1902-1974
Television Host

King of Variety Shows.

Ed Sullivan was the king of variety shows in the 1950s. With his CBS shows the "Toast of the Town" and "The Ed Sullivan Show," Sullivan parlayed his expressionless manner and untelegenic face into a television institution.

Early Career.

Sullivan first gained prominence in 1932 as the author of the "Little Old New York" column, which was published in the New York Daily News and syndicated to newspapers across the United States. The same year he began a radio variety show that was notable for broadcasting Jack Benny, Irving Berlin, and George M. Cohan, among others. In 1942 he began a network radio show on CBS called "Ed Sullivan Entertains."

Television Premiere.

His premiere on television occurred without his knowledge. Sullivan was the master of ceremonies of the annual Harvest Moon Ball, a dance competition sponsored by the Daily News and...