Series Description

Toast of the Town was a 60 minute variety series on CBS. For an incredible 23 years, this series (renamed "The Ed Sullivan Show" in the ninth season) brought the finest acts of the day into American homes. Whether one's interests lie with opera or rock music, ballet or broadway showgirls, comedy, Chinese acrobats or ventriloquists, one was sure to find it on this program!

Toast of the Town Cast

Ed Sullivan (Host)
Ray Block And His Orchestra
June Taylor Dancers

Toast of the Town Trivia

The first episode of Toast of the Town was produced for $1375! Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis ("Colgate Comedy Hour") appeared on that episode and were paid a whopping $200 (for both) as their salary!

The original title chosen for this show was, "You're The Top", but was changed to "Toast of the Town" before the first episode aired.

Ed Sullivan was born a twin but his sibling did not survive.

Many future big name performers made their debuts on Toast of the Town. Some of those were The Beatles, Walt Disney ("The Wonderful World of Disney"), Bob Hope ("Chrysler Theatre"), Lena Horne, Charles Laughton, and Martin & Lewis. It is commonly believed that Elvis Presley made his television debut on Toast of the Town but that is not true. His first time on television was in January of 1956 on the series, "Stage Show (1954)" starring Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey.

It's interesting that Walt Disney made his television debut on this show (on February 8, 1953). The very next year he got his own show and eventually surpassed this one as the longest running prime-time series on television (at that time). In the beginning, both Toast of the Town and Ed Sullivan himself received terrible reviews from the critics. Ed was said to have no "charisma" on the screen. The critics hated the fact that totally unrelated acts were booked on the same episode. Oh well. The public loved it.

The name of the show was changed from Toast of the Town to the "Ed Sullivan Show" on September 18, 1955. Ed Sullivan was called "The Great Stone Face" by many! His lack of an apparent personality was stangely appealing and probably contributed to his success on Toast of the Town. Looks can be deceiving, however. Newspaper columnist Harriet Van Horne once wrote, "He got where he is not by having a personality, but by having no personality; he is the commonest common denominator." Ed Sullivan sent her a short note which read, "Dear Miss Van Horne, You bitch. Sincerely, Ed Sullivan." So Ed could have a hard personality when it suited him, but it could also be "soft". When dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson died broke, Sullivan paid for his funeral out of his own pocket.

Episodes List With Original Air Dates And Guests

Note: For the first five seasons of Toast of the Town, guest information is sketchy at best. Where there is no guest data, we've listed the airdate only.

Toast of the Town - The First Season

1. Martin & Lewis / Rogers And Hammerstein (6/20/1948)
2. (6/27/1948)
3. (7/4/1948)
4. (7/11/1948)
5. (7/18/1948)
6. (7/25/1948)
7. (8/1/1948)
8. (8/8/1948)
9. (8/15/1948)
10. (8/22/1948)
11. (8/29/1948)
12. (9/5/1948)
13. (9/12/1948)

Toast of the Town - The Second Season

14. (9/19/1948)
15. Bob Hope Cameo / Al Bernie (9/26/1948)
16. (10/3/1948)
17. (10/10/1948)
18. (10/17/1948)
19. (10/24/1948)
20. (10/31/1948)
21. (11/7/1948)
22. (11/14/1948)
23. (11/21/1948)
24. (11/28/1948)
25. (12/5/1948)
26. (12/12/1948)
27. (12/19/1948)
28. (12/26/1948)
29. (1/2/1949)
30. (1/9/1949)
31. (1/16/1949)
32. Jule Stein & Sammy Cahn / Byron Palmer & Doretta Morrow (1/23/1949)
33. (1/30/1949)
34. (2/6/1949)
35. (2/13/1949)
36. (2/20/1949)
37. (2/27/1949)
38. (3/6/1949)
39. (3/13/1949)
40. (3/20/1949)
41. (3/27/1949)
42. (4/3/1949)
43. (4/10/1949)
44. (4/17/1949)
45. (4/24/1949)
46. (5/1/1949)
47. (5/8/1949)
48. (5/15/1949)
49. (5/22/1949)
50. (5/29/1949)
51. (6/5/1949)
52. (6/12/1949)
53. (6/19/1949)
54. Sarah Vaughan (6/26/1949)
55. (7/3/1949)
56. Joan Merrill / Bill Tabbert / Illinois Jacket / Brooklyn Dodgers Ballplayers (7/10/1949)
57. (7/17/1949)
58. (7/24/1949)
59. (7/31/1949)
60. (8/7/1949)
61. (8/14/1949)
62. (8/21/1949)
63. (8/28/1949)
64. (9/4/1949)
65. (9/11/1949)

