The Beatles Diaries: Celebrating 60 Years and The Feb 9, 1964 Appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show"

If you weren't alive then, you can't possibly know. A YouTube video seen last week? No. What was that Sunday night like in suburban America that drew a whopping 73 million viewers to their TV sets?

📸CBS photo archives

Excitement wasn’t in the air, it was the air.-Greil Marcus

Dateline—the same exact space: The Ed Sullivan Theatre (aka CBS Studio 50), New York City: The hottest young musical act in the world, 55 years into the future:

“Sherman?” “Yes, Mr. Peabody?” “Set the WABAC Machine to the year 1964!” “Is that the year the Archbishop of Canterbury first drafted the Magna Carta?” “No, Sherman. We’re going back to the same theatre for a CBS-TV show where The Beatles were first introduced to America!” “Golly, Mr. Peabody!”

We just hope we’re gonna have quite a run.-Paul

The January 31, 1964-dated issue of LIFE Magazine, ten days before the Sullivan appearance.

The Beatles’ first American TV appearance actually happened via film on a couple of brief national network news broadcasts in November and December, plus film clips on NBC’s The Jack Paar Show in January.

Here’s their first “appearance” on American TV, NBC’s nightly Huntley-Brinkley Report news broadcast, November 18, 1963 (ignore the dreaded blank YouTube screen…this should play OK👍):

Now, a short informational video hosted by David Bedford, a British YouTube content creator. It features an historical run-up to the February Sullivan appearance on CBS-TV, which provides helpful context, including the state of not only America in the wake of the JFK assassination, but of the world of music.

Another historical POV, including details of the negotiations between Brian Epstein and Sullivan, himself, and how NBC rival Jack Paar pulled the rug out from under the CBS star’s exclusive February get:

📸CBS photo archives

Road manager/personal assistant, Neil Aspinall (school chum of both Paul and George, later to head up Apple Corps.), stood in for George Harrison (holding a guitar in between Paul and John…shown above) during the February 8, 1964 in-studio rehearsals for The Ed Sullivan Show while George was recovering from a 102-degree fever. No real playing occurred during this Saturday studio gathering; it was basically for the crew to run through lighting cues and camera blocking.

Did you see The Beatles on the 2/9/64 “Ed Sullivan Show” live on TV? Feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below, and tell us about it!

Then…..Sunday, February 9: