Elvis Presley, at age 21, broke television records with his first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on this day in history, September 9, 1956.
Elvis—and his famous “twists”—had previously been banned by Ed Sullivan from appearing on his show.
However, after several of his competitors saw massive ratings when Presley appeared on their shows, Sullivan reconsidered his ban, the History Channel website said.
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Sullivan signed Presley to a three-show contract and paid him $50,000, an “unprecedented” figure at the time, the History Channel reported.
Adjusted for inflation, that contract would be worth more than $500,000 in 2023, according to the website Inflationtool.com.
Elvis Presley's appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in September 1956 was watched by 60 million viewers, more than 80% of total television viewers in the United States. (CBS via Getty Images)
Presley's appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” was watched by 60 million viewers, making it the most-watched television broadcast of the decade, the History Channel said.
The 60 million figure was equivalent to 82.6% of total television viewers in the United States.
Presley performed three of his songs, “Don't Be Cruel,” “Hound Dog” and “Love Me Tender,” as well as Little Richard's “Ready Teddy.”
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While “The Ed Sullivan Show” was based in New York City, Presley was in California filming his first movie, “Love Me Tender.”
So he acted remotely from Los Angeles.
Presley told the screaming audience that appearing on “The Ed Sullivan Show” was “probably the greatest honor I've ever had in my life.”
Elvis performed his new song “Love Me Tender” on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in September 1956. (CBS via Getty Images)
She then released “Love Me Tender,” saying it was “completely different from anything we've done before.”
The single “Love Me Tender” was the first in music history to sell more than a million copies before its release, Variety said.
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At the time, Presley was famous for his hip movements while performing, earning him the nickname “Elvis the Pelvis.”
These movements were considered too “vulgar” for audiences of the 1950s.
Presley's dance moves sparked “thousands” of complaints on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” prompting the show to film him only from the waist up for his final appearance. (CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
Despite these fears, Elvis' performance was broadcast from head to toe, not cut off at the waist, the History Channel said.
“When it was over, parents and critics, as usual, complained in vain about the vulgarity of this strange phenomenon that somehow has to be taken into account,” said a Time magazine critic.
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The phenomenon was finally accounted for, in a way: On Elvis' third and final appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” on Jan. 6, 1957, he was shot only from the waist up, according to the ElvisBiography website.
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This was due to the “thousands of complaints” Sullivan received after Elvis' first two appearances.
