Impresario: The Life and Times of Ed Sullivan (87 page)

37
“there was never any question …”:
The New York Times
, August 5, 1956.

38
“The Ingrid Bergman-Rossellini baby …”: The
Daily News
, February 9, 1950.

39
“Why the hell did I say that?” Bowles, p. 125.

40
“tasteless and shocking.”: The
New York Post
, August 4, 1956.

41
“never seen anything like it,”:
New York Journal-American
, July 30, 1956.

42
“it would seem the producer’s approach …”:
The New York Times
, August 5, 1956.

43
“Incidentally, when is Ed Sullivan …”: Harris, p. 210.

44
“Ingrid never forgave me …”: Harris, p. 210.

Chapter Twelve

1
“I was a hot-headed college student,”: Bob Precht, interview with author.

2
“Well, if you’re that upset …”: Bowles, p. 61.

3
“He put me in place …”: Bob Precht, interview with author.

4
“Betty Dearest: This is the most wonderful …”: The
New York Post
, exact date unknown.

5
“It was very tempting,”: Bob Precht, interview with author.

6
“Hey, doc, come here quick …”: Bowles, p. 130.

7
“Tell them it’s nothing serious,”:
Ibid.

8
“frail and concave …”: Lewis, p. 183.

9
“I love Ed …”: Kelley, p. 585.

10
“Today, living on his 200-acre farm in Southbury …”:
Exposed
, March, 1957.

11
“Dear Ed. Would you lend me …”: Quoted by Sullivan in
Colliers
, September 14, 1956.

12
“Bring Back the Grinds …”: Quoted in the New York
Herald-Tribune
, July 3, 1956.

13
“Steven Allen Presley …”: Bowles, p. 121.

14
“$5,000 for some youngster …”: Leonard, John.
A Really Big Show: A Visual History of
The Ed Sullivan Show. New York: Penguin Group, 1992, p. 181. This quote likely comes from The
New York Post
, spring, 1956.

15
“I hereby offer Ed Sullivan $60,000 …”: The
New York Post
, July 13, 1956.

16
“From his extensive repertoire …”:
The New York Times
, September 10, 1956.

17
“If the adverse public reaction …”: First three letters quoted from
The New York Times
, September 23, 1956.

18
“The few studios that welcome rock ’n’ roll …”: Letter printed in
The New York Times
, September 30, 1956.

Chapter Thirteen

1
“responsible for such tactics” and Sullivan’s response: The
New York Post
, October 3, 1956.

2
“crybaby,”: The
New York Post
, October 4, 1956.

3
“I have no comment to make …”:
Variety
, date unknown.

4
“Ed Sullivan is the only man …”: Harris, p. 109.

5
“a sense of showmanship …”: Cantor, Eddie.
Take My Life.
New York: Doubleday and Company, 1957, p. 246.

6
“You never knew what he was going to say …”: Connie Francis, interview with author.

7
“Wasn’t your father Allen Jones?”: Jack Jones anecdote, as told by Carol Burnett, interview with author.

8
“Sometimes you wondered,”:
Ibid.

9
“You don’t screw …”: Lewis, p. 97.

10
“Dear Hub …”: Gabler, p. 487.

11
“He couldn’t integrate himself …”: Gabler, p. 497.

12
“He is ready to fight fire …”:
Time
, October 17, 1955.

13
“I never talk about …”: As quoted by Carol Burnett, from interview with author.

14
“During these ten years …”:
The New York Times
, June 22, 1958.

15
“I’m going to quit …”:
New York Journal-American
, June 21, 1958.

16
“I used to get letters …”:
The New York Times
, June 22, 1958.

17
“Ed, here’s something I know …”: Lewis, p. 166.

18
“All of us thank you …”:
Ibid.

19
“What was all that about?”:
Ibid.

20
“ungrateful, impolite people …”:
Life
, October 20, 1967.

21
“The noise was terrible …”:
London Evening Standard
, July 10, 1971.

22
“I don’t give a damn …”: Lewis, p. 168.

23
“People flocked to see it …”: Carol Burnett, interview with author.

24
“Ed Sullivan, of the
News.
”: Barbara Gallagher, interview with author.

25
“the Lowell Thomas …”:
New York Journal-American
, June 21, 1958.

26
“decadence, escapism, and insulation …”: Text of a speech given by Murrow on October, 15, 1958 in Chicago at the Radio and Television News Directors Association.

