The BEST episodes of The Ed Sullivan Show season 23
Every episode of The Ed Sullivan Show season 23, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Ed Sullivan Show season 23!
From 1949 until its cancelation in 1971, the show ran on CBS every Sunday night from 8–9 p.m. E.T., and is one of the few entertainment shows to have run in the same weekly time slot on the same network for more than two decades. (During its first season, it ran from 9–10 p.m. E.T.) Virtually every type of entertainment appeared on the show; opera singers, popular artists, songwriters, comedians, ballet dancers, dramatic actors performing monologues from plays, and circus acts were regularly featured. The format was essentially the same as vaudeville, and although vaudeville had died a generation earlier, Sullivan presented many ex-vaudevillians on his show. Seasons 1-8 can be found listed under the series "Toast of the Town".
#1 - The Swinging, Soulful Sixties - Diana Ross & the Supremes, etc.
Season 23 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/21/1969
""The Swinging, Soulful Sixties"" – Ed Sullivan reviews the decade in entertainment. Taped segments (many from Ed's shows): (1) Broadway/Theater songs: --Richard Burton - Soliloquy from Shakespeare's ""Hamlet"" --Robert Goulet - song from ""Camelot"" and ""Happy Face"" --Gwen Verdon - ""If My Friends Could See Me Now"" (from ""Sweet Charity"") (2) Beatlemania: --Beatles At Shea Stadium August 15, 1965 (3) British acts: --Petula Clark - ""Downtown"" (excerpt) & interview --Clips of Dave Clark Five, Animals, Herman's Hermits, Rolling Stones, Petula Clark (4) David Frost - looks at '60's headlines and movies (5) Diana Ross & the Supremes --Ed Sullivan talks to Diana Ross about trends of popular music in the 1960s. --The Supremes - medley (""Baby Love;"" ""Stop! In The Name Of Love;"" ""Come See About Me;"" ""My World Is Empty Without You,"" ""You Can't Hurry Love,"" ""The Happening,"" ""Keep Me Hangin' On,"" ""Reflections,"" ""Love Child"" and ""I Hear A Symphony"") --The Supremes - ""So
Watch Now:Amazon#2 - Jackson Five / Clint Eastwood (on film) / Don Rickles
Season 23 - Episode 31 - Aired 5/10/1970
Guests: --The Jackson Five - ""The Love You Save"" and medley (""I Want You Back"" & ""ABC"") --Sonny James - ""My Love"" & ""Waterloo"" --Don Rickles (comedian) --George Carlin (comedian) - In a comedy routine, Carlin appears as a ""vacation expert."" Ed joins in and asks George some questions. --Roger Williams (piano player) - ""Mas Que Nada"" & a medley of Irving Berlin songs --Peter Gennaro (dancer) --Marilyn Michaels (celebrity impressions) --Gino Tonetti - ""This Is My Life"" Film clip: Don Rickles joins Clint Eastwood on the movie set of ""Kelly's Heroes"".
Watch Now:Amazon#3 - 23rd Season Premiere: Barbra Streisand / The Temptations
Season 23 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/28/1969
1969-70 season premiere (Ed Sullivan's 23nd season): --The Temptations - ""I Can't Get Next to You,"" ""September in the Rain"" & ""Autumn Leaves"" --Barbra Streisand (on tape from Las Vegas) - ""Hello, Dolly"" medley: ""Before the Parade Passes By,"" ""So Long, Dearie"" & ""Hello Dolly"" --Tony Bennett - ""What the World Needs Now Is Love,"" ""People"" & ""I Gotta Be Me."" --Red Skelton (comedian) - classic drunk routine; ""the bin salesman"" --The Osipov Balalaika Festival Orchestra - Russian folk dance and music. --Audience bows: Jerry Vale; Rodney Dangerfield
Watch Now:Amazon#4 - Bobby Goldsboro / Richard Pryor / George Carlin
Season 23 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/8/1970
Guests: --Bobby Goldsboro - ""Everybody's Talkin'"" & ""Can You Feel It?"" --Richard Pryor (stand-up comedy) --Connie Stevens - ""Yankee Doodle,"" ""Give My Regards To Broadway"" & ""If I Were A Rich Man"" --Boots Randolph - ""Nashville, Tennessee"" & ""Hey, Jude"" --Floyd Cramer - ""I'll Never Fall in Love Again"" --Chet Atkins, Floyd Cramer, and Boots Randolph - medley: ""I Can't Help It,"" ""Jambalaya,"" ""I Saw the Light"" --George Carlin (stand-up comedy) --David Frye (impressionist) --Mr. Jiggs (chimp act) --Sam & Sammy (acrobats) --Audience bows (cameos): Joe Frazier, Yankee Durham CBS repeated this show on June 21, 1970.
#5 - Tommy James & the Shondells / Stiller & Meara / Moms Mabley
Season 23 - Episode 36 - Aired 6/14/1970
Guests: --Tommy James & the Shondells - ""Ball of Fire"" & ""I'm Alive"" --Moms Mabley (stand-up comedian) - sings ""Abraham, Martin & John"" --Jerry Stiller & Anne Meara (comedy team, parents of Ben Stiller) --Margaret Whiting - ""Moonlight In Vermont"" & ""Gentle On My Mind"" (Richard Whiting's Daughter) --Sergio Franchi - ""Didn't We"" & ""With A Little Help From My Friends"" (also appears in a comedy sketch with Stiller & Meara). --Eugene List (with concert pianists from the Eastman School Of Rochester) --The Carals (balancing & juggling act)
#6 - Supremes (without Diana Ross) / Joe Frazier / Robert Klein
Season 23 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/15/1970
Guests: --The ""New"" Supremes - ""Up the Ladder to the Roof"" & show tunes (Supremes with Cindy Birdsong, Jean Terrel & Mary Wilson - without Diana Ross) --Joe Frazier (wearing tuxedo, in a boxing ring set) - sings ""Knock on Wood"" --Robert Klein (stand-up comedian) --Arte Johnson (stand-up comedian) --Caterina Valente - ""Never Will I Marry"" & ""Anything Goes"" --Michael Parks - ""Mountain High"" & ""My Melancholy Baby"" --Hawthorn Tigers (animal act) --Ed Sullivan Singers - ""Mame"" --Santini Demon (a.k.a. The Amazing Fire Eating Santani Demon) - fire eater swallows lit torches, swords --Audience bows (cameos): Molly Pecan, Sam Levine; Ernie Terrel
#7 - Beatles Songbook with Beatles (on film); Dionne Warwick; Duke Ellington
Season 23 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/1/1970
""Beatles Songbook"" - tribute to the Beatles --The Beatles (on film) - ""Let It Be"" and ""Two of Us"" - both clips taken from the movie ""Let It Be."" Studio guests: --Dionne Warwick - ""We Can Work It Out"" --Peggy Lee - ""Something"" & ""Maxwell's Silver Hammer"" --Paul McCartney (on tape), Dionne Warwick, Peggy Lee - ""Yesterday"" --Duke Ellington and his orchestra --Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme - ""Fool on the Hill"" --Peter Gennaro Dancers (with Gennaro as Sergeant Pepper in a dance production number) - ""Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"" --Edward Villella (of the New York Ballet) - ""Lucy in the Sky"" --The Muppets - ""In an Octopus's Garden"" CBS repeated this episode on Sept. 13, 1970.
#8 - Nancy Sinatra / Cast of Hair / Rodney Dangerfield / Bobby Vinton
Season 23 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/8/1970
Guests: --Nancy Sinatra (with the Rutgers University Marching Band) - ""California Dreamin'"" & ""I Love Them All"" (might be ""The Boys in the Band"") --Bobby Vinton - ""Take Me In Your Arms"" & ""My Elusive Dream"" --Joan Sutherland & Marilyn Horne - ""Mira O Norma"" --Rodney Dangerfield (stand-up comedy) --Wayne and Shuster (comedy team doing a psychic skit) --Irwin C. Watson (stand-up comedian) --Trio Rennos (comic acrobats) Audience bow (cameo): Liberace --On film, a National Urban Coalition commerical promoting racial harmony. In the film, 100 figures in entertainment, business, government and sports are gathered together to sing ""Let the Sunshine In."" Appearing in this film: the cast of ""Hair,"" Henry Fonda, Leonard Nimoy, Ali MacGraw, Ed Sullivan, Ray Charles, Eli Wallach & Anne Jackson, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, Flip Wilson, Merv Griffin, Leontyne Price, Ralph Bunche, Roy Wilkins, etc.
