The Four Historic Ed Sullivan Shows featuring The Beatles [DVD]

The Beatles appeared four times on CBS' The Ed Sullivan Show in the US, and this two-disc set presents all four shows in their entirety. While one is tempted to skip through this collection to watch only the Fab Four's 20 performances, there is historic value in seeing Sullivan's complete programmes. With America reeling from the murder of a popular president, JFK, less than three months prior, the Beatles' Sullivan debut on February 9, 1964, ushered a renewing joy into the country's living rooms. The band kept it up another two weeks, sharing Sullivan's variety-show bills with the likes of impressionist Frank Gorshin, comedians Allen & Rossi, future Monkee Davy Jones (in a scene from Oliver!) and sundry unrepentant vaudevillians, magicians and acrobats. Various problems with microphones and bad direction (one barely sees John Lennon during the first show) couldn't stop the magic, and by the time the band made a return trip in September 1965 to perform "Ticket to Ride", "Yesterday" and "Help" among others, the group's brilliance and wit outsized their television surroundings. --Tom Keogh

Contents – The Ed Sullivan Show, February 9th, 1964:

• 1. Ed’s opening
  
• 2. The Beatles – All My Loving
  
• 3. The Beatles – Till There Was You
  
• 4. The Beatles – She Loves You
  
• 5. Fred Kaps – Card and salt shaker trick
  
• 6. The cast of Oliver – I’ll Do Anything For You
  
• 7. Georgia Brown (Oliver) – As Long As He Needs Me
  
• 8. Frank Gorshin – comedian/impressionist
  
• 9. Terry McDermott – Olympic athlete
  
• 10. Tessie O’Shea – medley of favourite show tunes
  
• 11. McCall & Brill – comedy/office sketch
  
• 12. The Beatles – I Saw Her Standing There
  
• 13. The Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand
  
• 14. Wells & The Four Fays – acrobatic physical comedy

Contents – The Ed Sullivan Show, February 16th, 1964:

• 1. Ed’s opening
  
• 2. The Beatles – She Loves You
  
• 3. The Beatles – This Boy
  
• 4. The Beatles – All My Loving
  
• 5. Sonny Liston – heavyweight champion/audience bow
  
• 6. Joe Louis – former heavyweight champion/audience bow
  
• 7. Allen and Rossi – boxing skit
  
• 8. Mitzi Gaynor – It’s Too Darn Hot
  
• 9. Mitzi Gaynor – medley of hits
  
• 10. The Nerveless Knocks – sway pole routine
  
• 11. Myron Cohen – complex comedy bits
  
• 12. The Beatles – I Saw Her Standing There
  
• 13. The Beatles – From Me To You
  
• 14. The Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand

Contents – The Ed Sullivan Show, February 23rd, 1964:

1. Ed’s opening

• 2. The Beatles – Twist and Shout
  
• 3. The Beatles – Please Please Me
  
• 4. Gloria Bleezarde – Safety In Numbers
  
• 5. Pinky and Perky – caterpillar and crow routine
  
• 6. Pinky and Perky – dog and cow routine
  
• 7. Morecambe and Wise – Louis XIV sketch
  
• 8. Acker Bilk – Acker’s Lacquer
  
• 9. Gordon and Sheila Macrae – take off on The Garry Moore Show
  
• 10. Dave Barry – stand-up re: his daughter’s marriage
  
• 11. Cab Calloway – St. James Infirmary
  
• 12. Cab Calloway – Old Man River
  
• 13. Morty Gunty – comedy stand-up
  
• 14. The Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand

Contents – The Ed Sullivan Show, September 12th, 1965:

• 1. Ed’s opening
  
• 2. Soupy Sales – reminisces with Ed
  
• 3. Cilla Black - September in the Rain
  
• 4. Fantasio – sleight-of-hand artist
  
• 5. The Beatles - I Feel Fine
  
• 6. The Beatles - I’m Down
  
• 7. The Beatles - Act Naturally
  
• 8. Allen and Rossi - Try To Remember
  
• 9. Cilla Black - Goin’ Out Of My Head
  
• 10. Soupy Sales - The Mouse
  
• 11. The Beatles – Ticket To Ride
  
• 12. The Beatles - Yesterday
  
• 13. The Beatles - Help!