1955?), Duke Olden (1914–1994), Grace Drysdale (1914–1994), George Prentice (1903–1985), Salici Puppets, Tommy Trent (1911–1991), Chris Cross, Bil Baird (1904–1987), Dave Monahan (1918– 2003), Lea Wallace (1916–2012), LeRoy Brothers (LeRoy Benjamin, 1917–1997),
Ed Sullivan was a man of strong opin- ions. A PBS documentary on Jerome Robbins reported that Sullivan threatened to expose Jerome Robbins as a homosexual unless he testified before Joseph McCar- thy’s House Un-American Activities Com- mittee. On the other hand, Sullivan was
livan Show, presenting 20 classic Muppet skits, all in color (https://www.edsullivan. com/products-page/dvds/family/muppets- magic-from-the-ed-sullivan-show). Also released in 2003: Ed Sullivan Presents: Topo Gigio and Friends (https://www.edsul-
livan.com/artists/topo-gigio).
Señor Wences on The Ed Sullivan Show, December 24, 1967. Photos © 2020 SOFA Entertainment, under exclusive license to Universal Music Enterprises, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Jimmy Nelson (1928–2019), Señor Wenc- es (1896–1999), Salzburg Marionettes (Hermann Aicher, 1902–1977), Yves Joly (1908–2013), Jay Marshall (1919–2005), Clifford Guest (1911–2002), Paul Ritts (1920–1980), Alfred Saveen (1915–1994), Marshall Izen (1925–2015), Elaine Brown- ing, Robert Lamouret (1915–1959), David Hunter, Arthur Worsley (1920–2001), Edgar Bergen (1903–1978), Eddie Garson (1928–2012), Stan Kramer (1925–2001).
Seasons 9–23, 1956–1971, The Ed Sullivan Show
Jay Nemeth, Rickie Layne (1924–2006), Paul Ashley (1913–1984), Dick Weston (1926–1996), Shirley Reid, Grover Ruwe (1923–2001), René Zendejas (1927–2014), Don Tannen, Braunschweig Marionettes (Harro Siegel, 1900–1985), Andre Moon, Frédéric O’Brady (1903–2003), Georges Lafaye (1915–1984), Paul and Peta Page, Martin Granger (?–1986), Terry Hall (1926–2007), Dorothy Zaconick (1912–1992), Jan (1921–2013) and Vlasta Dalibor (1921–2016)—“Pinky and Perky,” Albert Almoznino (1923–2020), Morey Bunin (1910–1997), Sid Krofft (1929–), Sergei Obrazstov (1901–1992), André Tahon (1931–2009), Shari Lewis (1933– 1998), Dennis Spicer (1936–1964), Russ Lewis (1935–), Piccoli Marionettes, Louis Valdes (1923–1965), Fred Roby, Topo Gi- gio (Maria Perego, 1923–2019), Malcolm Powell, Chris Kirby (1942–2016), the Muppets (Jim Henson, 1936–1990).
Cover of The Ed Sullivan Show Muppets DVD.
a strong advocate for African American performing artists. In the 1950s African Americans were nearly invisible on net- work television, but Sullivan showcased some of the finest jazz and pop performers. Who did not appear on The Ed Sullivan
Show? All through those years, there was fierce, competitive rivalry between the networks. Ed Sullivan was on CBS. Burr Tillstrom, who never appeared on the Sul- livan show, worked with NBC. Those lines were rarely crossed. There are successful marionette acts of the 1950s that seem to be missing from the Sullivan show (or not). Two sources say that Frank Paris was on the show, but there seems to be no ar- chival listing. The various archives of the Sullivan show do not mention Walton and O’Rourke, but Puppetry Journal September– October 1954 notes a performance on the Sullivan show, with the following quote by TV critic John Crosby of the New York Tribune: “Some puppeteers named Walton and O’Rourke staged a puppet song and dance number which was ingenious and amusing. They’re doing amazing things with puppets these days. If they continue to improve, its just possible they’ll throw all the actors out of work.” In the 1990s, SOFA Entertainment (Andrew Solt Productions) purchased the video archive from the Sullivan estate. In 2003, SOFA released two DVDs of great interest to puppeteers. The early work of Jim Henson (pre-Sesame Street) is show- cased in Muppets Magic From The Ed Sul-
Cover of The Ed Sullivan Show Topo Gigio DVD.
On June 12, 2020, Universal Music En- terprises (UMe
) launched “The Ed Sullivan
Show” channel on YouTube after reaching an agreement with SOFA Entertainment for the global digital rights to the historic 23-year run of prime-time shows. This marks the first time that Sullivan show per- formances are officially available in their entirety across streaming services world- wide. The first seven performances released include the Beach Boys, the Jackson 5, and the Supremes. Many segments will be upgraded to high-resolution clips. Many of the clips of the Muppets on The Ed Sullivan Show can be seen on YouTube, as well as clips of Topo Gigio and Señor Wences. A Google search will turn up clips (from the Sullivan show and other venues) of less famous performers, includ- ing Norman Evans, Dick Weston, Robert Lamouret, Martin Granger, Clifford Guest, Arthur Worsley, André Tahon, Dennis Spicer, Rickie Layne, and more.
September 18, 1955, Toast of the Town became The Ed Sullivan Show. Season 9 had 16 puppet segments.
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