#9 - Holiday on Ice Salute / Ed Ames / Lana Cantrell
Season 23 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/15/1970
Salute to ""Holiday on Ice"" (Silver Anniversary) Guests: --Ed Ames - ""Three Reasons"" --Lana Cantrell - ""Isn't This a Lovely Day?"" Ice skating segments: --Ronnie Robertson (solo skater) --Marei Langenbein (solo skater) --Alfredo Mendoza & Carol Johnson (ice ballet) --John Leech - skater in a sketch about an after-the-party hangover. --Werner and Denise Muller --The Cook Family (acrobats) --Kossmayer's Mules --The Holiday Chimps
#10 - scheduled: Liza Minnelli, Rod McKuen, Liberace
Season 23 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/22/1970
Scheduled guests: --Liza Minnelli - possibly ""If I Were In Your Shoes"" --Rod McKuen (poet-composer) - ""London,"" ""Jean"" and ""Everybody's Rich But Us"" --Liberace --Phyllis Diller (comedian) --Bill Dana (comedian) --Bojangles (singer, from Liza's nightclub act) --The Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band (from Trinidad) Note: An edited version of this episode has appeared on PBS. Any details about the PBS repeat would be appreciated!!
#11 - Gladys Knight & the Pips / Bobbie Gentry / Buck Owens
Season 23 - Episode 26 - Aired 3/29/1970
Special episode taped (probably filmed) at Army Hospitals. Sullivan and guests entertain soldiers who were wounded in Vietnam. Guests: --Gladys Knight and the Pips - ""Hey Jude"" & ""I Heard It Through the Grapevine"" --Bobbie Gentry - ""Papa"" & ""Ode to Billy Joe"" --Buck Owens - ""Act Naturally"" and ""Tall Dark Stranger"" --Nancy Ames - ""So Good To See Ya Babe"" & ""The Name Game"" --Marty Allen (stand-up comedian) --David Frye (comedian doing impressions of celebrities) --George Kirby (stand-up comedian)
#12 - The Temptations / George Hamilton / Buddy Rich
Season 23 - Episode 27 - Aired 4/5/1970
Guests: --The Temptations - ""You Make Me So Very Happy"" & ""Psychedelic Shack"" --Roy Rogers & Dale Evans - medley of patriotic songs: ""This Is My Country"" & ""God Bless America"" --George Hamilton - medley of Hank Williams Sr. songs: ""Hey Good Lookin',"" ""I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You""),"" ""Cold Cold Heart,"" ""Jambalaya (On the Bayou),"" ""I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry,"" ""I Saw the Light"" & ""Your Cheatin' Heart"" --Buddy Rich & Orchestra - ""Oh Ruth"" --Marilyn Maye & Buddy Rich - ""Cabaret"" medley --John Byner (comedian) --Gene Baylos (comedian) --The Canestrellis (trampoline act)
#13 - scheduled: Florence Henderson, Joan Rivers, Young Saints, Muppets
Season 23 - Episode 28 - Aired 4/12/1970
Scheduled guests: --Florence Henderson (sings a medley from her movie ""Song of Norway"") - including ""Song of Norway"" --Florence Henderson - ""What Do You Do When Love Dies"" --Joan Rivers --The Young Saints (rock group) - ""Your Love"" & ""Tenderly"" --Sergio Franchi --Myron Cohen --The Muppets
#14 - Paul McCartney (on film) / Bill Medley (scheduled guest)
Season 23 - Episode 29 - Aired 4/19/1970
--Paul McCartney (on film) - ""Maybe I'm Amazed"" video Other guests (scheduled to appear): --Bill Medley - ""Peace Medley"" --Norm Crosby --Peter Nero --Jan Peerce --Gerri Granger --The Kessler Twins
#15 - Richie Havens / Lesley Gore / John Gary
Season 23 - Episode 30 - Aired 4/26/1970
Guests: --Richie Havens - ""The Minstrel from Gault"" --Lesley Gore - ""Cry Me A River"" & ""Hey Jude"" --John Gary - medley: ""The Straight Life,"" ""Then She's a Lover"" & ""Little Green Apples""--Moms Mabley (stand-up comedian, sings ""Deed I Do"") --Stiller & Meara (comedy team) --Robert Klein (stand-up comedy) --Jane Morgan - ""A Girl Named Johnny Cash"" & ""My Way"" --Victor Julian (dog act) --The Rolan Boys (balancing act) Audience bows (cameos): Pete Hamilton; Master Sergeant Leon Donnely; Dr. Howard Rusk; Irving Gyse; Miss USA CBS repeated this show on July 19, 1970.
