Ed Sullivan had a major influence on popular culture through his variety show "Toast of the Town", later known as "The Ed Sullivan Show". The show featured many iconic musical guests in their early careers, introducing them to a national audience. On February 9th, 1964, over 70 million people watched the Beatles debut performance on the show, which helped launch their massive popularity in the United States. Ed Sullivan helped shape popular music and culture through his ability to introduce new musical acts to American television viewers each Sunday night for nearly 23 years.