Toast of the Town - The Third Season

66. Louis Prima / Buddy Lester / Ruby Hill / Sonny Howard (9/18/1949)
67. (9/25/1949)
68. Ethel Waters / Frank Parker / John Golden / Fletcher Henderson / Harold Lang (10/2/1949)
69. Pearl Bailey / Joey Bishop / Victor Borge / Gracie Barrie / Ed Durlacher (10/9/1949)
70. (10/16/1949)
71. (10/23/1949)
72. (10/30/1949)
73. (11/6/1949)
74. Vaughn Monroe / Denise Darcel / Fran Warren / Leo Fuchs / Jack Waldron (11/13/1949)
75. (11/20/1949)
76. (11/27/1949)
77. Sarah Vaughan / Maria Neglia (12/4/1949)
78. (12/11/1949)
79. (12/18/1949)
80. Larry Storch / Mimi Benzell / Phil Jones Dancers / Johnny Marks Cameo (12/25/1949)
81. (1/1/1950)
82. (1/8/1950)
83. (1/15/1950)
84. (1/22/1950)
85. (1/29/1950)
86. Teresa Brewer / Luise Rainer / Mickey Shaughnessy (2/5/1950)
87. (2/12/1950)
88. (2/19/1950)
89. (2/26/1950)
90. (3/5/1950)
91. (3/12/1950)
92. (3/19/1950)
93. (3/26/1950)
94. (4/2/1950)
95. (4/9/1950)
96. (4/16/1950)
97. (4/23/1950)
98. (4/30/1950)
99. (5/7/1950)
100. (5/14/1950)
101. (5/21/1950)
102. (5/28/1950)
103. (7/4/1950)
107. (7/2/1950)
112. (8/6/1950)
116. (9/3/1950)
117. (9/10/1950)
118. (9/17/1950)

Toast of the Town - The Fourth Season

119. (9/24/1950)
120. Jackie Robinson Cameo / Bert Lahr / Betty Kean (10/1/1950)
121. (10/8/1950)
122. (10/15/1950)
123. (10/22/1950)
124. (10/29/1950)
125. (11/5/1950)
126. (11/12/1950)
127. (11/19/1950)
128. (11/26/1950)
129. (12/3/1950)
130. (12/10/1950)
131. (12/17/1950)
132. (12/24/1950)
133. (12/31/1950)
134. (1/7/1951)
135. Anna Maria Alberghetti / James Melton / Sam Snead (1/14/1951)
136. (1/21/1951)
137. (1/28/1951)
138. (2/4/1951)
139. (2/11/1951)
140. Sugar Ray Robinson / Ray McKinley / Molly Pecan (2/18/1951)
141. (2/25/1951)
144. Nancy Walker / Roberta Peters / Lucienne Boyer (3/18/1951)
145. (3/25/1951)
146. Les Paul & Mary Ford / Douglas Fairbanks Jr. / Phil Spatalny (4/1/1951)
147. (4/8/1951)
151. (5/6/1951)
155. (6/3/1951)
159. (7/1/1951)
164. (8/5/1951)
168. (9/2/1951)
170. (9/16/1951)

