I grew up in the 1950s and '60s, when it was almost a holiday when a black act would go on Ed Sullivan.
Ed Sullivan brought me to TV first in 1952, then Garry Moore's program gave me a lot of confidence and freedom.
I had done about 60 television shows, from 'Ed Sullivan' to 'The Hollywood Palace,' before I ever went to 'Johnny Carson.' At the time, that was the showcase for comics. And I couldn't believe it.
I remember tap-dancing and singing in front of the TV when I was a kid, telling my dad to stop watching Ed Sullivan or Milton Berle and watch me.
And I was booked once to go on 'Ed Sullivan' and I got bumped and ran out the back door crying.
When I didn't do 'Runaround Sue' on the 'Ed Sullivan Show,' for example, I didn't listen to my inner voice. I should have.
I did the Ed Sullivan show four times. I did the Steve Allen show. I did the Jackie Gleason show.
Ed Sullivan will be around as long as someone else has talent.
We finally got our big break when Ed Sullivan put us on his show.
When I came to the United States, I appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show as a 13-year-old, and I played a Mendelssohn Concerto, and it sounded like a talented 13-year-old with a lot of promise. But it did not sound like a finished product.
