The Ed Sullivan Show 1948 1971 Ed Sullivans show was straight out of old vaudeville brief acts of every description, from slapstick comedy to operatic arias At least once, he showed a film, the only known film of Anna Pavlova doing her Swan Dance The Muppets first TV appearance was on Ed Sullivan Stiff and expressionless, with a peculiar voice and a talent for mispronunciation, Sullivan was at least as recognizable as Cronkite to early 60s viewers