Impresario: The Life and Times of Ed Sullivan (86 page)

25
“Dear Miss Home …”: Bowles, p. 104.

26
“Don’t get swellheaded …”: The
Daily News
, July 17, 1948.

27
“Frankly Marlo …”: Lewis, p. 7.

28
“You can’t imagine how sick …”: Harris, p. 105.

29
“We were out having dinner …”:
Ibid.

30
“making him more of a fighter,”: Betty Sullivan Precht, interview with author.

31
“As a result of this session with the doctor …”: Sullivan letter to Lincoln Mercury executive, dated February 1, 1952, from Sullivan personal papers.

32
“My problem …”: Lewis, p. 93.

33
“Ed, you were in that little box there …”: Quote from Barbara Gallagher, a Sullivan show production assistant, interview with author. Sullivan told her this story late in his own life.

34
“one long blast …”: The
Daily News
, July 8, 1948.

35
“Tip to mobs …”: The
Daily News
, July 17, 1948.

36
“the Humphrey Bogart stork …”: The
Daily News
, July 5, 1948.

37
“Before she filed …”: The
Daily News
, June 30, 1948.

38
“ice cream and gambling.”:
The New York Times
, November 29, 1949.

39
“grayer and plumper,”: The
Daily News
, June 20, 1948.

40
“pretty grim over the coldblooded …”: The
Daily News
, July 5, 1948.

41
“Can you imagine the cleanup job …”: The
Daily News
, June 28, 1948.

42
“The Russian conflict …”: The
Daily News
, July 3, 1948.

43
“GOP leaders …”: The
Daily News
, July 19, 1948.

44
“Commies in this area bolder …”: The
Daily News
, July 15, 1948.

45
“Commies in this area have labored overtime …”: The
Daily News
, July 1, 1948.

46
“I am deeply distressed …”: Barnouw, Erik.
Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television.
London: Oxford University Press, 1975, p. 121.

47
“Kirkpatrick has sat in my living room …”: The
Daily News
, June 21, 1950.

48
“If he put the word out on you …”: Mike Dann, interview with author.

49
“Long before Senator McCarthy …”: The
New York Post
, March 12, 1952.

50
“fearing McCarthy’s retaliation …”: Halberstam, David.
The Fifties.
New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1993, p. 251.

Chapter Ten

1
“It was toward the end of the evening …”:
The New York Times
, August 21, 1949.

2
“I don’t want you to misunderstand …”: Lewis, p. 99.

3
“What Ed is getting at …”:
Ibid.

4
“that won’t change …”:
Ibid.

5
“I’ll see you Sunday …”:
Ibid.

6
“Any successor to Mr. Lewis …”: Contract between CBS and Ed Sullivan, dated August 31, 1950, from Sullivan personal papers.

7
“They will work as a team …”:
The New York Times
, April 17, 1950.

8
“For the most part …”: Lewis, p. 105.

9
“I’ve never met you, but if I do …”:
The New York Times
, December 9, 1950.

10
“I’ll never forget when …”: Mike Dann, interview with author.

11
“What does Sullivan do …”: Harris, p. 112.

12
“Maybe Fred should rub …”:
Ibid.

13
“looked right through me.”: Baker, Josephine and Jo Bouillon.
Josephine.
New York: Marlowe & Co., 1977, p. 179.

14
“a pathetic little steak …”:
Ibid.

15
“I thought a shameful thing had been done …”: Gray, Barry.
My Night People: 10,001 Nights in Broadcasting.
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1975, pp. 170–188.

16
“I don’t think that Winchell …”:
Ibid.

17
“I didn’t hear what Sullivan said …”:
Time
, January 7, 1952.

18
They rarely ever knock a guy …”: From a poem by Grantland Rice, used by Walter Winchell in his
Daily Mirror
column, December 26, 1951, quoted in Gabler, p. 422.

19
“so devastating that Winchell …”: Lewis, p. 23.

20
“I’ve got it—and Walter knows …”: Lewis, p. 24.

21
“the most miserable year …”: Bowles, p. 113.

22
“Excuse me,”:
Ibid.
Stork confrontation anecdote from Bowles.

23
“I am the best damned showman …”:
The New York Times
, March 23, 1952.

24
“Ed was terrified of CBS’s reaction …”: Logan, Josh.
My Up and Down, In and Out Life.
New York: Delacorte Press, 1976, p. 309.

25
“That was Julius’ swan song …”: Arthur Godfrey. Quoted in Singer, Arthur J.
Arthur Godfrey: The Adventures of an American Broadcaster.
Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 2000.

26
“He’ll be worth it …”: Lewis, p. 152.

27
“There’s nothing personal …”:
Time
, October 17, 1955.

28
“Why Sullivan can come in strange surroundings …”:
Variety
, May 27, 1953.

29
“People often ask me why I don’t smile more …”: Ed Sullivan, from the Foreward to Ritts, Paul.
The TV Jeebies.
Philadelphia: The John C. Winston Company, 1951.

30
“That fat-faced bum …”: Lewis, p. 121.

31
“It’s the old story …”: Lewis, p. 122.

32
“I did Sullivan as he really was …”: Will Jordan, interview with author.

Chapter Eleven

1
“The thing I remember most …”: George Carlin, interview with author.

2
“What did you think of the show …”: Vince Calandra, interview with author.

3
“He knew nothing about comedy,”: Phyllis Diller, interview with author.

4
“How am I going to explain …”: Harris, p. 137.

5
“If you can do it …”: Lewis, p. 126.

6
“He sure had his finger …”: Carol Burnett, interview with author.

7
“Again he leans into a gale …”:
Time
, October 17, 1955.

8
“built and maintained an outstanding reputation …”: Contract between CBS and Ed Sullivan, dated November 23, 1954, from Sullivan personal papers.

9
“I just want you to know how happy …”: Letter from Jack Van Volkenburg to Sullivan, dated November 23, 1954, from Sullivan personal papers.

10
“for the duration of your life.”: Contract between MCA and Ed Sullivan, dated March 19, 1955, from Sullivan personal papers.

11
“prayed that Sullivan dropped dead,”: Lewis, p. 125.

12
“
Ed Sullivan is going to do
…”: Dialogue from
Toast of the Town
, 1954.

13
“The most popular of all …”: Gabler, p. 468.

14
“tracked down and exposed,”: Quote from the column of Westbrook Pegler,
New York Journal-American
, 1953, as quoted in Kanfer, Stefan.
Ball of Fire: The Tumultuous Life and Comic Art of Lucille Ball.
New York: Vintage Books, 2003, p. 172.

15
“It’s a singularly fortunate thing …”: The
Daily News
, 1953, exact date unknown.

16
“Wherever he goes …”: Lewis, p. 96.

17
“is about the longest shot …”:
Time
, October 17, 1955.

18
“Everything they’re promising …”:
Ibid.

19
“Mr. Sullivan’s motion picture …”: Associated Press, date unknown, most likely from June 1955.

20
“Mrs. Sullivan called about 6:15 …”: Note to Arnold Grant, May 24, 1955, from Sullivan personal papers.

21
“I believe this will be a tremendous grosser …”: Sullivan letter to Jack Warner, dated July 15, 1955, from Sullivan personal papers.

22
“a large florid, booming man,”: From original script for
The Ed Sullivan Story
, 1955, Sullivan personal papers.

23
“As these acts go on …”: From revised script to
The Ed Sullivan Story
, 1955, from Sullivan personal papers.

24
“Naturally, this was done in great haste …”: Jack Warner letter to Ed Sullivan, dated November 1, 1955, from Sullivan personal papers.

25
“The greatest European pictures …”: Sullivan script revision of
The Ed Sullivan Story
, from Sullivan personal papers.

26
“The TV Sullivan is a strange contrast …”:
Time
, June 25, 1951.

27
“We were discussing your program …”: Fan letter, quoted in the
New York Journal-American
, June 19, 1963.

28
“We will have to be a magician …”: Jack Warner letter to Arnold Grant, dated November 25, 1955, from Sullivan personal papers.

29
“We will be most anxious …”: Warner Bros. executive letter to Sullivan, dated January 12, 1956, from Sullivan personal papers.

30
“I don’t think that Irving Wallace …”: Sullivan letter to Arnold Grant, dated January 16, 1956, from Sullivan personal papers.

31
“is not exactly a TV novelty.”: The
New York Post
, April 30, 1955.

32
“The number of things he does …”:
Look
, August 5, 1947.

33
“Basically, Sinatra is decent …”: The
Daily News
, 1947, quoted in Kelley, Kitty.
His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra.
New York: Bantam, 1987, p. 583.

34
“newspaper personalities…‘without paying for their services.’ ”:
Ibid.

35
“Let us overlook …”:
Variety
, April 1955.

36
“Colgate, which was displeased …”:
Time
, June 2, 1959.