The Beatles – Walking back to Abbey Road Studios (photo from Beatles Brunch)
The Beatles first played on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9th, 1964. Talk about being in the right place at the right time: Ed & his wife landed in England for a business trip — at the same time The Beatles were returning from a trip. The airport was packed with young people. Ed asked who the kids were waiting for and was told, “The Beatles”. Ever on the lookout for new, good talent, Ed decided to contact The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein and worked out a deal to have The Beatles make FOUR appearances on the show in the U.S. for $10,000, round trip tickets, motel rooms, and meals (that’s $2,500 per show plus expenses or around $500 per Beatle per show [the rest going to Brian and staff]).
Talk about “low pay”… Think of the exposure, though, that The Beatles got from those shows which, obviously, made them a household name in the U.S.