If you were a rising musician in the middle of the 20th century, 'The Ed Sullivan Show' was the gig you wanted to land.
The American variety show aired weekly on CBS and quickly became a Sunday favourite. If you could make it there, you could make it anywhere.
Despite its host, Ed Sullivan, often being described as stiff and with about as much charisma as "drying paint", it was his knack for scouting up-and-coming musical talent that made the show great.
An appearance on the highly coveted show was sure to propel any artist to stardom, as it was witnessed by a worldwide audience of over 40 million people.
This rang true from the show's conception in 1948 through to its cancellation in 1971. Over this time, Sullivan introduced countless artists to screens across the globe.
While it was home to many iconic performances, today we're taking a look back at six of our favourites.
The Beatles, 9th February 1964
Let's start with one of the show's most notable performances. Racking up an audience of 73 million viewers, The Beatles' first live appearance in the US was one of huge cultural significance.
It is often credited with boosting Beatlemania and kicking off the 'British Invasion' - bringing British music to the masses.
The Rolling Stones, 25th October 1964
Several months after the Beatles, along came the next wave in the British Invasion, the Rolling Stones.
In contrast to the former’s clean-cut image, the Stones gave off more of a rock n' roll edge and rebellion, which gave rise to complaints from parents, but praise from teenagers.
“[Sullivan] said it was the wildest, most enthusiastic audience he’d seen any artist get in the history of his show," front man Mick Jagger recalled.
Elvis Presley, 28th October 1956
Elvis Presley’s second appearance on the show, just a few months after his first, was a major hit.
His young fans, mostly women, can be heard going crazy at the slightest move of his hips - something that was rarely seen on TV and was highly controversial in what was then a fairly conservative world.
In his third and final performance, the camera operators were then instructed to only film the star from the waist up.
The Doors, 17th September 1967
The performance that got The Doors banned from the show.
In true rock and roll defiance, lead singer Jim Morrison sang the word “higher” in ‘Light My Fire’ - which he promised he wouldn’t do.
Note guitarist Robby Krieger's smirk to the camera as Morrison delivers the line after the three-minute mark.
The full line "girl, we couldn't get much higher", seen as a drug reference, was a big no-no at the time. This would not be forgiven by the show's producer, who told the band they would “never work ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ again”.
The Mamas & the Papas, 24th September 1967
The Mamas & The Papas' performance of 'California Dreamin''' was another appearance that had a streak of rebellion.
Lead singer Michelle Phillips defiantly ate a banana during the act as a form of protest against being forced to lip sync.
Truly iconic.
Neil Diamond, 30th November 1969
Neil Diamond on a stool singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ to a TV audience. It was a humble performance, but one that makes it no less great.
His hit song would stay on the charts for 12 weeks and go on to become a much-loved karaoke favourite.
