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1932 The Star Maker is Born: Edward Vincent Sullivan, age 29, hosts a couple of radio shows at CBS (first Broadway's Greatest Thrills then Ed Sullivan Entertains), moves his influential show-biz column from the defunct New York Graphic to the Daily News, where it will appear until his death.
1939 Hollywood, Take 1: Sullivan writes gangland melodrama Big Town Czar for Universal. Eve Arden, Barton MacLane star. Ed plays a sort of Geek Chorus: an influential, awkward newspaper columnist. Notes The New York Times: ''The only word for Ed Sullivan's portrayal of Ed Sullivan is 'unconvincing.'''
June 20, 1948 Please Welcome: Ed's Toast of the Town debuts on six TV stations. First show has Martin and Lewis, singing fire fighter John Kokoman, dancing Toastettes. By year's end, show is No. 1 in New York and Philly.
October 1949 Let's Hear It: Toast is No. 2 in national ratings, Variety says. Will be in top 20 Nielsens for 14 of 21 seasons.
Dec. 31, 1950 S'alright? S'alright!: Ventriloquist Senor Wences debuts.
Sept. 18, 1955 Edification: Toast becomes The Ed Sullivan Show. In October, Ed is on TIME.
Jan. 6, 1957 Return to Censor: Presley, in third appearance, is seen only from torso up, due to fear of outcry over hip wagging.
May 4, 1958 Not Wayne & Garth: Canadian comics Wayne & Shuster debut as highest-paid guests to date, topping Elvis' $50,000. Will appear more than 50 times, then fade into obscurity.
Jan. 11, 1959 Fideling Around: During Castro coup, Ed pulls off his own coup: one of the first interviews with Cuban leader, filmed in Cuba. Fidel snookers Ed, saying he's Catholic, not Communist.
August 1959 Moscow on the Hudson: Ed goes deeper into red when Ed Sullivan visits USSR — the first U.S. variety show seen by Soviet public.
1963 Hollywood, Take 2: Ed escapes critical bashing, plays self in Bye Bye Birdie, which has ''Hymn'' to Ed.
April 14, 1963 Topo Gigio-mania! Mouse debuts.
Feb. 9, 1964 Hold Their Hands: Acrobats Wells and the Four Fays have worst gig in history — following Beatles. Some 73 million Americans watch moptops.
Oct. 18, 1964 Finger Man: When Ed motions him to close his act, Jackie Mason thumbs nose and mimics Ed's gestures. Unfortunately for Mason's career, Sullivan sees only one finger, next day condemns Mason in the media. Later, Sullivan publicly apologizes.
Dec. 10, 1967 Marquee de Sullivan: CBS Studio 50, show's home since '53, is renamed the Ed Sullivan Theater.
June 6, 1971 Old and in the Way: Worried because show increasingly appeals to older viewers, CBS pulls plug, last Sullivan airs. Ed will host specials, including 25th-anniversary show in 1973.
Oct. 13, 1974 Ed Sullivan dies of esophageal cancer at age 72.
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