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

Elvis' third and final appearance on Sullivan's show on January 6, 1957, contains the legendary moments when the CBS censors would not allow his entire body to be shown. Seen only from the waist up, Elvis still put on an exciting show, singing seven songs in three segments.

Note Elvis saluted the uprising in Budapest during this last appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Then he performed Peace in the Valley, a gospel standard, as a tribute to the Hungarians' plight. 'He feels that this is sort of in the mood that he'd like to create', the host explained. At the singer's request, Sullivan solicited the TV audience to donate to Hungarian relief efforts - raising about 25m Swiss francs.

Elvis' third and final appearance on Sullivan's show on January 6, 1957, contains the legendary moments when the CBS censors would not allow his entire body to be shown. Seen only from the waist up, Elvis still put on an exciting show, singing seven songs in three segments. In one segment, Elvis and the Jordanaires sang 'Peace in the Valley', which Elvis dedicated to the earthquake victims of Eastern Europe.

But it was his rendition of such Presley hits as Heartbreak Hotel and Hound Dog that stirred up the studio audience. Their screams and applause clued the television viewers in to what Elvis was doing out of camera range, almost subverting the censors' intent. Once again, the interaction between Elvis and the studio audience added to the power of his performance. After Elvis' final number, Sullivan declared him to be 'a real decent, fine boy' -- a rather hypocritical statement considering what he and the censors had just done to Elvis' act. For years people have wondered why Elvis was censored during his third appearance on Sullivan's show. The simplest and most probable explanation is that Sullivan received negative criticism about Elvis' earlier appearances. Other, more outrageous explanations include the theory that the Colonel forced Sullivan to apologize publicly for remarks he'd made about Elvis to the press the previous summer, and the waist-up-only order was Sullivan's way of getting back at Parker. The wildest explanation was offered by a former director of The Ed Sullivan Show, who said that during his second appearance, Elvis put a cardboard tube down the front of his trousers and manipulated it to make the studio audience scream. To avoid a repeated occurrence of that behavior, Sullivan supposedly insisted on the above-the-waist coverage for Elvis' final appearance.

None of these explanations offers any real insight into Sullivan's motivations but all add to the folklore surrounding this event, thereby enhancing Elvis' image as a notorious rock 'n' roller.

The Ed Sullivan Show : CBS Studio
New York - 06.01.1957
Elvis Presley Lyrics Hound Dog
Elvis Presley Lyrics Love Me Tender
Elvis Presley Lyrics Heartbreak Hotel
Elvis Presley Lyrics Don't Be Cruel
Elvis Presley Lyrics Too Much
Elvis Presley Lyrics When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Elvis Presley Lyrics Peace In The Valley

Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.
Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.

Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.
Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.

Sullivan closed the show with a seal of approval for this new family-friendly version of Elvis, saying, 'This is a read decent, fine boy. We've never had a pleasanter experience with a big name'. This was Elvis last television appearance until the Elvis Presley Photos Frank Sinatra Special on his return from the Army. When the show was over, Elvis boarded the midnight train to Memphis, where on Tuesday, Jan. 8, he celebrated his 22nd birthday.

Following is an edited interview with Larry Auerbach who talks about booking Elvis on his first TV show and taking him to buy his 'first' 'Jockstap' - and why he needed too. Then we have Milton Berle talking about Elvis.

Elvis Presley Video Larry Auerbach talks about Elvis (03:57)

Above : Larry Auerbach talks about booking Elvis on his first TV show.

Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.
Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.

Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.
Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.

Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.
Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.

Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.
Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.

Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.
Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.

Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.
Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.

Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.
Elvis Presley rehearsing for The Ed Sullivan Show : January 6, 1957 : His third and final appearance.

Elvis, Leny Eversong, Ed Sullivan, after show rehearsals were completed.
Elvis, Leny Eversong, Ed Sullivan, after show rehearsals were completed.

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis, Monday evening, January 7, 1957 following his last appearance on the Ed Sullivan show

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 1957

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Kennedy Veterans Hospital | January 4, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley January 6, 1957 | Warwick Hotel, New York
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | His third and final Appearance | January 6, 1957 TV Appearance
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis, Monday evening, January 7, 1957 following his last appearance on the Ed Sullivan show
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Elvis may move into Graceland Newspaper article | 1957

March

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley displays the toy pistol that caused him some trouble | March 22, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Pfc. Hershel Nixon and Elvis Presley shake hands | March 26, 1957
Elvis Presley MP3 Audio Interview Elvis Presley Fort Wayne, Indiana, March 30, 1957

April

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Buffalo, NY. Memorial Coliseum | April 1, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Maple Leaf Gardens Canada | April 2, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Ottawa Canada | April 3, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Sports Arena | April 5, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley and Knox Phillips | Memphis, TN | Tuesday April 9, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley with Yvonne Lime | Easter 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley New Music Gates at Graceland in 1957 | April 22, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos April 30, 1957 | Bill for Stone Wall Built at the front of Graceland

May

Elvis Presley Photos The Dog House That Frank Helped Build | May 17-19, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos May 1957 | The Jailhouse Rock Recording Sessions

June

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley with comic Lou Costello and actress Jane Russell | Russwood Park | June 28, 1957

August

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Vancouver, Canada. Empire Stadium | August 31, 1957

September

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Tacoma, WA. Lincoln Bowl (Matinee Show) | September 1, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Seattle, WA. Sick's Stadium (Evening Show) | September 1, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Multnomah Civic Stadium Portland, OR | September 2, 1957

October

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley October 1, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley and Joan Adams | Las Vegas, October 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley October 28 & 29, 1957 | Pan Pacific Auditorium

November

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Hawaii | November 9, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Hawaii | November 10, 1957
Elvis Presley Video Interviews with or about Elvis Presley Elvis Presley Honolulu Stadium, Hawaii November, 10 1957

December

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley WDIA Goodwill Revue | December 6, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos
Elvis Presley December 16, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Graceland | December 20, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley and Colonel Parker | Isetta Sports Car | Saturday | December 21, 1957
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley December 21, 1957 | Evening | Ryman Auditorium, Nashville
Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Hannerl Melcher | December 1957

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

Elvis Presley Photos Elvis Presley Telegram to Young Fan

The Movies Of 1957

Elvis Presleys Movies 1957, Loving You, Paramount
Elvis Presleys Movies 1957, Jailhouse Rock, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

The Movies In Photos

Elvis Presley Photos Loving You New page link
Elvis Presley Photos Jailhouse Rock New page link

Video

Elvis Presley Video Video | Amazing new Hawaii 1957 footage

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.