#16 - scheduled: Phyllis Newman; Rodney Dangerfield; Pat Cooper
Season 23 - Episode 32 - Aired 5/17/1970
On film: Ringo Starr - ""Sentimental Journey"" promotional film Scheduled guests: --Phyllis Newman --Rodney Dangerfield --Pat Cooper --Stu Gilliam --the Lettermen (vocal group) --West Point Glee Club --Lovelace Watkins
#17 - scheduled: Barbara McNair; Sergio Franchi: Karen Wyman
Season 23 - Episode 33 - Aired 5/24/1970
Scheduled guests: --Barbara McNair --Sergio Franchi --Karen Wyman --Stanley Myron Handelman --Georgie Kaye --Cadet Corps Steel Band --Rudi Schweitzer (juggler)
#18 - scheduled: Al Martino; Rich Little; Bob Lewis; Voices of East Harlem
Season 23 - Episode 34 - Aired 5/31/1970
Scheduled guests: --Al Martino --D. Valeny --Julie Budd --Rich Little --Bob Lewis --Voices of East Harlem --The Muppets
#19 - Connie Francis / Roslyn Kind / Morey Amsterdam
Season 23 - Episode 35 - Aired 6/7/1970
Guests: --Connie Francis (medley of Judy Garland songs): ""The Trolley Song,"" ""You Made Me Love You,"" ""Swanie,"" ""The Man Who Got Away"" & ""Over The Rainbow"" --Roslyn Kind (Barbra Streisand's sister) - ""Purlie"" --Dick Jenson - medley: ""Try A Little Tenderness,"" ""Expressway to Your Heart,"" ""Heard It Through The Grapevine"" & ""Yesterday"" --Morey Amsterdam (stand-up comedy) --Scoey Mitchell (stand-up comedian) --Zonie And Agnes (ballet) --George Kirby (stand-up comedian) --The Ed Sullivan Singers - ""Moon River"" --Tel Smit (magician)
#20 - Neil Diamond / Julie Budd / Sergio Franchi
Season 23 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/30/1969
Guests: --Neil Diamond - ""Sweet Caroline"" & ""Holly Holy"" --The Muppets (2 singing cows & 1 hairy creature sing ""Ma-Na-Ma-Na"" song) --Sergio Franchi - ""Stay"" & "" Granada"" (both songs in English & Italian) Prior to this, Ed shows videotape footage of Sergio and him in an Italian village passing wine bottles to others in a long line. --Voices Of East Harlem (led by Bernice Cole) - medley including ""For What It's Worth"" (Gospel style singing) --Julie Budd (15 year old singer) - ""Skylark"" --Pat Henry (comedian, topics: New York / marriage / health) --Irwin C. Watson (stand-up comedian, topics: old sayings / the Moon / Indians) --Martin Brothers (jugglers from Argentina) Audience bows: Toots Shore & Bob Considine (and their wives); Wayne Zahn (bowling champ); Raymond A Gallagher (VFW Commander in Chief). On film: clip from ""A Boy Named Charlie Brown""; baseball sketch from Broadway play; Ed Sullivan in Italy, passing wine bottles with Italians.
