The BEST episodes of The Ed Sullivan Show
Every episode of The Ed Sullivan Show ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Ed Sullivan Show!
From 1949 until its cancelation in 1971, the show ran on CBS every Sunday night from 8–9 p.m. E.T., and is one of the few entertainment shows to have run in the same weekly time slot on the same network for more than two decades. (During its first season, it ran from 9–10 p.m. E.T.) Virtually every type of entertainment appeared on the show; opera singers, popular artists, songwriters, comedians, ballet dancers, dramatic actors performing monologues from plays, and circus acts were regularly featured. The format was essentially the same as vaudeville, and although vaudeville had died a generation earlier, Sullivan presented many ex-vaudevillians on his show. Seasons 1-8 can be found listed under the series "Toast of the Town".
#2 - Four Seasons / Connie Francis / Gwen Verdon
Season 20 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/2/1966
Guests: --Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons - ""I've Got You Under My Skin"" --Jimmy Durante (comedian) - sings ""It's Kinda Hard to Put Into Words"" and a song about hats (hat routine with chorus girls) --Connie Francis - medley of George Gershwin songs (""Love Walked In,"" ""Let's Call The Whole Thing Off,"" ""Somebody Loves Me,"" ""A Foggy Day,"" ""Swanee,"" ""They Can't Take That Away From Me,"" ""Our Love Is Here To Stay"" and ""But Not For Me"") --Gwen Verdon (singer-dancer) - ""I'm A Brass Band"" & ""Sweet Charity"" --Alan King (stand-up comedian, making his 31st appearance) - talks about his wife's pregnancy. --Arthur Worsley (English ventriloquist) - dummy does all the talking & sings ""When You're Smiling."" --Jim Henson's Muppets --Fiesta Italiana (dance group does a Sicilian bullwhip dance) --The 1966 winners of the Harvest Moon Ball dance contest CBS repeated this show on Aug. 20, 1967.
#3 - Fifth Dimension / Liza Minnelli / Allen & Rossi
Season 21 - Episode 27 - Aired 3/10/1968
Guests (broadcast from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas): --5th Dimension - ""Up-Up and Away"" & ""Monday, Monday"" --Liza Minnelli - ""You'd Better Sit Down, Kids,"" ""Certain Girl"" & ""Life of the Party"" --McGuire Sisters - ""Big Spender,"" ""Sound of Money"" & ""Here We Are in Las Vegas"" --Allen & Rossi (comedy team) --Theodore Bikel (actor & folk singer performing a scene from ""Fiddler on the Roof"") - ""If I Were a Rich Man"" --Jack Carter (comedian) --The Canestrellis (trampoline act)
#4 - The Bee Gees / Lucille Ball / George Hamilton
Season 21 - Episode 28 - Aired 3/17/1968
Guests: --The Bee Gees - ""Words"" --Lucille Ball guest appearance: (1) Lucy (onstage) chats with Ed; (2) On film: ""Yours, Mine & Ours"" film clip with Henry Fonda; (3) Lucy introduces 18 children from "" Yours, Mine & Ours"" who sing. --George Hamilton - ""At The Crossroads"" & ""Dock Of The Bay"" --Stiller & Meara (comedy team) --Tony Sandler & Ralph Young - ""Cotton Fields"" --Fran Jeffries - ""Sunny"" medley --Fran Jeffries, Sandler & Young - ""Duet For Three"" --Jackie Kahane (stand-up comedian) --The Five Bearded Irishmen from Dublin (traditional Irish musicians) --Audience bows: Ross Hunter; Marine Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients (Vietnam)
Watch Now:Amazon#5 - Jefferson Airplane / Diana Ross & the Supremes / Red Skelton
Season 22 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/29/1968
