Elvis Presley | First Appearance | The Ed Sullivan Show | September 9, 1956

Elvis' performance on The Ed Sullivan Show is cemented in the annals of rock music history because of the censors' decision to shoot the volatile young singer only from the waist up.

However, contrary to popular belief, this decision was not made until his third appearance.

Elvis on The Ed Sullivan Show | The Real Story

By Christine Gibson, former editor at American Heritage magazine

Actor Charles Laughton served as substitute host the night of Elvis' first appearance because Sullivan was recuperating from an auto accident. In kinescopes and video footage of that performance, Elvis can be seen in full figure, crooning 'Love Me Tender' and 'Don't Be Cruel', then later belting out 'Hound Dog' and 'Ready Teddy'.

Ed Sullivan, never a fan of controversy, had already refused an offer to hire Elvis for $5,000. The famously prickly host had been burned before by rock 'n' roll stars: He vowed to drum Bo Diddley out of television after his 1955 act on the show, when he sang his own hit 'Bo Diddley' instead of Sullivan's request, Tennessee Ernie Ford's 'Sixteen Tons'. But Elvis' ratings - his stint on the Allen show had trounced Sullivan - changed his mind. Even as he professed to the press that Elvis was 'not my cup of tea', Ed Sullivan had already begun negotiations with Elvis' agent, Colonel Tom Parker. His hesitation cost him heavily, however. He would end up agreeing to shell out $50,000 for three appearances, an unprecedented sum.

Elvis Presley : First Appearance : The Ed Sullivan Show : September 9, 1956
Elvis Presley : First Appearance : The Ed Sullivan Show : September 9, 1956.

Elvis Presley : First Appearance : The Ed Sullivan Show : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : First Appearance : The Ed Sullivan Show : September 9, 1956.

Elvis made his Sullivan debut on the show's season premiere, but on the big night neither Sullivan nor Elvis was in the New York studio. Elvis was in Hollywood, filming his first movie, and he sang from the CBS studio there. Sullivan was recovering from an August head-on car collision, and Charles Laughton, the star of Mutiny on the Bounty, filled in for the host, hailing his guest by saying, 'Away to Hollywood to meet Elvis Presley'.

Elvis, wearing a loud plaid jacket, greeted the audience from a set decorated with stylized guitar shapes. He announced that the show was 'probably the greatest honor I have ever had in my life', and then launched into 'Don't Be Cruel'. The camera stayed above his waist for now, sometimes closing in on his face, sometimes turning to show his backup singers, but something Elvis was doing out of lens range was causing unexplained screams from the audience. After the number was over, he acknowledged the vocal segment of the crowd, saying, 'Thank you, ladies'. To finish the first segment, he played the title song to his new movie, 'Love Me Tender', introducing it as 'completely different from anything we've ever done.' Nationwide, disk jockeys taped the performance and played the song, which had yet to be released, on their radio shows, increasing pre-release orders to almost a million and pushing forward the single's release date.

Elvis Presley : First Appearance : The Ed Sullivan Show : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : First Appearance : The Ed Sullivan Show : September 9, 1956.

Viewers got to see the full Elvis - legs, hips, and all - during the second segment, when he performed the up-tempo Little Richard song 'Ready Teddy' and two verses of 'Hound Dog.' Young rock fans today would doubtless have a hard time understanding what all the scandal was about, as his frenetic swivels and shuffles look chaste compared to the gyrations common on MTV. But Elvis on that night (and his rock star peers in general around the same time) arguably set in motion a trend that continues today. The press was quick to note that the cameras switched to close-up shots whenever he started dancing, in effect censoring him, but the TV audience got to see plenty, and besides, the girls screamed when he grunted, moved his tongue, crossed his eyes, or even stood perfectly still. With Elvis, censorship began to seem irrelevant. As Laughton noted at the end of the hour, 'Well, what did someone say? Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast?'

Elvis Presley : First Appearance : The Ed Sullivan Show : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : First Appearance : The Ed Sullivan Show : September 9, 1956.

The viewing audience certainly wasn't so offended that it changed the channel. The September 9 Sullivan show reached 82.6 percent of the TV audience, and Steve Allen hadn't even seen fit to offer an alternative; NBC had showed a movie instead. Censorship did enjoy one last gasp during Elvis' third appearance, on January 6, 1957, when Sullivan - or, as some historians believe, a publicity-hungry Parker - did indeed instruct the camera operator to show him only from the waist up, even when he sang the gospel tune Peace in the Valley. It was the last song he would ever perform on the show. Parker was now demanding $300,000 for future TV engagements, stipulating that a network must also commit to two guest spots and an hour-long special.

