2012

Celebrities

Ed Sullivan was an American television personality, sports and entertainment reporter, and syndicated columnist best known as the host of the television variety program The Ed Sullivan Show, which ran from 1948 to 1971.

Born in New York City in 1901, Sullivan initially worked as a sports reporter for various newspapers before transitioning to entertainment reporting and eventually hosting his own variety show. His program, originally titled Toast of the Town, became a Sunday night staple in American homes, showcasing a diverse range of acts from opera singers and ballet dancers to comedians and rock and roll musicians.

Sullivan was instrumental in introducing many now-iconic performers to a wider American audience. Notably, he gave Elvis Presley some of his earliest national television appearances and introduced The Beatles to America during their first stateside performance in 1964, solidifying his legacy as a cultural tastemaker.

Ed Sullivan died in 1974, leaving behind a significant impact on the landscape of American television and popular culture. His show remains a historical record of a pivotal era in entertainment history.