Toast of the Town - The Fifth Season

171. (9/23/1951)
172. (9/30/1951)
173. (10/7/1951)
174. (10/14/1951)
175. (10/21/1951)
176. Morton Downey Sr. / Rocky Marciano / Ann Jeffreys / Mrs. Al Jolson Cameo (10/28/1951)
177. (11/4/1951)
178. (11/11/1951)
179. (11/18/1951)
180. (11/25/1951)
181. (12/2/1951)
182. (12/9/1951)
186. (1/6/1952)
187. (1/13/1952)
188. Mahalia Jackson / Phil Spitalny / Helen Wood (1/20/1952)
190. (2/3/1952)
191. Audrey Hepburn & Michael Evans / Roberta Peters / Ralph Branca / Bobby Thompson (2/10/1952)
192. George White Scandals" w/ Hal LeRoy / Helen Wood / Harry Richman (2/17/1952)
193. Tribute To Cole Porter" w/ Helen Wood / W. Gaxton / Delores Gray / Lisa Kirk (2/24/1952)
199. (4/6/1952)
200. (4/13/1952)
201. (4/20/1952)
202. (4/27/1952)
203. (5/4/1952)
204. (5/11/1952)
205. Dorothy Dandridge / Errol Flynn & Paulette Goddard / Sam Snead (5/18/1952)
206. (5/25/1952)
207. (6/1/1952)
208. (6/8/1952)
209. Rogers & Hart Tribute: Richard Hayes / Jane Froman / Lisa Kirk (6/15/1952)
216. (8/3/1952)
223. Edith Piaf / Pat O'Brian / Joe E. Lewis / Van Velts (9/21/1952)

Toast of the Town - The Sixth Season

224. (9/28/1952)
225. (10/5/1952)
226. (10/12/1952)
227. Pearl Bailey / Bill Bailey / Hilde Gueden / Nanci Crompton (10/19/1952)
228. Joe Lewis / Connie Russell / "Happy Time" Movie Clip (10/26/1952)
229. Frankie Laine / Sugar Ray Robinson / Barry Fitzgerald / Alec Templeton / The Szonys (11/2/1952)
230. Bert Lahr / Edith Piaf / Harry Mimmo / The Delta Rhythm Boys (11/9/1952)
231. Henry Fonda / Edith Piaf / Mario Del Monico / Harrison & Fisher (11/16/1952)
232. Les Paul & Mary Ford / Paul Lynde / Johnny Mize / "My Darling Aida" cast (11/23/1952)
233. Roberta Peters / Ronnie Graham / Leslie Randall (11/30/1952)
234. Samuel Goldwyn Story" Part 1 With Bob Hope / Danny Kaye / E. Cantor (12/7/1952)
235. The Samuel Goldwyn Story" Part 2 w/ Frank Loesser (12/14/1952)
236. (12/21/1952)
237. Gloria DeHaven / Bobby Clark / Ronnie Graham / Phil Jones (12/28/1952)
238. Billy Eckstine / Bill Sears / Maria Riva / Mickey Deems / Eileen O'Dare (1/4/1953)
239. Robert Taylor / Eleanor Parker / Margaret Sullivan / Guy Mitchell
240. Ed Wynn / Joni James / Margaret Brown (1/11/1953) (1/18/1953)
