I think 1965 was the pivotal year of the Sixties. So many changes between then and Woodstock. Things kicked into high gear after “HELP!” appeared in movie theaters at the end of July, then the Beatles made their final in-person appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show (Ed’s last black&white broadcast), before their landmark concert at Shea Stadium. “Rubber Soul” was released in December, and for once the shorter American version of a Beatles album was the better one.
What got me thinking about this was Paul McCartney performing “I’m Down” at his first show in Boston this week at Fenway Park.
This reminded me of the Shea Stadium show, which took place while the fantastic 1964 World’s Fair was still open nearby. I got to see the World’s Fair with my family, but only my big sister saw the Beatles at Shea.
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Note Ringo’s comment about John cracking up and playing the organ with his elbow. The Beatles’ appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was recorded August 14 for broadcast on September 12. John did the same thing on the show, so it wasn’t spontaneous at Shea Stadium. In this video, the well-known voice in the Pillsbury’s commercial is Peter Thomas.
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To give you a better feeling for those times I’m going to run the entire final third of the Sullivan program, including a song by Cilla Black and the closing credits, both of which I’ve used before. You’ll also get to see Soupy Sales “Do the Mouse,” and look fast for Bonnie Franklin in an Anacin commercial.
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Sullivan owed the Beatles so much, and yet he complimented them for how they handled themselves?? He could have said, “I admire your accomplishments and your professionalism.” Instead, eighteen months after the Beatles first appeared on his show, Sullivan still affected an air of paternalism. But there was no stopping what was happening in society and culture, and by the end of the decade Sullivan was wearing loud suits and sporting sideburns.
