Ed Sullivan Show Quotes

#1. [On turning down an invitation to appear for four minutes on the Ed Sullivan Show:] Honey, it takes Moms four minutes just to get on the stage.

Moms Mabley

#2. Most magic is a trick, an illusion. But [when The Beatles played the Ed Sullivan Show], this was real. Man oh man, was it real.

Tom Petty

#3. The first show that my dad and my mom did together was for, was a comedy series, a short form that went in the middle of late-night news, and then through all of their career, it was always the "Ed Sullivan Show," it was a variety act, my dad was on the "Jimmy Dean Show" for a few years.

Brian Henson

#4. The Dave Clark Five had more appearances on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' than The Beatles.

Paul Shaffer

#5. I couldn't do 'The Ed Sullivan Show.' Ed said I was a flash in the pan, and he was right.

Scott McKenzie

#6. I did the Ed Sullivan show four times. I did the Steve Allen show. I did the Jackie Gleason show.

Elvis Presley

#7. My own musical ambitions were born when I was five, watching the Ed Sullivan Show on TV. When Elvis Presley burst on to the screen, singing 'Don't Be Cruel,' I felt my first sexual thrill, though I didn't know what it was at the time.

Suzi Quatro

#8. I grew up listening to the Beatles and being an ardent Beatles fan when I was in third grade all the way to adulthood, and listening to all kinds of music that came to us either at the flea market or in our living rooms or on the 'Ed Sullivan' show - all these places we were influenced by.

Sandra Cisneros

#9. When Elvis made his mass-media debut on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' - his notorious gyrations filmed only from the waist up - I fell off the family chaise longue with delight.

John Lahr

#10. After the Ed Sullivan Show, Feb. 9, 1964, at approx. 8:04pm [laughs], after that moment every album, every guitar, evey set of drums that was ever sold ... 10% should have gone right into their pocket!

George Thorogood

#11. I was the first to promote The Beatles in the States, and Ed Sullivan called me first about them before he ever booked them on his television show.

Sid Bernstein

#12. We finally got our big break when Ed Sullivan put us on his show.

Herb Alpert

#13. I've heard that while the show was on there were no reported crimes, or very few. When The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, even the criminals had a rest for ten minutes.

George Harrison