The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

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Kwai Chang
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Re: The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

Post by Kwai Chang »

rtbcIII wrote: Tue Sep 20, 2022 6:04 pm Image
The difference between Ska and Reggae?
(Ska wears plaid)
Thank you, Sir!
KC
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Re: The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

Post by nouncer »

Kwai,

Perhaps I can clear up a little more confusion about the Ed Sullivan Shows. First of all, yes they were indeed all live performances, with live audiences. However, on Sunday Feb 9th, the Beatles pre-recorded two segments (with live audiences) in the afternoon for playback two weeks later on Sunday Feb. 23rd: Twist & Shout, Please Please Me with the "Columns" set, and, I Want To Hold Your Hand with the "Blue Slat Wall" set.

Later that night, Feb. 9th, they famously performed live on CBS with a different audience, using the "Arrows" set for the first segment, and the "Open Slats" set for the second (this set was used as the cover of the "Something New" album).

By the way, if you see any pics with a solid white drum head without “The Beatles”, and/or a white Ludwig drum kit, those are from rehearsals on Saturday Feb. 8th (without George... he was sick with a sore throat) or early Sunday the 9th.

The next week, they were with live audiences in Miami, for both an afternoon rehearsal (not televised, but widely circulated), and the live broadcast at 8pm EST. Both from the Napoleon Ballroom at the Deauville Hotel.

Finally, the Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday Feb. 23rd, consisted entirely of pre-taped segments. The Beatles segments pre-taped on the afternoon of Feb. 9th, and the other acts pre-taped on Feb. 10th or 11th. If you look closely, you'll notice that Sullivan's tie changes stripes from the Beatle segments to the non-Beatle segments.

On all of the February 1964 appearances, the Vox amplifiers were positioned off to either side of the stage, facing inward, but hidden from the TV cameras (follow the guitar cords). For the next appearance in 1965, the Vox amps were clearly visible on stage.

The Beatles returned in August 1965 to pre-tape two segments, again in front of a live audience. The Sullivan show was taped on Saturday night, August 14th, to later be aired on Sunday September 12, 1965. (Sullivan's Studio 50 was being upgraded for color during that period.) The sets used consisted of partial Beatle faces for I Feel Fine, then the faces moved out for I'm Down and Act Naturally. The set was completely changed to a "Squares & Circles" design for the Beatles final live US performance of Ticket To Ride, Yesterday and Help!.
Attachments
Ed Sullivan Show - Planks Set COLOR 1.jpg
Ed Sullivan Show - Planks Set COLOR 1.jpg (894.46 KiB) Viewed 485 times
Sullivan - Slats rehearsal SIDE VIEW!.jpg
Sullivan - Slats rehearsal SIDE VIEW!.jpg (181.85 KiB) Viewed 485 times
Sullivan - Blue walls rehearsal - Side view with Ed.jpg
Sullivan - Blue walls rehearsal - Side view with Ed.jpg (261.68 KiB) Viewed 485 times
Sullivan - rehearsal Paul sings Yesterday with 3 violinists 1965.jpg
Sullivan - rehearsal Paul sings Yesterday with 3 violinists 1965.jpg (79.34 KiB) Viewed 485 times
Sullivan - Blue Wall Set air 1.jpg
Sullivan - Blue Wall Set air 1.jpg (41.18 KiB) Viewed 485 times
Last edited by nouncer on Fri Sep 23, 2022 9:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

Post by rtbcIII »

A footnote: The Sept. 12, 1965 Beatles episode was the last Ed Sullivan Show broadast in B&W.
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Re: The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

Post by Kwai Chang »

nouncer wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 11:38 pm Perhaps I can clear up a little more confusion about the Ed Sullivan Shows. First of all, yes they were indeed all live performances, with live audiences.
Thank you, nouncer!
I am unclear about how it is easier to insert pre-taped footage of the audience during a live feed/broadcast than to just swing the camera.
Why would rehearsal audience be preferred over the biggest moment ever on TV live audience?
Not to mention the skill involved.
The string 'quartet' are miming, I think.
Old debts(Ed Who???)
All help is appreciated.
KC
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Re: The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

Post by rtbcIII »

Kwai Chang wrote: Fri Sep 23, 2022 4:25 am
nouncer wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 11:38 pm Perhaps I can clear up a little more confusion about the Ed Sullivan Shows. First of all, yes they were indeed all live performances, with live audiences.
Thank you, nouncer!
I am unclear about how it is easier to insert pre-taped footage of the audience during a live feed/broadcast than to just swing the camera.
And how would you swing the camera for such a shot?