241. Ed Wynn / Patachou / Patricia Moran & Jack Cassidy / Mercedes McCambridge (1/25/1953)
242. (2/1/1953)
243. The Life Story Of Walt Disney / Walt Disney (2/8/1953)
244. Bing Crosby / Gene Autry / Jimmy Boyd / Roberta Peters (2/15/1953)
245. (2/22/1953)
246. Humphrey Bogart / June Allison / Johnnie Ray / Helen Gallagher (3/1/1953)
247. Richard Widmark / Victor Moore / Vaughn Monroe / Sam Levinson / Patachou (3/8/1953)
248. Harry James / Helen Kane / Gracie Fields / Paul Ritts / Mary Halliday (3/15/1953)
249. (3/22/1953)
250. The Harlem Globetrotters / Rise Stevens / Gertrude Lawrence (on film) (3/29/1953)
251. Susan Hayward & Charlton Heston / Gracie Fields (4/5/1953)
252. Lilli Palmer & Rex Harrison / Jane Powell (4/12/1953)
253. Jane Powell & Farley Granger / Nanette Fabray / Senor Wences (4/19/1953)
254. Clark Gable & Gene Tierney / Roberta Peters & Jan Peerce (4/26/1953)
255. Joe Louis / Mercedes McCambridge / Dany Dauberson / Joe Termini (5/3/1953)
256. Dorothy Lamour / Byron Nelson / The Goofers (5/10/1953)
257. The Josh Logan Story - Jimmy Stewart / Paul Newman / Janet Blair / Gary Merrill (5/17/1953)
258. Harry James / Millard Hopper / The Zippy Monkeys (5/24/1953)
259. Tony Martin / Myron Cohen / Joey Forman / Jose Greco (5/31/1953)
260. Tribute To Marge And Gower Champion / Lisa Kirk (6/7/1953)
261. Arthur Godfrey & Friends Cast / Julius LaRosa / McGuire Sisters (6/14/1953)
262. Gracie Fields (Guest Host) - Kay Starr / Jan Pierce / Jimmy Nelson (6/21/1953)
263. Tony Martin (Guest Host) - Roberta Peters / Joey Forman (6/28/1953)
264. Victor Borge (Guest Host) - Monica Lewis / Miss Universe Contestants (7/5/1953)
265. Gordon MacRae (Guest Host) - Jack Carter (7/12/1953)
266. (7/19/1953)
267. Van Heflin / Farley Granger / Joan McCracken / Rosemary Clooney (7/26/1953)
268. Henry Fonda / Joey Forman / The Zippy monkeys (8/2/1953)
269. Burt Lancaster / Jay Lawrence / Brucie Weil (8/9/1953)
270. Frankie Laine / Gene Nelson / Babe / Betty Dodd & Jimmy Boyd (8/16/1953)
271. Roberta Peters / The DeMarco Sisters / Landray And Vernon / Larry Lynn (8/23/1953)
272. Nanette Fabray / Wally Boag / Larry Griswold (8/30/1953)
273. Anna Maria Alberghetti / Brandon de Wilde / Jay Lawrence (9/6/1953)
274. Carmen Miranda / Joe Jackson Jr. / The Ice Capades (9/13/1953)

