Elvis Presley was just 21 when he made his debut on The Ed Sullivan Show on September 9, 1956. The appearance catapulted him to superstardom and earned him a payday that outshone most performers of the era.
According to Graceland’s official website, by the time Presley was booked by Ed Sullivan, he had already performed on Stage Show and The Milton Berle Show. By 1956, his debut album was released, he charted with songs such as “Heartbreak Hotel” and was filming his first of 31 movies, Love Me Tender.
However, Sullivan was reportedly hesitant to allow Presley on his show. He feared backlash from viewers who might be offended by the entertainer’s suggestive stage moves.
Ultimately, Sullivan announced that the future King of Rock and Roll would perform three times on his variety show. Graceland’s website writes that “Ed had watched Elvis’ career blossom and knew he’d pull in high ratings if he allowed Elvis to perform, so the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was to be paid $50,000 for all three performances, an unprecedented amount at the time.”
Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
Elvis Presley’s ‘Ed Sullivan’ performance was unique
When Elvis Presley first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on September 9, 1956, he found himself in a unique situation. He didn’t film at the series’ New York studio, and Ed Sullivan wasn’t in attendance for the performance.
At the time of Presley’s first appearance, Sullivan was recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident, so actor Charles Laughton stepped in as host. Also, Presley’s segment was filmed in Hollywood, where he was shooting Love Me Tender.
Despite Sullivan’s absence and Presley not appearing at the show’s home studio, viewers tuned in by the millions. Graceland’s official website claims that the appearance catapulted him to stardom, writing that “60 million people, or 82.6 percent of the entire television audience, watched Elvis perform “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Love Me Tender,” “Ready Teddy,” and a few verses of “Hound Dog.”
The King of Rock and Roll finally performed on the Sullivan stage in New York City on both October 28, 1956, and January 6, 1957. The host welcomed Presley to the studio, per the Ed Sullivan website, and his return appearances resulted in huge ratings.
However, by Presley’s last appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, censors stepped in to make one clear demand: that he would only be shot from the waist up. At the conclusion of his performances, Sullivan made a bold statement about Presley to the viewing audience and an indirect comment to the censors.
“I wanted to say to Elvis Presley and the country that this is a real decent, fine boy, and wherever you go, Elvis, we want to say we’ve never had a pleasanter experience on our show with a big name than we’ve had with you. So now let’s have a tremendous hand for a very nice person!”
The Beatles were paid much less than Elvis Presley to appear on ‘Ed Sullivan’
Ironically, The Beatles, who would also find a watershed moment in America by appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, were paid less than Elvis Presley, approximately one-fifth less, divided by four members. Therefore, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison earned approximately $10,000 to sing five songs in total, reported NBC News.
The songs The Beatles performed included “All My Loving,” “Till There Was You,” “She Loves You,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” The Ed Sullivan website reported that 60% of all American households watched the band make their U.S. television debut that evening.
The band was warmly welcomed by Sullivan with a message from Elvis Presley and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. He told the audience, “Something very nice happened, and The Beatles got a great kick out of it.”
He continued, “We just received a wire from Elvis Presley and Colonel Tom Parker wishing them a tremendous success in our country. I think that was very, very nice.”
Elvis Presley would never appear on The Ed Sullivan Show again after 1957.