Guests include: --Jefferson Airplane - ""Crown of Creation,"" ""Won't You Try"" & ""Saturday Afternoon"" --Diana Ross & the Supremes - ""Funny Girl"" medley and ""Love Child"" --Red Skelton (comedy monologue) --Sergio Franchi & Virna Lisi (actors) - on film, Ed interviews the actors on location in Italy. (Franchi and Lisi were probably on the set of their film ""The Secret of Santa Vittoria"") --The Faraceenees (correct spelling?, acrobats)
#6 - 5th Dimension / Harold Prince tribute / Herschel Bernardi
Season 22 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/23/1969
Tribute to Harold Prince (theatrical director and producer) Songs from his productions: --Harry Goz sings ""Sunrise Sunset"" (from ""Fiddler on the Roof"") --Anita Gillette, Martin Ross and the ""Cabaret"" Broadway cast - ""Wilkommen"" --Herschel Bernardi - sings ""Life Is"" and performs the ""Mime Dance"" (with the ""Zorba"" cast) Other guests: --Dickie Henderson (comedian) --Audience Bow: US Air Force Col. Joe M. Jackson --Michele Lee - sings ""Steady Steady"" --Audience bows: Buddy Rogers & Bob Thomas --Glenn Yarbrough - ""When the Honey Wind Blows"" & ""Baby, the Rain Must Fall"" --Myron Cohen (comedian) --The Fifth Dimension - medley: ""What the World Needs Now"" & ""All You Need Is Love"" --The Fifth Dimension - ""California Soul""
#7 - 23rd Season Premiere: Barbra Streisand / The Temptations
Season 23 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/28/1969
1969-70 season premiere (Ed Sullivan's 23nd season): --The Temptations - ""I Can't Get Next to You,"" ""September in the Rain"" & ""Autumn Leaves"" --Barbra Streisand (on tape from Las Vegas) - ""Hello, Dolly"" medley: ""Before the Parade Passes By,"" ""So Long, Dearie"" & ""Hello Dolly"" --Tony Bennett - ""What the World Needs Now Is Love,"" ""People"" & ""I Gotta Be Me."" --Red Skelton (comedian) - classic drunk routine; ""the bin salesman"" --The Osipov Balalaika Festival Orchestra - Russian folk dance and music. --Audience bows: Jerry Vale; Rodney Dangerfield
#8 - The Swinging, Soulful Sixties - Diana Ross & the Supremes, etc.
Season 23 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/21/1969
""The Swinging, Soulful Sixties"" – Ed Sullivan reviews the decade in entertainment. Taped segments (many from Ed's shows): (1) Broadway/Theater songs: --Richard Burton - Soliloquy from Shakespeare's ""Hamlet"" --Robert Goulet - song from ""Camelot"" and ""Happy Face"" --Gwen Verdon - ""If My Friends Could See Me Now"" (from ""Sweet Charity"") (2) Beatlemania: --Beatles At Shea Stadium August 15, 1965 (3) British acts: --Petula Clark - ""Downtown"" (excerpt) & interview --Clips of Dave Clark Five, Animals, Herman's Hermits, Rolling Stones, Petula Clark (4) David Frost - looks at '60's headlines and movies (5) Diana Ross & the Supremes --Ed Sullivan talks to Diana Ross about trends of popular music in the 1960s. --The Supremes - medley (""Baby Love;"" ""Stop! In The Name Of Love;"" ""Come See About Me;"" ""My World Is Empty Without You,"" ""You Can't Hurry Love,"" ""The Happening,"" ""Keep Me Hangin' On,"" ""Reflections,"" ""Love Child"" and ""I Hear A Symphony"") --The Supremes - ""So
#9 - Jackson Five / Clint Eastwood (on film) / Don Rickles
Season 23 - Episode 31 - Aired 5/10/1970
Guests: --The Jackson Five - ""The Love You Save"" and medley (""I Want You Back"" & ""ABC"") --Sonny James - ""My Love"" & ""Waterloo"" --Don Rickles (comedian) --George Carlin (comedian) - In a comedy routine, Carlin appears as a ""vacation expert."" Ed joins in and asks George some questions. --Roger Williams (piano player) - ""Mas Que Nada"" & a medley of Irving Berlin songs --Peter Gennaro (dancer) --Marilyn Michaels (celebrity impressions) --Gino Tonetti - ""This Is My Life"" Film clip: Don Rickles joins Clint Eastwood on the movie set of ""Kelly's Heroes"".
