On this date in 1902, a legend was born.

Ed Sullivan was an entertainment writer and sports columnist for a New York newspaper The New York Daily News when CBS asked him to host a weekly Sunday night variety show on TV. Stiffly awkward in front of a camera with no acting or performing talent of his own, and possessing odd vocal mannerisms, Sullivan seemed a strange candidate for a TV host. But the show that started out as The Toast of the Town lasted 23 years on network television.

The Ed Sullivan show (as it became known in 1955) was watched by entire families every Sunday night for over two decades as Sullivan showcased talent that appealed across the generations. Sullivan’s genius lay in his ability to spot new talent, to introduce it to America and then simply step out of the spotlight.

Sullivan garnered the widest audience by booking acts of every type and genre, introducing comedians, classical ballet and pop stars all in one show. It was on The Ed Sullivan show that the Beatles made their 1964 American television debut. And who can forget Topo Gigot and Senor Wences?

Sullivan took a fatherly authority over the acts on his show, demanding changes in suspect lyrics and those who defied his demands never appeared again. The Doors and Jackie Mason were banned after such incidents.

But Sullivan stood strong against sponsors who opposed featuring black performers, booking and showcasing The Supremes, Louis Armstrong, Richard Pryor, The Jackson 5 and many others. In the end, America benefitted greatly from his courage and principles.

I miss 8:00pm, Sunday nights with Ed Sullivan. It was an exciting hour, a family hour, an educational hour and an entertaining hour.