7 Incredible Performances From ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’: From The Beatles to The Doors

Throughout its 23-year run, The Ed Sullivan Show repeatedly made history with its penchant for marking the debut of a wide array of musical artists. Between 1948 and 1971, the variety series pulled in millions of viewers who would witness these performers for the first time — among them Elvis Presley and The Beatles — and frequently helped to launch a sensation. What follows is just a taste of what television viewers were exposed to week after week.

1. The Beatles (1964)

This February 9, 1964 performance was the very first time The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show (and was considered their American debut), but it certainly wouldn’t be their last. A record-setting 73 million viewers tuned in to watch the English group perform, making it the most-watched episode of the series. They opened the set with “All My Loving,” followed by “Till There Was You” and “She Loves You.” They later returned to the stage to sing “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”

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2. Elvis Presley (1956)

This live rendition of “Hound Dog” was the second time Elvis performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show . The first took place on September 9, 1956, which was his debut on the show, and that set drew in an audience of 60 million viewers. This performance was just over a month later on October 28, 1956, when he closed out with “Hound Dog.”

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3. Jackson 5 (1969)

This was the first performance by Michael Jackson and the rest of the Jackson 5 on The Ed Sullivan Show , which took place on December 14, 1969, when Michael was only 11 years old. The group would perform on the show once more, on May 10, 1970. Both performances were key moments in launching the group to stardom.

4. The Doors (1967)

This September 17, 1967 performance was actually the first and the last by The Doors on The Ed Sullivan Show . After being asked to change the lyric “couldn’t get much higher” in “Light My Fire” — and refusing to do so — the group was banned from the variety show.

5. Paul Anka (1959)

Paul Anka’s 1959 performance of “Put Your Head on My Shoulder is a classic. This was Anka’s second time appearing on the show, performing this and “It’s Time to Cry.” He would go on to sing on the show a total of 15 times, beginning in 1957 at age 16. The singer was 18 at the time of this performance.

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6. Janis Joplin (1969)

This performance of “Maybe” by Janis Joplin was the only one by the artist on The Ed Sullivan Show , as she sadly died just over a year later of an overdose. Set to a psychedelic background, Joplin performed “Maybe” and “Raise Your Hand” on March 16, 1969, at age 26. This appearance became one of the show’s most legendary.

7. The Mamas & The Papas (1967)

The Mamas & the Papas put on quite the “bananas” performance in their 1967 appearance. When the group was due to perform, they were informed they would have to lip sync their hit song, “California Dreamin’,” something that rarely happened on the live series, but did occasionally for technical reasons.

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Rather than do what the producers asked, they chose to “have fun” with the performance. Michelle Phillips decided to eat a banana during the performance to show audiences she wasn’t actually singing, while her husband, John Phillips, began having a conversation with Michelle mid-song.

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