First Ed Sullivan Show - February 9, 1964

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Event
Date	February 9, 1964
Short description	First Live Performance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Location	New York

On this date, in Studio 50 in New York, the Beatles rehearsed for and gave their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. In the morning, the group rehearsed for the show, although without George Harrison, who was sick. Neil Aspinall took his place in rehearsal. During the afternoon, The Beatles recorded them playing Twist And Shout, Please Please Me and I Want To Hold Your Hand in front of a different audience than was featured on the live broadcast. This was taped and rebroadcast as the Third Ed Sullivan Show. On this edition, Sullivan said this "All of us on the show are so darned sorry, and sincerely sorry, that this is the third and thus our last current show with The Beatles, because these youngsters from Liverpool, England, and their conduct over here, not only as fine professional singers but as a group of fine youngsters, will leave an imprint of everyone over here who's met them." The first edition was aired live from 8-9 PM that night. It was seen by 728 people in Studio 50, and 73 million people in 23,240,000 homes. At the time, it broke the record for the most-watched TV program, and even now it is still one of the most watched TV programs. At the beginning of the show, Sullivan read a telegram from Elvis Presley and Colonel Tom Parker wishing The Beatles luck. In the first half of the show, the Beatles performed All My Loving, Till There Was You and She Loves You. In the second half, they performed I Saw Her Standing There and I Want To Hold Your Hand. When "Till There Was You" was being played, the camera showed all the members and it said their names at the bottom of the screen. Underneath John, there was an additional caption, "Sorry Girls, He's Married," because he was the only married Beatle at the time.