#10 - scheduled: Slappy White; Matt Monro; Smith & Dale
Season 15 - Episode 16 - Aired 12/31/1961
Scheduled guests: --Slappy White (comedian) --Matt Monro (singer) --Sandy Stewart (singer) --The Barry Sisters (singing group) --Smith and Dale (comedy team) --Saverio Saridis (policeman-turned-singer) --The Hi-Lads (singing group) --The Estelle Alfonso Dancers --The Shirleys (balloon act)
#11 - Four Tops / Carpenters / Freda Payne
Season 24 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/8/1970
Ed & guests entertain wounded GI's at Walter Reed Army Hospital --Four Tops - ""Put A Little Love In Your Heart"" & ""It's All in the Game"" --Carpenters - (medley of Burt Bacharach songs): ""Close to You,"" ""Easier on Yourself,"" ""Always Something There to Remind Me,"" ""Never Fall in Love Again,"" ""Walk on By"" & ""Do You Know the Way to San Jose"" --Freida Payne - ""Band of Gold,"" ""Deeper and Deeper"" ""Getting to Know You"" --Hank Williams, Jr. - ""All For The Love Of Sunshine"" --Rodney Dangerfield (stand-up comedy) --Ron Carey (stand-up, Sargeant Monk Bit) --Dick Ryan (magic act & card tricks)
#12 - Rolling Stones / Jack Jones / Stiller & Meara
Season 18 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/25/1964
The Rolling Stones - ""Around and Around"" and ""Time is on My Side"" Other guests: --Stiller & Meara (comedy team) --Jack Jones - ""Travel On"" & ""Bewitched"" --London Lee (comedian) --Lawrence Harvey --Kim Sisters - ""Joshua"" --Charlie Drake --The Berosini Family (acrobats)
#13 - Louis Prima / Jackie Mason / Steve Allen
Season 16 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/28/1962
Guests: --Louis Prima, Gia Maione & Sam Butera - ""Oh Marie"" & ""I Want You To Be My Baby"" --Gia Maione - ""How High The Moon"" Other guests: --Helen Shapiro - ""I Don't Care"" & ""After You've Gone"" --Steve Allen - comedy sketch: ""You Bet Your Bird"" take off on game shows and, later in show, Steve teaches Ed to how to play the piano. --Acker Bilk (with the Hugh Lambert Dancers) - ""Acker's Lacquer"" --Jackie Mason (comedy monologue about luxury apartments, the incinerator) --Norman And Dean (comedians, lip-synch to Allen Sherman's song ""Sarah Jackman"") --Sergio Franchi - ""Funiculi, Funicula"" & ""What Kind Of Fool Am I"" --Lucho Navvaro (sound impressionist, imitates Cape Canaveral, Indianapolis 500, the World Series, Queen Of England) Audience bows: Joe Kern; Y. A. Tittle; Norm Snead; Byron Gentry
Watch Now:Amazon#14 - Duke Ellington & Ella Fitzgerald / Rita Pavone / Stiller & Meara
Season 18 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/7/1965
Guests: --Duke Ellington & Ella Fitzgerald (medley of Duke's hits) --Duke Ellington - ""It Don't Mean A Thing"" --Rita Pavone - ""My Eyes"" --Stiller & Meara (comedians) --On film: Film clip from ""The Sound of Music"" with Julie Andrews singing ""My Favorite Things"" --Roy Castle (comedian) --The Clark Brothers (tap dancers) --The Carmenas (balancing act)
#15 - Sonny and Cher / Leslie Uggams / Gertrude Berg
Season 19 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/26/1965