Toast of the Town - The Seventh Season

275. Gene Autry / John Raitt / Delores Gray (9/20/1953)
276. (9/27/1953)
277. Guy Mitchell / Teresa Brewer / Joe Louis (10/4/1953)
278. Harry Belafonte / Gwen Verdon (10/11/1953)
279. Grace Kelly & Ralph Meeker / David Wayne / John Forsythe (10/18/1953)
280. Patti Page / Julius Larosa / The Step Brothers (10/25/1953)
281. Ann Miller / Julius LaRosa / Bert Lahr & Art Carney (11/1/1953)
282. Toast To The Met" With Rise Stevens / Robert Merrill / Roberta Peters (11/8/1953)
283. Gordon MacRae / Peter Lind Hayes & Mary Healey (11/15/1953)
284. Rex Harrison & Lilli Palmer / Charles Boyer (11/22/1953)
285. Sophie Tucker / Joe E. Lewis / The Harmonicats / Julius LaRosa (11/29/1953)
286. Charles Boyer / Julius LaRosa / Roberta Peters (12/6/1953)
287. The Nicholas Brothers / Frankie Laine / Jimmy Boyd (12/13/1953)
288. The Salzburg Marionettes (part Of Christmas show (12/20/1953)
289. Rosemary Clooney / Julius LaRosa / Sam Levenson (12/27/1953)
290. Ice Capades Of '54 / Jose Greco / Richard Hayden / Robert Lamaret (1/3/1954)
291. Johnnie Ray / David Wayne & John Forsythe (1/10/1954)
292. Roberta Peters / Senor Wences / Ching The Magician (1/17/1954)
293. The Ames Brothers / Margot Fonteyn / Michael Somes (1/24/1954)
294. Patti Page / Richard Tucker / Judith Anderson (1/31/1954)
295. Dorothy Lamour / Orson Bean / Ruth Draper / Yehudi Menuhin (2/7/1954)
296. The M-G-M Story (2/14/1954)
297. Tony Martin / Senior Wences / Myron Cohen (2/21/1954)
298. Betty And Jane Kean / Hilde Gueden / Eileen O'Dare / Colette Marchand (2/28/1954)
299. The ASCAP Story / Nat "King" Cole / Hurd Hatfield (3/7/1954)
300. Montgomery Cliff / Leslie Caron / Victor Borge / Julius LaRosa (3/14/1954)
301. Eddie Fisher / Betty And Jane Kean / The Harmonicats (3/21/1954)
302. Eartha Kitt / Teresa Brewer / Roberta Peters / Sophie Tucker (4/4/1954)
303. Gary Cooper & Burt Lancaster (On Film) / Leonard Warren (4/11/1954)
304. The Notre Dame Glee Club / Columbia University chorus / Joe Jackson Jr. (4/18/1954)
305. Chester Gould ("Dick Tracy" artist) / Korean Children's Choir (4/25/1954)
306. The ASCAP Story - Part 1 With W.C. Handy / Bert Lahr / Julius LaRosa / Lilian Roth (5/2/1954)
307. The ASCAP Story - Part 2 With Julius LaRosa / Barbara And Margaret Whiting (5/9/1954)
308. Nat "King" Cole / Ted Lewis / David Wayne / Dick Contino (5/16/1954)
309. David O. Selznick (on film) / Betty And Jane Kean / Mindy Carson (5/23/1954)
310. Patti Page / Red Buttons / Liberace / Hermione Gingold (5/30/1954)
311. Victor Borge / The Army Talent Championship Winners (6/6/1954)
312. Janice Paige & John Raitt / Victor Borge / The Goofers / The Wichita Orphans (6/13/1954)
313. 6th Anniversary Show With Jackie Gleason / Harold Arlen / Rise Stevens (6/20/1954)
314. Bert Lahr / Joni James / Pat Henning / Patachou (6/27/1954)
315. The Ink Spots / Delores Gray / The Step Brothers (7/4/1954)
316. Rosemary Clooney / Four Lads / Joan Holloway / Miss Universe Finalists (7/11/1954)
317. Vaughn Monroe / Carol Haney / Doretta Morrow / Rafael Mendez (7/18/1954)
318. Tops in Blues - Air Force Talent Show (7/25/1954)
319. Polly Bergen / Ames Brothers / Smith And Dale / Lee Allen (8/1/1954)
320. Victor Borge (Guest Host) - Audrey Meadows & Jack Whiting / Mary Small (8/8/1954)
321. Victor Borge (Guest Host) - Janis Paige / Mata & Hari (8/15/1954)
322. Eartha Kitt / Janis Paige / John Raitt / Andrea Dancers (8/22/1954)
323. Eddie Fisher (Guest Host) - Zouaves drill team / Joyce's Camel (8/29/1954)
324. Ice Capades Of 1955." Plus: Roberta Peters / Sonny Howard (9/5/1954)
325. The Darryl F. Zanuck Story" w/ Jack Benny / Dan Dailey / Shirley Temple (9/12/1954)
326. Salute To The U.S. Navy" - All Naval Personnel Performers (9/19/1954)

