Ed Sullivan

Biography

Ed Sullivan was an American television host, columnist and impresario who started in newspapers as a sports reporter in New York before becoming a Broadway columnist, writing Little Old New York for the New York Daily News. Born in Harlem and raised in Port Chester, New York, he produced vaudeville shows and hosted radio variety before CBS hired him in 1948 to front the Sunday-night variety program Toast of the Town, renamed The Ed Sullivan Show in 1955. It aired until 1971 and held the record for the longest-running variety series on American television, presenting comedians, singers, jazz and classical musicians, and country performers. He booked Elvis Presley for three appearances in 1956, and the Beatles' first appearance on his show, in 1964, drew more viewers than any earlier American program. Sullivan appeared as himself in Bye Bye Birdie (1963) and The Patsy (1964), and TV Guide ranked him number 50 among the greatest TV stars in 1996.

73years old at death

Born September 28, 1901Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Died October 13, 1974Manhattan
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Also credited as Edward Vincent Sullivan

Movie Career

Films: 8
Career span: 62 years1963 to 2025

Genres

Documentary63%, 5 films
Music63%, 5 films
Biography25%, 2 films
Comedy25%, 2 films
Drama13%, 1 film

First and latest

Did you know?!

A change of course
Sullivan earned 12 athletic letters at Port Chester High School, where he was a gifted athlete. He played halfback in football, guard in basketball, and was a sprinter in track. In baseball he was a catcher and team captain.
A change of course
While still in high school, Sullivan wrote sports news for The Port Chester Daily Item, a local newspaper, and after graduation he joined that paper full-time as his first job.
Behind the camera
Sullivan both wrote and starred in the 1933 film Mr. Broadway, taking viewers on a tour of New York nightspots where they met entertainers and celebrities.

Ed Sullivan movies on Netflix

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story2025IMDb rating 7.4as Himself
Beatles '642024IMDb rating 7.2as Himself
Sunday Best2021IMDb rating 7.8as Himself
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years2016IMDb rating 7.8as Himself
When You're Strange2009IMDb rating 7.6as Himself
Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'1992IMDb rating 8.4as Himself
The Singing Nun1966IMDb rating 6.1as Himself
Bye Bye Birdie1963IMDb rating 6.6as Ed Sullivan

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Bye Bye Birdie1963 Comedy, Musicalas Ed Sullivan
IMDb rating 6.611K votes
Sunday Best2021 Biography, Documentaryas Himself
IMDb rating 7.81.4K votes
When You're Strange2009as Himself
IMDb rating 7.611K votes
The Singing Nun1966as Himself
IMDb rating 6.11.7K votes
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years2016as Himself
IMDb rating 7.815K votes
Beatles '642024as Himself
IMDb rating 7.23.2K votes
Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'1992as Himself
IMDb rating 8.458 votes
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story2025as Himself
IMDb rating 7.4804 votes

Most often with

Four actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Paul McCartney

Ringo Starr

John Lennon

George Harrison

Elvis Presley

Dick Van Dyke

Films together

Paul McCartney4 films together, 1992 to 2024
Paul McCartney's page
- Beatles '642024IMDb rating 7.2Sullivan as HimselfMcCartney as Himself
- Sunday Best2021IMDb rating 7.8Sullivan as HimselfMcCartney as Himself
- The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years2016IMDb rating 7.8Sullivan as HimselfMcCartney as Himself
- Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'1992IMDb rating 8.4Sullivan as HimselfMcCartney as Himself
Ringo Starr4 films together, 1992 to 2024
Ringo Starr's page
- Beatles '642024IMDb rating 7.2Sullivan as HimselfStarr as Himself
- Sunday Best2021IMDb rating 7.8Sullivan as HimselfStarr as Himself
- The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years2016IMDb rating 7.8Sullivan as HimselfStarr as Himself
- Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'1992IMDb rating 8.4Sullivan as HimselfStarr as Himself
John Lennon4 films together, 1992 to 2024
John Lennon's page
- Beatles '642024IMDb rating 7.2Sullivan as HimselfLennon as Himself
- Sunday Best2021IMDb rating 7.8Sullivan as HimselfLennon as Himself
- The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years2016IMDb rating 7.8Sullivan as HimselfLennon as Himself
- Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'1992IMDb rating 8.4Sullivan as HimselfLennon as Himself
George Harrison4 films together, 1992 to 2024
George Harrison's page
- Beatles '642024IMDb rating 7.2Sullivan as HimselfHarrison as Himself
- Sunday Best2021IMDb rating 7.8Sullivan as HimselfHarrison as Himself
- The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years2016IMDb rating 7.8Sullivan as HimselfHarrison as Himself
- Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'1992IMDb rating 8.4Sullivan as HimselfHarrison as Himself
Elvis Presley2 films together, 2009 to 2021
Elvis Presley's page
- Sunday Best2021IMDb rating 7.8Sullivan as HimselfPresley as Himself
- When You're Strange2009IMDb rating 7.6Sullivan as HimselfPresley as Himself
Dick Van Dyke2 films together, 1963 to 1992
Dick Van Dyke's page
- Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'1992IMDb rating 8.4Sullivan as HimselfDyke as Self - Performer
- Bye Bye Birdie1963IMDb rating 6.6Sullivan as Ed SullivanDyke as Albert F. Peterson
Also two films together3 more actors
- The BeatlesBeatles '64 (2024) and The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016)
- Smokey RobinsonBeatles '64 (2024) and Sunday Best (2021)
- Brian EpsteinBeatles '64 (2024) and The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

Four awards and honors from 1959 to 2012, one of them major.

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Ed Sullivan's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Golden Globes
1959	Awards	The Ed Sullivan Show	Won
Other honors
2012	Online Film & Television Association Award (posthumous)		Won
1971	Trustees Award		Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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