The Ed Sullivan Show (variety)

    (CBS Sunday Nights, 1948 - 1971)

    [original title: "The Toast of the Town (1948 - 1954)";

     A long-running television variety series hosted by New York
     newspaper columnist Ed Sullivan (whose column was called
    "The Toast of the Town"); 
     
     Sullivan's persona on the television stage was rather stiff
     and his reedy high voice was nervous and slurred -- all of 
     which made him the butt of comic impersonators for decades; 
     But Sullivan appeared to take all the joking about his vocal
     mannerisms and hunched pose in stride;
     
     Undoubtedly a more polished M. C. could have been found; But 
     CBS knew Sullian's contacts from his many years as a columnist 
     in New York City could guarantee booking major entertainment
     acts if he asked them to appear on his show; 
     
     Proof he could deliver was seen in the very first show -- which
     included the comedy team of Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis as well
     as the Broadway Musical Theatre composers Richard Rodgers and 
     Oscar Hammerstein II live on stage;
     
     After six seasons, the name of the series "Toast of the Town" 
     changed in the Fall of 1955 to "The Ed Sullivan Show", since 
     most people referred to it that way, and it stayed that way
     until the series ended some 16 seasons later;
     
     The Sullivan Show became the way many people in the U.S.
     first got a glimpse of major new talent -- including an 
     early booking of young Elvis Presley, and the first U.S. 
     television appearance of The Beatles when they were the 
     hottest act in the record business;
     
     Sullivan also insisted upon presenting an odd assortment of
     circus acts and puppeteers; Perhaps it was his way of seeing
     himself as an inheritor of the grand "impresario" tradition;

     Sullivan used to "own" Sunday nights the way Milton Berle 
     "owned" Tuesday Nights" -- no competing shows ever bested
     it in the ratings; And this series helped the medium of 
     television grow into a household "must-have" during its 
     formative early years.]

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Theme 1 (1948 - 1962): "Toast of the Town Theme"

    [aka: "The Toast of the Town";

     used as the THEME from 1948 - 1962...Mentioned in Minna
     Bess Lewis' book "Prime Time" as having been used since the
     very first show in 1948; she co-wrote lyrics for the THEME
     since she and her husband were the show's producers]

     Composers: Raymond A. ("Ray") Bloch (ASCAP)
               [with lyrics added by Robert Arthur (ASCAP)
                and (co-producer) Minna Bess Lewis (ASCAP)]

     Original Publisher: Anne-Rachel Music Corp. (ASCAP) and
                         Hollybrook Music Co. Inc. (ASCAP)

     1997 Publisher: Anne-Rachel Music Corporation (ASCAP)
                       c/o Warner/Chappell Music Inc.
                       of Los Angeles, CA; and
                     Hollybrook Music Co. Inc. (ASCAP)
                       c/o Wooden Bear Music
                       of Scottsdale, AZ

     Copyright Date: 
     Renewal   Date:

     Recordings:
         CD: "TV Classic Themes: 25th Anniversary Edition" (1999)
              Breakable Records
              DPMC 105

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Closing Theme 2 (1961 - 1963): "There's No Business Like Show Business"

    [Pattillo credits this old warhorse as the closing theme
     for 8th - 9th seasons ONLY, which would have been 1961 - 1963]

     [from the Broadway Musical "Annie Get Your Gun" (1946)]

     Composer: Irving Berlin (ASCAP)

     Original Publisher: Irving Berlin Music Corp. (ASCAP)

     1997 Publisher: Williamson Music Co. (ASCAP)

     Composition Date: 1946 ["Who Wrote That Song" by Dick Jacobs]

     Copyright Date:
     Renewal   Date:

     Recordings:

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Theme 3 (1962 - 1971): "The Sunday Swing"

    [aka: Sunday Swing;
     aka: The Ed Sullivan Theme;

     Pattillo credits the title "Sunday Swings" (sic) as theme
     for the last nine seasons, which would have been 1962 - 1971]

     Composers: Raymond A. ("Ray") Bloch (ASCAP)
               [with lyrics added by Robert Arthur (ASCAP)]

     Original Publisher: Hollybrook Music Co. Inc. (ASCAP)

     1997 Publisher: Hollybrook Music Co. Inc. (ASCAP)
                        c/o Wooden Bear Music
                        of Scottsdale, AZ

     Copyright Date:
     Renewal   Date:

     Recordings:
         CD: "CBS Television -- the First 50 Years" (1998)
              TVT Records
              TVT 1550-2

             [The THEME is mis-identified in liner notes as being
             "Toast of the Town" by Ray Bloch and Minna Bess Lewis,
              but this is an error; it is actually the opening
              THEME version of "Sunday Swing" complete with timpani
              drum rolls that are pauses for announcer voice-overs]

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