Toast of the Town - The Eighth Season

327. Los Chavales De Espagna / Happy Wanderers (9/26/1954)
328. Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz / Vivian Vance / William Frawley (10/3/1954)
329. Patti Page / Xavier Cugat & Abbe Lane / "A Star Is Born" Preview (10/10/1954)
330. Bing Crosby (on film) / Liberace / Irving Berlin / Orson Bean (10/17/1954)
331. Pearl Bailey & Robert Merrill / Carol Haney / The Treniers (10/24/1954)
332. Grantland Rice tribute / Nat King Cole / Bert Lahr & Art Carney / D. Fairbanks Jr. (10/31/1954)
333. Mills Brothers / Elaine Stritch / Kitty Kallen / Dane Clark (11/7/1954)
334. Elaine Stritch / Julius LaRosa / Elizabeth Taylor & Van Johnson Interviews (11/14/1954)
335. Roberta Peters / Jimmy Boyd / Gregory Peck (On Film - "Moby Dick") (11/21/1954)
336. Fanny" cast (Florence Henderson / Lloyd Reese) / Also: Teresa Brewer (11/28/1954)
337. Kirk Douglas / Eartha Kitt / Ames Brothers / Jackie Miles / Carol Haney (12/5/1954)
338. The Crew-Cuts ("Sh-Boom") / Virginia Mayo / Sophie Tucker (12/12/1954)
339. The Chordettes / Patti Page / On film: Frank Sinatra / Robert Michum (12/19/1954)
340. Cab Calloway / Billy DeWolfe / Hermione Gingold / Joan Weber (12/26/1954)
341. Pearl Bailey / Ted Lewis / June Valli / Sam Levenson / Maria Neglia (1/2/1955)
342. Grace Kelly / James Michener / Guy Mitchell / Forrest Tucker / Jose Greco (1/9/1955)
343. Esther Williams / Alice Pearce / Hermione Gingold / Gloria Lane (1/16/1955)
344. Robert Taylor / Roberta Peters / William Warfield / Viveca Linfors (1/23/1955)
345. A Cavalcade Of Radio - 1920 To 1955 (Many Stars Of Radio Programs) (1/30/1955)
346. The Columbia Pictures Story" With Kim Novak / Jack Lemmon / Maureen O'Hara (2/6/1955)
347. Les Paul And Mary Ford / Pearl Bailey And her brother Bill (2/13/1955)
348. Tribute To Gertrude Lawrence With Sarah Churchill / Helen Hayes / Dorothy Sarnoff (2/20/1955)
349. Eartha Kitt / The DeJohn Sisters / Shirl Conway / Nancy Andrews (2/27/1955)
350. Lillian Roth / The Fontane Sisters / Roy Franklin / Mata & Hari (3/6/1955)
351. Broadcast From Chicago: The Ice Capades / Victor Borge / Peg Leg Bates (3/13/1955)
352. Sarah Vaughn / Xavier Cugat & Abbe Lane / Sam Levenson (3/20/1955)
353. Tribute To Rodgers & Hammerstein w/Celeste Holm / John Raitt / Florence Henderson (3/27/1955)
354. Fred Astaire / Dorothy Dandridge / Sammy Davis Jr. / Julius LaRosa (4/3/1955)
355. Rosemary Clooney / James Cagney / Willie Mays / David Whitfield (4/10/1955)
356. James Stewart / Louis Armstrong / Joey Bishop / Robert Merrill (4/17/1955)
357. Harry Belafonte / Marion Marlowe / Carol Haney / Jackie Miles (4/24/1955)
358. Eartha Kitt / Georgia Gibbs / Lionel Hampton / Phil Foster (5/1/1955)
359. Eddie Fisher /Filmed Interviews With Hollywood Stars (5/8/1955)
360. Louis Armstrong / Will Mastin Trio (Sammy Davis Jr.) / Senior Wences (5/15/1955)
361. Aboard The U.S.S. Wisconsin - Burl Ives / Jack E. Leonard / June Valli (5/22/1955)
362. Andy Griffith / Pat Henning / Betty & Jane Kean / Lew Parker (5/29/1955)
363. Ricardo Montalban / Julius LaRosa / Gloria DeHaven / Carol Haney (6/5/1955)
364. U.S. Army Talent Contest Finalists (6/12/1955)
365. Mr. Roberts" salute w/ Henry Fonda / James Cagney / Jack Lemmon / John Forsythe (6/19/1955)
366. 7th Anniversary show - Bob Hope / Pearl Bailey / Will Jordan (6/26/1955)
367. From The USS Antietam: Chordettes /Step Brothers / Priscilla Wright (7/3/1955)
368. Marion Marlowe (Guest Host) - Eartha Kitt / Joey Bishop / Joan Holloway (7/10/1955)
369. Ethel Merman (Guest Host) - Russell Nype / Professor Backwards (7/17/1955)
370. Guy Mitchell (Guest Host) - Polly Bergen / Arthur Worsley (7/24/1955)
371. Tops In Blue" (U.S. Air Force Acts) (7/31/1955)
372. Bill Haley & His Comets / Jack Palance / Christopher Plummer / Roddy McDowall (8/7/1955)
373. The Mills Brothers / The Four Aces / Interviews With Sports Celebrities (8/14/1955)
374. Rosalind Russell / Gloria DeHaven / Eddie Albert / Tony Bennett / Marion Lorne (8/21/1955)
375. Eartha Kitt / Jay Lawrence / The Mariners / The Chicago Festival Singers (8/28/1955)
376. Georgia Gibbs / 1956 Ice Capades / Donna Atwood (9/4/1955)
377. Jane Russell & Jeanne Crain / Phil Silvers & "Sgt. Bilko" Cast / Ames Brothers (9/11/1955)
378. Julius LaRosa & Winners Of The Navy's World Wide Talent Contest (9/18/1955)

Note: For Seasons 9-24, see "The Ed Sullivan Show"