Ed Sullivan

 

"I am the best damn showman in television."
  -- Ed Sullivan

Edward Vincent Sullivan was born in Manhattan on September 28, 1901.  He was the son of a customs house employee and grew up in the suburb of Port Chester.  His family shared a passion for music, often gathering around their treasured phonograph, no doubt laying the groundwork for his career to come.

Sullivan attended Port Chester High School, where he was a gifted athlete, earning twelve athletic letters in football, baseball and track.  This interest led to his first job, serving as a reporter for the local newspaper, the Port Chester Daily Item, while still in school.  Upon graduation, he went to work for the paper full time.

Throughout the 1920s, Sullivan wrote sports columns for a number of high-profile New York area publications, including The New York Evening Mail, The Philadelphia Bulletin and The Evening Graphic.  He also wrote for the Associated Press.  Then in 1929, he moved to the New York Daily News, replacing the popular Walter Winchell as the paper's new Broadway review and gossip columnist.  It was in this role that Sullivan first became a "starmaker," just as Winchell had been before him.  For the next thirty years, the two shared a friendly rivalry in this arena.

In 1941, Sullivan got his start in radio, hosting Summer Silver Theater on CBS.  It was his first step into the entertainment world, and would eventually lead to television.  In 1948, Sullivan was hired by CBS to host a new variety series called Toast of the Town, later retitled The Ed Sullivan Show.  But you already knew that.  It was not an immediate hit, as critics gave both the show and its host lousy reviews, with one declaring "(Sullivan) got where he is not by having a personality, but by having no personality."  Ouch!

Sullivan's performance was often described as wooden, but he was charming nonetheless.  Despite the critics, he won audiences over, who would often plan their Sunday nights around his program.  Just as he had during his years as a journalist, Sullivan understood what the audience wanted, offering a nice balance of music, comedy, magic and more.

The Ed Sullivan Show became a launching pad for many top acts, most famously The Beatles (above).  By 1964, the group had already topped the charts in England, but were nowhere to be found on American radio, due in part to a record label dispute.  That all changed after their appearance on the show in February of that year, an event watched by an estimated 73 million Americans, giving birth to "Beatlemania."  You can watch that iconic performance on YouTube.

It wasn't the first big name to emerge from the show however, as Elvis Presley had made his debut on the program in 1956 (below).  Although Sullivan had been wary of Presley's "bad boy" image, the singer simply became too big to ignore.  He'd appear on the program a total of three times.  Here's one from October 28th of that year.

Sullivan also gave the spotlight to a variety of African-American performers who had been left behind by other variety shows.  While most programs were comfortable presenting Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Pearl Bailey, they were hesitant to feature more obscure entertainers, who's acts originated beyond Manhattan.  Sullivan, himself having lived and worked in Harlem, gave the national spotlight to such acts as Bo Diddley, Fats Domino and The Supremes.

The show ran until 1971, when it was unceremoniously canceled after 23 years.  Although it still had another three months until it would be pulled from the schedule, Sullivan refused to host any new episodes, and reruns were aired instead.  

As it turns out, the timing was appropriate.  In 1974, Sullivan was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and doctors gave him very little time to live. But here's where it gets interesting.  Sullivan's family opted to keep this diagnosis a secret from the TV host, and he spent his final weeks believing he had nothing more than a gastric ulcer.  The cancer ultimately (and surprisingly) took his life on October 13, 1974.  He was 73 years old.

Ed Sullivan was interred in a wall crypt at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• Sullivan's life and series have been chronicled in a number of books.  Here are a few:
  * Impresario: The Life and Times of Ed Sullivan, by James Maguire (2006)
  * A Really Big Show, by John Leonard (1992)
  * Sundays With Sullivan, by Bernie Ilson (2008)
  
  
• Sullivan was known for his generosity, even covering all funeral expenses for Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, who died broke.
  
  
• While many are quick to remember Elvis Presley's first appearance on the show, they often forget that Sullivan was not the host.  Charles Laughton took over hosting duties that evening, while Sullivan was in the hospital recovering from an automobile accident.
  
  
• Sullivan inspired a song in the Broadway musical Bye, Bye Birdie, later appearing as himself in the theatrical version.
  
  
• Sullivan had what he called "an Irish temper" and loved to hold a grudge.  Celebrities on the receiving end of this included Buddy Holly, Jackie Mason and Jim Morrison.
  
  
• In 2009, the U.S. Postal Service honored Sullivan, issuing a 44-cent stamp paying tribute to his show.  Today, that stamp is worth about 25 cents.
  
  
  
  
  
• Ferncliff Cemetery is also the final resting place of Cab Calloway, Kitty Carlisle and Thomas Carvel.  Until 2018, it was also home to Judy Garland's remains, which were then relocated to Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
  
  
• Ed Sullivan has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6101 Hollywood Boulevard.
  
  
  
  
  
• Side note:  This blogger has always believed that The Beatles were over-rated.