Throughout its historic 23-year primetime run (1948-1971), The Ed Sullivan Show brought the hottest performances from around the world and introduced emerging talent to America’s living room every Sunday night. For every Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Supremes appearance, there were scores of up-and-coming pop stars from the Sixties.

The Ed Sullivan Show library of 1,000 hours includes over 10,000 performances. Until June 2020, iconic clips from the vast catalog have primarily only been available in excerpted versions on EdSullivan.com or as low-resolution digital “bootlegs.” Now, scores of rarities are being made available digitally for the first time. Many segments have been upgraded to high-resolution clips as part of UMe’s curation efforts.

Here are some great performances from American pop acts, many of which have never been seen before in such high quality.

Jackie DeShannon – “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” – February 1, 1970

The singer was born Sharon Lee Myers on Aug. 21, 1941, in Hazel, Ky. After several early singles failed to click, she earned a #7 pop hit in 1965 with her recording of the Bacharach-David song, “What the World Needs Now is Love.” Four years later, she returned to the upper reaches of the chart with this song she co-wrote. Bonus points: If you knew she co-wrote Kim Carnes’ 1981 smash, “Bette Davis Eyes,” raise your hand.

The Lovin’ Spoonful – “Daydream” – March 19, 1967

In the mid-’60s, the Spoonful were a ubiquitous presence on Top 40, scoring no less than seven top 10 singles. This easygoing number reached #2 in 1966. Bonus points: John Sebastian’s sideburns.

Sonny & Cher – “I Got You Babe” – September 26, 1965

Their first single as a duo was also their biggest. This appearance on Sullivan came around three weeks after the record reached #1. Bonus points: Cher was just 19.

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