Guests (from Hollywood): --Sonny & Cher - medley: ""I Got You Babe,"" ""Where Do You Go?"" (Cher solo) and ""But You're Mine."" --Leslie Uggams - ""Unchained Medley"" --Gertrude Berg --Jack Carter (comedian) --Turk Murphy & his Band - ""Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home"" --UC Berkeley Marching Band --Incredible Martys (acrobats) --Komazuru Tsukushi (balancing act) Additional guest (scheduled to appear): --Dinah Shore
#16 - Petula Clark / Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem / Nancy Walker & Bert Lahr
Season 18 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/14/1965
Guests: --Petula Clark – ""Downtown"" and ""I Know a Place"" --Pat O'Brien --Nancy Walker & Bert Lahr --Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem - ""Wild Colonial Boy"" --Allen & Rossi (comedy team) --Steve Rossi - ""I'll Set My Love to Music"" --Jimmy Roselli - ""Femina"" & ""Rock-A-Bye Your Baby"" --Dorothy Donegan (pianist) - ""The Man I Love"" --The Olympiades (body builders)
#17 - Gary Lewis & the Playboys / Connie Francis / Tony Bennett / Melinda Marx
Season 18 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/21/1965
Guests: --Gary Lewis & the Playboys - ""This Diamond Ring"" & ""Count Me In"" --Tony Bennett (with the Woody Herman Orchestra) - ""Love Scene,"" ""If I Ruled The World,"" ""Lullabye of Broadway"" & ""Who Can I Turn To"" --Connie Francis - ""(Up Above My Head) There's Music in the Air"" (part of Gospel medley?) --Connie Francis - ""For Mama"" and ""Goldfinger"" --Melinda Marx - ""East Side of Town"" (Groucho Marx's daughter) --Woody Herman Orchestra - ""My Favorite Things"" --Pat Buttram (stand-up comedian) - tells stories about his grandparents --Jean Carroll (comedian) - jokes about domestic life & department stores --Ray Bloch & Band - Topo Gigo song --Texas Boys Choir Of Fort Worth - ""Mustang Grey"" --Claus Beckers (unicyclist act) - unicyclist with female assistant balances teapot & cups on tray. --Audience bow: Vic Ghezzi
#18 - Little Anthony and the Imperials / Bobby Vinton
Season 18 - Episode 26 - Aired 3/28/1965
Guests: --Little Anthony and the Imperials - ""Hurts So Bad"" --Bobby Vinton - ""Long Lonely Nights"" + medley of hits & tribute to Broadway songwriters --Bob King (comedian) --Elizabeth Allen & Sergio Franchi - ""Do I Hear A Waltz"" & ""Take The Moment"" (or ""Take This Moment"") --Sergio Franchi - ""Stella By Starlight"" --Marilyn Michaels - ""All Or Nothing At All"" --Le Marcellis (acrobat tricks with chairs and tables)
#19 - scheduled: Vince Edwards; Cilla Black; Alan King; Abbe Lane; George Kirby
Season 18 - Episode 27 - Aired 4/4/1965
Scheduled guests: --Vince Edwards (from ""Ben Casey"") --Cilla Black (singer) - ""You're My World"" --Alan King (comedian) --Abbe Lane (singer) --George Kirby (comedian) --Jean Paul Vignon (singer from France) --Djoliba (African instrumental and dance ensemble)
#20 - Gerry & the Pacemakers / Maurice Chevalier / Soupy Sales
Season 18 - Episode 28 - Aired 4/11/1965
Guests: --Gerry and the Pacemakers – ""Ferry Across the Mersey,"" ""It's Gonna Be Alright"" & ""Why, Oh Why"" --Maurice Chevalier - ""C'est Magnifique,"" ""It's All Right with Me"" and ""Just One of Those Things"" --Soupy Sales (comedian) - ""The Mouse"" --London Lee (comedian) --Jose Torres (middleweight boxing champion) - ""Un Poco Mas"" --Felicia Sanders (singer) - ""Sunrise, Sunset"" --The San Francisco Ballet - ""Beautiful Galatea"" --Stephenson's Dogs --Jorgen and Conny (a balancing act)
