Ed Sullivan Theater

The Ed Sullivan Show presented most of the major rock-and-roll acts of the ’50s and ’60s, including record-breaking appearances by Elvis Presley (September 9, 1956) and the Beatles (in their US television debut on February 9, 1964). Sullivan booked Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, the Rolling Stones, the Dave Clark Five (for 18 appearances), the Beach Boys, the Doors, the Four Seasons, the Band, the Lovin’ Spoonful and the Mamas and the Papas. Resisting racist pressure from some southern CBS network affiliates, Sullivan also presented African-American artists like Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, James Brown, the Supremes and Marvin Gaye. The Ed Sullivan Theater has been home to The Late Show since 1993, hosted first by David Letterman and now by Stephen Colbert.