Beatle Mania
On his program in 1964, Ed Sullivan featured a musical ensemble from Liverpool, England. Can you guess which band was hoping to break America with this performance, despite the fact that they were already well-known in their native United Kingdom? Yes, the Beatles were the British quartet in question. Over a third of the U.S. population at the time—roughly 191 million—watched The Beatles’ debut performance on Sullivan’s show, which attracted 74 million viewers.
Beatle Mania
Super Stardom
And it wasn’t just the visitors who would become overnight celebrities as a result of their appearance on the show. By this point, Sullivan had established himself as one of the most beloved stars on American television, with his ratings rising steadily each time the program was broadcast. By 1954, the program had more than 12 million regular viewers, and by the 1960s, it had surpassed 14 million. Although it was obvious that Sullivan had attained a high level of fame, things were actually getting much worse behind the scenes.
Super Stardom
