• Stumble Upon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
 

How Ed Sullivan Brought Culture To America

text sizeAAA
May 10, 2009

If you were on The Ed Sullivan Show, you had arrived. The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Van Cliburn, Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby — a legendary list of luminaries spanned an incredible range of pop culture, from puppets, dancing bears and spinning plates to Broadway, opera, classical music and ballet. Even newsmakers like Cuba's Fidel Castro showed up as guests on the show, which ran from 1948 to 1971.

Bernie Ilson was Ed Sullivan's press representative in the 1960s, and host Liane Hansen speaks with him about his new book, Sundays with Sullivan: How the Ed Sullivan Show Brought Elvis, the Beatles, and Culture to America.

 
  • Stumble Upon
  • Reddit
  • Digg
 

Podcast + RSS Feeds

PodcastRSS

  • Books
     
  • Weekend Edition Sunday
     
 
 

Comments

Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.

 

Purchase Featured Books

Sundays with Sullivan: How the Ed Sullivan Show Brought Elvis, the Beatles, and Culture to America

NPR Bestseller Lists: A Survey Of Independent Bookstores Nationwide

get this week's lists

Books

Three standout novels: busted bankers, politics Roman style, and the <em>Odyssey's</em> lost books.

What We're Reading, Feb. 9 - 15, 2010

Three standout novels: busted bankers, politics Roman style, and the Odyssey's lost books.

<em>Sexually, I'm More of a Switzerland</em> explores the wacky world of personal ads.

Creepy Or Clever, Ads Offer Adventures In Voyeurism

Sexually, I'm More of a Switzerland explores the wacky world of personal ads.

John Rich discovers how emotional trauma feeds violence among African-American youth.

Doctor Works To Get Young Men Out Of 'Wrong Place'

John Rich discovers how emotional trauma feeds violence among African-American youth.

A. Roger Ekirch gives a historical account of the kidnapping of a 12-year-old British aristocrat.

'Birthright': The Astonishing Story Behind 'Kidnapped'

A. Roger Ekirch gives a historical account of the kidnapping of a 12-year-old British aristocrat.

Attorney David Dow has defended more than 100 death row inmates over the past 20 years.

20 Years Of Defending Death Row Inmates

Attorney David Dow has defended more than 100 death row inmates over the past 20 years.

Amy Bloom's <em>Where the God of Love Hangs Out</em> makes this week's list at No. 10.

Hardcover Fiction Bestsellers For Feb. 4

Amy Bloom's Where the God of Love Hangs Out makes this week's list at No. 10.

Author Joel Kotkin predicts that the U.S. in 2050 will be green, diverse and suburban.

Imagining 'The Next Hundred Million' Americans

Author Joel Kotkin predicts that the U.S. in 2050 will be green, diverse and suburban.

more

Sunday Puzzle 2 col

Each week, New York Times crossword puzzle editor and NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz presents an on-air quiz to one contestant and gives a challenge for Weekend Edition listeners at home.

Submit Your Answer
Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Please include a phone number where we can reach you Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.

Fans get our favorite stories, exclusive videos and real-time messages while we're on the air.

Be our fan!