Sixty years ago, on February 9, 1964, four lads from Liverpool took to the stage for their first televised performance in America, forever altering the course of music history. The Beatles’ appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was a cultural earthquake that rippled throughout America. Never before had the world witnessed this level of fandom and excitement for any musical act. The performance drew an astonishing 73 million viewers to The Ed Sullivan Show, making it the most-watched television event of its time. Ed Sullivan’s instinct for breaking talent helped solidify The Beatles’ as global music phenomenons setting the stage for “Beatlemania”, and “the British invasion” reshaping popular music, culture and history.
The Beatles skyrocketed to fame in the U.S. during a tough time in 1963, marked by tragic events. The most significant was the shocking assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, broadcast live to millions. Kennedy’s death shook the nation, ending a time of national innocence. This impactful moment, especially felt by the youth, created a collective need for something uplifting. Cue The Beatles, whose energetic arrival and new music became a much-needed source of joy during this challenging time. Their iconic performance on The Ed Sullivan Show wasn’t just a musical feat; it defined a generation. From a backdrop of shared loss, The Beatles unintentionally became a beacon of hope for an entire generation. This is the story of how their historic Sullivan performance came to be.
The Beatles’ journey to The Ed Sullivan Show begins with the far-reaching scouting network curated by Sullivan himself. This international network combined with Ed’s gift for assembling world class acts is how Sullivan came to hear about the fabled fab four, months before their American infiltration. In the summer of 1963, Peter Prichard, a London-based theatrical agent and associate of The Ed Sullivan Show, accompanied Ed’s visiting New York based talent coordinator Jack Babb, to experience live a new chart-climbing UK band called The Beatles. Intrigued by the band’s expanding yet loyal following on the British concert circuit, Babb returned with Prichard a different night for a second show. It was during this period that the UK sensation first caught the ear of Ed Sullivan. An impressed Babb, that summer encouraged Sullivan to consider booking the European act, but Ed initially opted against booking the popular British band due to the well known difficulty UK artists faced breaking into American music charts.
This hesitation would soon change after Sullivan had a chance encounter with a mob of more than a thousand screaming, teenage girls engulfing London Airport. In late October of 1963, while returning to New York from an European trip with wife Sylvia, Sullivan witnessed firsthand the hysteria that the UK already coined “Beatlemania.” The chaos that day at London Airport quickly led Sullivan to revisit the idea of booking the popular British band. Shortly thereafter, Peter Prichard, associate of the show, contacted Brian Epstein, The Beatles’ visionary manager, who happened to be a casual friend. Prichard aimed to facilitate a meeting with Sullivan and negotiate a deal for The Beatles to appear on the show. However, Epstein insisted on handling the negotiations himself. Already scheduled to travel to New York City to promote various artists under his management, Epstein had Prichard officially arrange a one-on-one meeting with Sullivan himself. During this critical business trip, Epstein, accompanied by another artist he managed, Billy J. Kramer, the lead singer of The Dakotas—who would also later grace Sullivan’s sought-after stage—traveled across the pond on a mission: to break his artist in America.
On November 11, 1963, Sullivan met one on one with Epstein followed by a second dinner meeting the next day. The initial meeting held at Ed’s residence, The Delmonico Hotel in the heart of New York City would result in a deal sealed with a simple handshake. This handshake, a regular practice for Epstein, would secure The Beatles their coveted spot on The Ed Sullivan Show, ultimately sealing their fate.
The following night, at the Delmonico Hotel’s restaurant, Sullivan and Epstein were joined by the show’s Executive Producer and Sullivan’s son-in-law, Bob Precht. During this meeting, an agreement was solidified for three appearances by The Beatles although Precht harbored concern on booking the group. The plan was for the band to first appear in New York City for Sullivan’s live show on February 9th, 1964, followed by a remote live broadcast from The Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach on February 16th, and finally, a pre-taped studio performance from February 9th that would air on February 23rd, 1964.
After the deal was reached, a cautious Precht shared his concerns with Sullivan about booking an act that was still relatively unknown. However, Ed called the shots. Reflecting on his decision, Sullivan later told the New York Times, “I made up my mind that this was the same hysteria that had characterized the Elvis Presley days.”
The agreement reached in November between Sullivan and Epstein marked the final chapter of John, Paul, George, and Ringo as unknowns in America. Shortly thereafter, The Beatles’ music and influence quickly crossed the Atlantic. The initial buzz started after a CBS news broadcast that aired on December 10th,1963, showcased the band in a four-minute segment. Instantly American teenagers were mesmerized by what they saw and heard and in no time radio stations nationwide were flooded with requests for Beatles songs. By Christmas, the catchy tune “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” was already playing in three major radio markets. During that Christmas break, countless teenagers idly sat by their radios, incessantly requesting the new sounds of The Beatles.
The band’s growing fame continued as disc jockeys across the nation began sharing the record with each other and their listeners, despite its official release being a month away. This caused Capitol records to initially take legal action against radio stations for playing their unreleased songs. However Capital soon realized they couldn’t control the budding “Beatlemania” and acknowledged the ultimate goal was being met by repeated radio play. So Capitol gave in to the overwhelming request for the single “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and pushed up the release date. However, this mass demand was too much for Capitol’s record pressing factories to handle, forcing them to subcontract competitors like RCA to press additional copies. By January 10, 1964, just one month after their short CBS segment, The Beatles’ single “I Want to Hold Your Hand” had already sold over a million units. The band’s widespread popularity set the stage for their February 9th appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, turning it into the most highly anticipated episode in the show’s history.
As the stage curtains opened on that February 9th night sixty years ago Sullivan’s introduction, “Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles. Let’s bring them on…” were instantly overtaken by the screams of teenage girls seated in the live studio audience. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr launched into a blistering rendition of “All My Loving,” captivating the audience as teenage girls bopped their heads and shrieked uncontrollably. The energy continued with “Till There Was You” and the electrifying “She Loves You.” During each song, the cameraman skillfully zoomed in and focused on each Beatle, providing the audience with an intimate view. To aid in identification, the show displayed the first name of each member on screen during “Till There Was You,” with a playful twist when the camera focused on John Lennon, revealing the caption “SORRY GIRLS, HE’S MARRIED.” This fun introduction to The Beatles allowed fans nationwide an intimate look into each member of the fab four they had so eagerly wanted to know.
As The Beatles wrapped up their first set with “She Loves You,” and the show went to commercial, American households buzzed with excitement, and Sullivan’s studio audience erupted in drowning screams. Worried that The Beatles’ shrieking fans might divert attention from the other acts that evening, Ed Sullivan humorously warned his audience, “If you don’t keep quiet, I’m going to send for a barber.” Unfortunately, the acts that followed that evening were overshadowed by the overwhelming excitement surrounding The Beatles.
The hour-long broadcast concluded with The Beatles singing, “I Saw Her Standing There” and their number one hit song “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” That night the chemistry among John, Paul, George, and Ringo, coupled with their infectious and energetic performance, and trademark mop top, left an indelible mark on millions of viewers across America.
As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of The Beatles’ first US television appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, we celebrate the impactful introduction of the “fab four” to America’s consciousness. Sullivan’s decision to book the British act not only showcased his foresight but highlighted his remarkable ability to identify cultural shifts and emerging trends. And, you can bet, Ed knew that an army of screaming teenage girls was the ultimate trend indicator. Although The Beatles’ legacy far exceeds any trends, we reflect back on their journey to greatness, which all began here sixty years ago on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Check out our Beatles covers playlist to see their hit songs performed by a variety of Ed Sullivan Show artists!