#21 - Gladys Knight & the Pips / Clint Eastwood (on film)
Season 23 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/5/1969
--Gladys Knight & the Pips - medley (""Let Us Entertain You,"" ""Nitty Gritty,"" ""By the Time I Get to Phoenix"" & ""I Can't Get Used to Seeing You"") --Phyllis Diller (stand-up comedy) --Flip Wilson (stand-up comedy) --Sasha Distel - ""Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,"" ""Louise"" & ""The Good Life"" --Fantasio (magician from Argentina) --The winners of 1969 Harvest Moon Ball --Ed interviews baseball players Gil Hodges, Cleon Jones, Tommy Agee, Jerry Koosman and Tom Seaver. --Audience bows: Stevie Wonder; Jim Stewart & Kurt Runzy (balloonists); Col. John Roosma and Bobby Thompson (were teamates in the early 1920's on the Passaic, NJ High School ""Wonderteam"" 159 game winning streak in basketball) --Audience bows: Karen Sepa, Chris Peterson, Janis Clover, George Wallace & Margaret Bartasak (4H Club reporters celebrating 4H Club Week) --Audience bow: Jimmy Dunn (Newspaper Boy of the Year) On film: Ed visits set of ""Paint Your Wagon"" in Oregon. Ed talks with Alan Jay Lerner and J
#22 - Lee Marvin / Woody Allen / Oliver / Shirley Bassey
Season 23 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/12/1969
Guests: --Woody Allen --Lee Marvin (with the Yale Glee Club) - ""Wandering Star"" (from the movie ""Paint Your Wagon"") Lee Marvin making his singing debut, --Oliver (singer) - ""Jean"" & ""Where is Love?"" --Shirley Bassey - ""I'll Never Fall in Love Again"" & ""This is My Life"" --Jo Anne Worley (comedian) --The Yale Glee Club - Football medley --The Castro Brothers (singers-instrumentalists) - ""Say a Little Prayer for Me"" & ""Michelle"" --The Alcettys (plate spinners) --Topo Gigio (Italian mouse puppet) CBS repeated this show on August 23, 1970.
#23 - Smith / Cyd Charisse / Joan Rivers / Lana Cantrell
Season 23 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/19/1969
Guests (on 30-minute PBS repeat): --Smith - ""Baby It's You"" --Cyd Charisse - dances to an instrumental version of ""MacArthur Park"" --Joan Rivers & Anthony Holland - bank robber sketch with Rivers as teller and Holland as robber. --Lana Cantrell (singer from Australia) - ""A Time for Us"" --Topo Gigio (Italian mouse puppet) - Topo talks to Ed about Halloween; Topo then sings with chickens as their eggs hatch. --The Don Ellis Band - ""Concerto for Trumpet"" Additional guests: --Raphael (scheduled to appear) --The New York Mets (with Tom Seaver) sang ""You Gotta Have Heart"" (Please see Note below).
#24 - Santana / Liza Minnelli / Henry Mancini
Season 23 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/26/1969
Guests: --Santana - ""Persuasion"" & ""Jingo Jingo"" --Liza Minnelli - ""Come Saturday Morning"" --Mason Williams - ""Cowboy Buckaroo"" --Henry Mancini - ""Peter Gunn"" theme & ""Romeo and Juliet"" theme. --Judy Carne (from ""Laugh-In"") - ""American Moon"" (a.k.a. ""There's an American Flag on the Moon Tonight"") --George Kirby (stand-up comedian) --Charlie Manna (stand-up comedian) --David Hemmings (reads from ""Romeo & Juliet"") --Albert Almonzino - does hand shadow puppets --The Trio Hogados (aerialists) Audience bows: Barbara Eden, Jack Warner CBS repeated this show on September 6, 1970.
#25 - The Band / Petula Clark / Pearl Bailey / Buck Owens
Season 23 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/2/1969
Guests: --The Band - ""Up on Cripple Creek"" --Buck Owens - ""Tall Dark Stranger"" (and possibly ""Big In Vegas"") --Petula Clark - ""Fill The World WIth Love,"" ""No One Better Than You"" and ""The Fool On The Hill"" --Pearl Bailey - ""You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You"" (Ed Sings briefly with her at beginning & dances a few steps with her at end) --Pearl Bailey - ""Whoever You Are, I Love You"" --David Frye (impressionist) --Lucho Navarro (voice impressionist doing sound effects) --Trio Rennos (humorous acrobats) Other guests (scheduled to appear): --Rodney Dangerfield --Feux Follets