#21 - John Huston / Sam Snead / Soupy Sales
Season 18 - Episode 29 - Aired 4/18/1965
Easter Show: --John Huston - scene from ""The Bible"" (might be on film) --The McGuire Sisters - Medley (""Heart Beat For Me,"" ""Easter Parade,"" ""Try A Little Tenderness"" & ""On the Avenue."") --The children from ""The Sound of Music"" sing ""So Long"" --On film: Soupy Sales & Sam Sneed (on film, golf film, Ed challenges Sam Sneed to golf match) --Sam Sneed (pro-golfer on stage with Ed) --Myron Cohen (stand-up comedian) --Martha Schlamme (singer) --Roy Castle - English comic (sings and tap dances) --Brian Andru (comedic tightrope act) --The White Sisters - Suzanna Nuns From Africa --Topo Gigio (Topo and the Bear) --Anden's Poodles (Trained animal act) Audience bows: Robert E. Moses & the parents of the McGuire Sisters
#22 - Freddie & the Dreamers / Sean Connery (on film) / Eydie Gormé
Season 18 - Episode 30 - Aired 4/25/1965
--On film: Ed Sullivan talks with Sean Connery and Claudine Auger on the set of ""Thunderball"" Guests: --Freddie and the Dreamers perform ""I'm Telling You Now,"" ""You Were Made for Me"" & ""Do the Freddie"" --Eydie Gormé sings ""Matchmaker"" (from ""Fiddler on the Roof"") and ""As Long As He Needs Me"" (from ""Oliver"") --Charo appears with Xavier Cugat and his band --Leon Bibb (folk singer) - ""Who Can I Turn To?"" --Marty Allen and Steve Rossi (comedy team) - astronaut routine. Later in show, Rossi sings ""Al Di La"" --Shelly Berman (comedian) --Inga and Rolf (Adagio dancers) --Tux (European balancing act) --Topo Gigio (Italian mouse puppet)
#23 - Rolling Stones / Dusty Springfield / Tom Jones
Season 18 - Episode 31 - Aired 5/2/1965
--The Rolling Stones - ""The Last Time,"" Little Red Rooster"" and ""Someone to Love"" --Dusty Springfield - ""All Cried Out"" --Tom Jones - ""It's Not Unusual"" --Audience bow (cameo): Roy Orbison --Leslie Uggams - ""Melancholy Baby"" --Totie Fields (comedian) --Topo Gigio (puppet) --Morecambe & Wise (comedians) --The Half Brothers (juggling act) --Gitta Morrelly (balancing act)
#24 - scheduled: Della Reese; the Three Stooges; Richard Pryor; Juliet Prowse
Season 18 - Episode 32 - Aired 5/9/1965
Scheduled guests: --Della Reese --The Three Stooges --Richard Pryor --Juliet Prowse --Vaughn Monroe (singer) --Jackie Clark (comedian) --The Kim Sisters (singers) --Les Doubles Faces (pantomime artists)
#25 - Petula Clark / Rudolf Nureyev / Alan King
Season 18 - Episode 33 - Aired 5/16/1965
Guests: --Petula Clark - ""I Know a Place"" & ""Heart"" --Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn (ballet dancers) - perform three excerpts from ""Swan Lake"" --Alan King (stand-up comedian) - routine about how parents bug kids. Alan talks about his kid's little league. --Sue Carson (comedian) --The West Point Glee Club --The Elwardos (balancing act) --Ugo Garrido (juggler) Other guests (scheduled to appear): --The Beach Boys - ""Help Me Rhonda"" --Frankie Randall (pop singer) CBS repeated this episode on September 5, 1965. The Beach Boys were not mentioned on the repeat.