Nevertheless, I had a great time.

Why complain about the stupid kids? You can hear it all on the video. It was in the Anthology in 1995.

BTW, They screamed for Rudolph Valentino, Rudy Valee and Frank Sinatra too. Its what adolescent/teen girls do. So what?

[ProfessorGAC]

32. You Couldn't Hear What They Were Playing?

Don't feel bad. Those guys said they couldn't hear themselves at Shea, so you and the band were exactly the same!

How cool is that?

[LiberalElite]

34. I know - I learned that watching the

Anthology. It was nutz.

[SummerSnow]

29. I wish I had a time machine