TO MARK THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEATLES’ FIRST U.S. TV APPEARANCE, INSIDE THE SUNDAY NIGHT SHOW THAT REVOLUTIONIZED LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT.
There could never be another Ed Sullivan. And there could never be another Ed Sullivan to showcase what was a 24-year global potpourri of music, theater, opera, comedy and drama. Yet, with the help of several dedicated individuals, the show that gave us everything from Connie Francis to The Doors, from Camelot to Bye, Bye Birdie, from Erich Blenn’s plate spinning to The Carals’ acrobatic stunts, has been and continues to be a source of cultural and historical significance that can’t be duplicated ever again.
The Ed Sullivan Show (and its previous incarnation from 1948-1955 as Toast of the Town) brought the studio audience and the viewers at home up close to their favorite movie stars and musical performers. While most of the recognition was and has been deemed earth-shattering firsts — Elvis‘ primetime appearance, The Beatles’ live U.S. debut — those moments are part of a much larger picture.
Serendipitously, The Ed Sullivan Show was able to bring together a group of people based on their love for the show, then and now. “From the moment I first saw it, I was hooked on it,” revealed Andrew Solt. Solt and his son Josh, with their company SOFA Entertainment, are for all intents and purposes, the caretakers of The Ed Sullivan Show. And as Q discovered in interviews with the Solts and Sullivan’s granddaughter Margo Precht Speciale, wherever it’s seen or heard — at the show’s site, on the official YouTube channel and many other outlets – there’s no shortage of enthusiasm in bringing it all back to life.
“Over the years I developed a relationship with the family, especially with Bob Precht, who was the son-in-law of Ed,” Andrew said. “At one point in the late ’80s I said to him, “What’s going on with the library?” and he said, “Well, we’ve tried a couple of things. Do you have any ideas?” I said. “Yeah, sure.” I started thinking Bob was opening a door to having some kind of a relationship. And when I was working on a project on The Rolling Stones in 1989, I said, ‘Well, what if we made an offer?”
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