Even as he priced his client out of its range, Parker credited the program with the success of 'Love Me Tender' New page link and earning Elvis the esteem of American adults for the first time. Historians assert that Elvis' three nights on the Sullivan show helped bridge the gap between the first rock 'n' roll generation and their parents.

Elvis Presley : First Appearance : The Ed Sullivan Show : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : First Appearance : The Ed Sullivan Show : September 9, 1956.

The Rehearsals

Elvis Presley :The Ed Sullivan Show : Rehearsals : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley :The Ed Sullivan Show : Rehearsals : September 9, 1956.

Elvis going over what he's going to say to the audience before closing out the show with Hound Dog.

Elvis Presley and DJ Fontana : The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley and DJ Fontana : The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals : September 9, 1956.

Elvis Presley : The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals : September 9, 1956.

Elvis Presley : The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals : September 9, 1956.

Elvis Presley : The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals : September 9, 1956.

Greeting Fans | Pre Show

Elvis Presley : With his fans, pre show : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : With his fans, pre show : September 9, 1956.

Elvis Presley : With his fans, pre show : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : With his fans, pre show : September 9, 1956.

Elvis Presley : With his fans, pre show : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : With his fans, pre show : September 9, 1956.

Elvis Presley : With his fans, pre show : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : With his fans, pre show : September 9, 1956.

Elvis Presley : With his fans, pre show : September 9, 1956.
Elvis Presley : With his fans, pre show : September 9, 1956.

Elvis Presley: The Ed Sullivan Show Appearances

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley: First Appearance | The Ed Sullivan Show | September 9, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley: The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals | New York, October 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley gets his Polio Shot | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley: The Ed Sullivan Show | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley: January 6, 1957 | Warwick Hotel, New York
Elvis Presley Photos With with Joanne Wilson, New York City's March of Dimes poster girl for 1956 (Same as above)
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley: The Ed Sullivan Show | January 6, 1957 | His third and final Appearance
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis, Monday evening, January 7, 1957 following his last appearance on the Ed Sullivan show

January 1956

TV Appearance = Elvis on TV | 1956 One incredible year !!!

Articles about Elvis Presley Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley RCA's McGavock St Studio | January 10 and 11, April 14, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos 1956 business contract signed by Colonel Parker and Elvis for The Elvis Presley Show
Elvis Presley Video Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | January 28, 1956 TV Appearance

Articles about Elvis Presley What is an Elvis Presley?

February

Elvis Presley Video Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | February 4, 1956 TV Appearance
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore and Bill Black | February 9, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Backstage February 10, 1956
Elvis Presley Video Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show| February 11, 1956 TV Appearance
Elvis Presley Video Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | February 18, 1956 TV Appearance

March

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley 1956 | March/June/July
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley's 1956 Home | 1034 Audubon Drive, Memphis, TN

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Lousinana Hayride | March 10, 1956
Elvis Presley Video Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | March 17, 1956 TV Appearance
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley singing and playing gospel music | March 17, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Jimmy Dean and Elvis Presley on the Jimmy Dean WMAL-TV Show, March 23, 1956
Elvis Presley Video Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | March 24, 1956 TV Appearance

April

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Milton Berle Show | April 3, 1956 TV Appearance
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Arena | San Diego | April 4, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Wichita Falls, Texas | April 9, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Fair Park Coliseum, Lubbock, TX | April 10, 1956
Articles about Elvis Presley Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley RCA's McGavock St Studio | January 10 and 11, April 14, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley San Antonio | April 15, 1956
Articles about Elvis Presley Elvis Gives Out With Crazy Cool Interview | April 17, 1956
Articles about Elvis Presley Elvis thrilled Tulsa teens at fairgrounds April 18, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Oklahoma City | April 19, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley April 20, 1956 | North Side Coliseum, Forth Worth
Articles about Elvis Presley Elvis Presley, New Singing Find, Booked Into New Frontier | April 21, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley at The New Frontier Hotel | From April 23, 1956
Elvis Presley CD, Book and DVD Reviews Review | Elvis Presley at The New Frontier | Las Vegas Sun | April 26, 1956
Elvis Presley CD, Book and DVD Reviews Review | Elvis Presley at The New Frontier | Las Vegas SUN | April 28, 1956

May

Elvis Presley CD, Book and DVD Reviews Review | Elvis Presley at The New Frontier | Las Vegas SUN | May 1, 1956
Elvis Presley CD, Book and DVD Reviews Letter to the editor | Las Vegas SUN | May 12, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Auditorium in St. Paul, Minnesota | May 13, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley May 14, 1956 | LaCrosse Wisconsin
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley May 15, 1956 | Ellis Auditorium
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Detroit, MI. Fox Theater May 25, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Columbus, Ohio | May 26, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis, Scotty, Bill and DJ performed two shows at the UD Fieldhouse in Dayton | May 27, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos
Elvis Presley Dayton, Oh., as Elvis left for Memphis | May 28, 1956
Elvis Presley Video Elvis greeting fans at Los Angeles Airport, 1956

June

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley 1956 | March/ June/ July
Elvis Presley Photos Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley swap autographs, Memphis | June 1, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Arriving in Oakland | June 3, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley In Concert | Oakland California | June 3, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos The Milton Berle Show Los Angeles | June 5, 1956 TV Appearance
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley June 7, 1956 | Long Beach Municipal Auditorium
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley June 8, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley | Wink Martindale Show | June 16, 1956
Articles about Elvis Presley Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley MP3 Audio Elvis Presley Video Elvis Presley Interview with Wink and Sandy Martindale
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley and Red West at Elvis' 1034 Audubon Drive House | June 14, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Vernon, Gladys and Elvis Presley sing at the piano | 1034 Audubon Drive House | June 17, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley and Barbara Hearn | June 19, 1956 | Fairgrounds Amusement Park, Memphis
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley and Barbara Hearn at Elvis' 1034 Audubon Drive House | June 19, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley with Susan Hayward | June 28, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Mosque Theater, Richmond, Va | June 30, 1956

July

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley 1956 | March | June | July
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Hudson Theater | New York City | Steve Allen Show | July 1, 1956 TV Appearance
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley RCA Studio One, Memphis, Tennessee | July 2, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos
Elvis Presley On The Train to, Memphis, Tennessee | July 3, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Russwood Park, Memphis, Tennessee | July 4, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley St. Joseph's Hospital Memphis Tennessee | July 5, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Ocean Springs, MS. | Thursday, July 12, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis performs with The Statesman Quartet at Ellis Auditorium | July 27, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Water Skiing | Biloxi July 31, 1956

August

Articles about Elvis Presley Who The Hell Is Elvis Presley? By Leonard Bennett Cabaret, August 1956

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Love Me Tender Movie Set Photos
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Olympia Theater, Miami, Florida | August 3, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley August 5, 1956 | Tampa Florida
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Florida Theatre St. Petersburg | August 7, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Jacksonville, FL. Florida Theater (3 shows per day) | August 10-11, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley August 7, 1956 | Candid Photos
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley at the Knickerbocker Hotel, Hollywood | August 18, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Love Me Tender Recording Sessions | August 24, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley August 31, 1956 | On the set of Love Me Tender

September

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show 1956-1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley September 1-3, 1956 Recording Sessions
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley First Appearance | The Ed Sullivan Show | September 9, 1956 TV Appearance
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Asleep In Flight | Back To Memphis September 23, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley September 26, 1956 | Tupelo, MS. Mississippi-Alabama Fairgrounds
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley wearing the new 'Elvis Presley hat', backstage in Tupelo, September 26, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley at the Mid-South Fair | Memphis September 29, 1956

October

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley October 5, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos
Elvis Presley Cotton Bowl, Dallas | October 11, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos
Elvis Presley October 18, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley October 19, 1956 | Assault Charge
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals | October 26-28, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | Dress Rehearsals | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | Press Conference | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley gets his Polio Shot | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | October 28, 1956 TV Appearance
Elvis Presley Photos Natalie Wood and Elvis Presley outside the Hotel Chisca | October 31, 1956

November

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis | Toledo | November 22, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Cleveland Arena, Ohio | November 23, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley E.H. Crump Memorial Football Game | November 30, 1956

December

Articles about Elvis Presley What is an Elvis Presley?
Articles about Elvis Presley The Million Dollar Quartet (December 4, 1956)
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley December 11, 1956 | Mobbed by fans in Memphis after running out of gas
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley's Last Louisiana Hayride Performance | December 15, 1956
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Touch Football | Dave Wells Community Center | December 27, 1956

1957

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | His third and final Appearance | January 6, 1957 TV Appearance

 DVD. Elvis Presley The King of Rock 'n' Roll

The Movies Of 1956

Elvis Presleys Movies 1956, Love Me Tender, Twentieth Century Fox

The Movies In Photos

Elvis Presley Photos Love Me Tender

CDs | DVDs | Books

Buy Elvis Presley CD, DVDs and Books at ...

Official Elvis Presley WebShop | CDs, DVDs, LP Records, Books, Elvis Memorabilia | ElvisPresleyShop.com

Elvis Presley Photos

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Elvis Presley Video Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD

Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.

This is an excellent release no fan should be without it.

The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.

Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.