Millions of Americans Tuned In
February 8, 1964. In this picture, the Beatles are surrounded by photographers on stage at CBS’ Studio 50, a day before they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. On the day of their performance, around 70 million Americans sat in front of their TV sets and witnessed them singing their iconic songs with grace.
The Beatles rehearsing on the set of The Ed Sullivan Show. Photo by Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
It’s actually incredible to look at the footage from the show. The whole crowd was shrieking with excitement, and the four boys looked like marionettes just jamming away as if this was the most normal situation in the world.