27
“Why the hell not …”: Lewis, p. 154.

28
“We believe Castro is not a …”: Halberstam, p. 721.

29
“Andy-roo, you and I are getting out of here …”: Andrew Laszlo, from interview with author.

30
“Andy-roo, I lied to you,”: Laszlo, interview with author. All Laszlo and Sullivan quotes from Castro story are from Laszlo interview with author. Information also comes from Laszlo, Andrew, ASC.
It’s a Wrap.
Hollywood: ASC Press, 2004.

31
“reacted violently …”: Laszlo, p. 22.

32
“[It will] be easy …”: Sullivan’s question and Castro’s answer from the broadcast interview, as seen on
The Ed Sullivan Show.

33
“Castro gets booed by newsreel audiences …”: The
Daily News
, November 2, 1959.

Chapter Fourteen

1
“Our mission to Moscow …”:
The Ed Sullivan Show
, August, 1959.

2
“I expected a gloomy city …”:
Ibid.

3
“Unless you intervene sir …”: Sullivan telegram to Nikita Khrushchev, dated September 5, 1959, from Sullivan personal papers.

4
“release the youngsters who participated …”: Sullivan telegram to Nikita Khrushchev, dated November 4, 1959, from Sullivan personal papers.

5
“Somewhere on this globe …”:
The Ed Sullivan Show
, 1959–60.

6
“The Colgate-Palmolive Company …”:
The New York Times
, June 2, 1959.

7
“Bob had a
lot
to learn …”: Sistie Moffit, interview with author.

8
“I was aggressive …”: Bob Precht, interview with author.

9
“Ed was the boss …”: Connie Francis, interview with author.

10
“Sophie had a fit …”:
Ibid.

11
“I feel my integrity as an artist …” and Sullivan’s reply:
The New York Times
, January 28, 1961.

12
“I am looking forward eagerly …”: Sullivan letter to Bill Paley, dated March 22, 1960, from Sullivan personal papers.

13
“Paley
loved
Ed Sullivan …”: Mike Dann, interview with author.

14
“dictated by the people …”:
The New York Times
, June 24, 1961. All FCC quotes in this section are
Ibid.

15
“Ed, I don’t have the money …”: Quotes for the account of Paar vs. Sullivan come from a variety of news and trade publications, including
Variety, Life
, the
New York Post
, and
Newsweek.

16
“We looked at that wall …”: Connie Francis, interview with author.

17
“Ed was going around …”: John Moffit, interview with author.

18
“It was scary!”: Vince Calandra, interview with author.

19
“In the past year …”:
The New York Times
, June 17, 1962.

20
“Carmine was Ed’s Nubian slave,”: Sistie Moffit, interview with author.

21
“if we can continue that spirit …”:
The New York Times
, October 17, 1962.

22
“The actors will be free …”:
The New York Times
, September 3, 1963.

23
“Alabama has moved ahead of Mississippi …”: “What’s Going On Here”: quotes from
The Ed Sullivan Show
, 1963–64.

24
“All the Kennedys send you …”: Joseph Kennedy letter to Sullivan, dated April 28, 1960, from Sullivan personal papers.

25
“Dear Sylvia, I had read that piece …”: Letter from Joe Kennedy to Sylvia Sullivan, dated October 4, 1960, from Sullivan personal papers.

26
“I think that your brilliant young son …”: Sullivan letter to Joseph Kennedy, dated April 20, 1962, from Sullivan personal papers.

27
“The idea for your International Assembly …”: President John Kennedy letter to Sullivan, dated March 15, 1961, from Sullivan personal papers.

28
“P.S. Ted and I watch your wonderful show …”: Joan Kennedy letter to Sullivan, dated July 17, 1964, from Sullivan personal papers.

29
“unforgettable moments”: The
Daily News
, March 23, 1973.

30
“the party of hope …”:
The New York Times
, May 24, 1963.

31
“I used to be a member …”: The
Daily News
, May 24, 1963.

32
“the nightmare week …”:
The Ed Sullivan Show
, 1963.

Chapter Fifteen

1
“call in a barber.”: Bowles, p. 184.

2
“I gave him my honest opinion …”: Peter Prichard, interview with author.

3
“You have been misinformed …”: Sullivan letter to Leslie Grade, dated November 13, 1964, from Sullivan personal papers.

4
“ ‘Sylvia,’ he said (Mrs. Sullivan recalls it well)…”:
Saturday Evening Post
, April 20, 1968.