This coming Monday, September 12, 2011, marks the 46th anniversary of The Beatles final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The band performed a memorable set of classics that included their iconic hits “Yesterday” and “Help!” The appearance took place a day before the band started on their 1965 North American Tour, where their first show accrued the largest audience turn out for any outdoor show at the time. This performance, like the previous three, was broadcast in black and white. However, at the end of the evening Ed Sullivan announced that the following week’s show would air in color. This was a significant moment in Sullivan history and following a performance by the biggest band in the world was the perfect time to announce it.
Also, today marks the 40th anniversary of the release of John Lennon’s monumental album Imagine. The landmark record instantly reached No. 1 in both the U.S. and U.K. and in 2003 was listed at #76 among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Andrew Solt, Executive producer and founder of SOFA Entertainment, co-wrote, produced, and directed Lennon’s 1988 documentary of the same name.
For the complete set of Beatles performances, check out The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles.