(AP) – The Beatles made their first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," America’s
must-see weekly variety show, on Sunday, Feb. 9, 1964. And officially kicked off
Beatlemania on this side of the pond.

More than 70 million viewers were tuned to the program, airing live from the studio
in Manhattan which now houses the “Late Show With David Letterman.” 

This Is Tom Jones is a variety series starring Tom Jones. It was exported to the
United States by ITC Entertainment in London where it was produced by ABC.

The series ran until 1971 for a total 65 color episodes. Jones was nominated for
a Golden Globe Award for "Best Actor In a Television Series – Musical or Comedy"
in 1969.

The show featured comedy sketches and  guest appearances by many top actors, 
comedians and singers of the time.

Peter Sellers, Joey Heatherton, Richard Pryor, Mary Hopkin, and The Moody Blues
appeared on the first show.

  Tom Jones (Thomas John Woodward) is 73 (June 7, 1940)

Carol Elaine Channing

Channing is a singer, actress, and comedian who has received
three Tony Awards (including one for lifetime achievement), a
Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. She is best remembered
for originating on Broadway the musical-comedy roles of widowed
matchmaker Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! (1964) and Lorelei Lee in
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949). Carol Channing was born in 
Seattle, Washington where her father ,George Channing, was
formerly the city editor of the Seattle Star newspaper.

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    Ernie Kovacs (January 23, 1919 – January 13, 1962)

Kovacs was an Innovative TV comedian, writer, and actor whose
shows were known for their experimental style that influenced late
night TV show hosts like David Letterman who had cited Kovacs
as the comedian who inspired him. He was an early pioneer in
TV magic and electronic wizardry. Ernie Kovacs was inducted
into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame
in 1987, years after his tragic death in an automobile accident.

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Arthur Stanton Eric "Arte" Johnson is 85 today

Comic actor Artie Johnson was a regular on Rowan & Martin’s
Laugh-In on NBC from 1968 to 1973. His best-remembered
"character" was that of a German soldier (below).