The Beatles on Ed Sullivan [View all]

[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