Why Ed Sullivan Was the King of American Pop Culture
Watched by millions, his TV show ran for twenty-three years
When television was in its infancy in 1948, a former sportswriter, gossip columnist and radio personality began hosting a CBS TV show called Toast of the Town. His name was Ed Sullivan.
Sullivan never looked particularly comfortable on camera, standing stiffly with his hands in his pockets. He had no talent to speak of and often flubbed his lines when introducing guests. Still, Toast of the Town, renamed The Ed Sullivan Show in 1955, was the longest-running television variety show in history.
The Sullivan knack
During the 1920s, Sullivan identified up and coming talent for a radio program he hosted. Among entertainers who first appeared on his radio show were Jack Benny, Irving Berlin and Jimmy Durante.
Sullivan became known as a man about town in New York City, then considered the entertainment capital of the world. He made it his business to be seen at the city’s best-known establishments, hobnobbing with celebrities. As “the toast of the town,” it was only natural that Sullivan was asked to host a TV variety show of the same name on CBS.
From the very start, Ed Sullivan was mercilessly mocked for his unorthodox…