Back, and to the left.

I rest my case.
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Re: The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

Post by Kwai Chang »

rtbcIII wrote: Fri Sep 23, 2022 2:58 pm And how would you swing the camera for such a shot?
Back, and to the left.
Or,
mimic the cameraman from the rehearsal...
(possibly, letting him work overtime).
That camera in the balcony sure is worth the effort...with such incredible footage of the 16X19 viewing monitor! There should be surplus footage from that vantage point as long as the audience wasn't in the way. Is there any advantage to the insertion of pre-recorded rehearsal footage(audience) into a LIVE broadcast feed? Is that done with edit pieces or do they use an unedited tape of raw audience reaction and simply stop and start when needed on the fly? I'm guessing it was even more difficult after the pre-determined audio levels were all wiped off by the janitor. That's the problem with grease-pencils. If we don't know the correct level, we will hear the difference with every cut to/from audience...as we do. At least that mystery is solved. Does anyone know why or when the pre-taping of Fred Kaps' card-tricks was accomplished. I'm assuming that was the point in the chronology when the Beatles set was changed from arrows to planks. It would be vital to know that they had a full 6 minutes of 'down' time in which to perform the transformation. That is a tribute to the crew's efficiency. And, finally...I understand why we never see any audience from the live February 9 broadcast.
(none was filmed!!!)
Alas, poor Fred Kaps! All of that talent to be an adjustable shim. I guess that was the tightest 60 minute schedule ever realized with a 7-second delay.
My questions have all been answered.
George Martin to the control room please! They should have let the boom mic stay on during the insertions of the rehearsal audience footage!
Back and to the left!
Just like A Hard Day's Night!
I want a Fred Kaps 'LIVE' t-shirt...
Thanks, for obliging me.
KC
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Re: The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

Post by rtbcIII »

Really want to wax conspiratorial, KC?

Do you know who was on the cover of Life magazine the week it covered the Beatles Sullivan appearances?

Sure.

Of course.

You betcha!


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Re: The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

Post by nouncer »

Kwai Chang wrote: Fri Sep 23, 2022 4:25 am
nouncer wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 11:38 pm Perhaps I can clear up a little more confusion about the Ed Sullivan Shows. First of all, yes they were indeed all live performances, with live audiences.
Thank you, nouncer!
I am unclear about how it is easier to insert pre-taped footage of the audience during a live feed/broadcast than to just swing the camera.
Why would rehearsal audience be preferred over the biggest moment ever on TV live audience?
Not to mention the skill involved.
The string 'quartet' are miming, I think.
Old debts(Ed Who???)
All help is appreciated.
KC
Kwai,

Why are you so sure the audience shots on the live broadcasts were pre-taped and not live? That sounds like a whole lot of unnecessary trouble to insert B-roll during a live broadcast. Why not simply have a camera aimed at the audience with the house lights up?

Also, during "Yesterday", it's true that the violinists were not shown on the actual broadcast, but at one point Paul makes a slight "nodding" gesture (at the word, "Suddenly") toward where they would have been, according to that rehearsal picture. Again, why over-complicate things? It would have been very risky to try to synch up a pre-recorded string track to Paul playing live. Besides, Sullivan could afford to pay for three extra musicians.

Sometimes the simplest answer is the right answer. Still, it's fascinating to think about what happened in that studio on those nights. Best source I've found is Bruce Spizer's book "The Beatles Are Coming!", detailing all aspects of February 1964. A great read.
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Re: The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

Post by nouncer »

Kwai Chang wrote: Fri Sep 23, 2022 5:40 pm
rtbcIII wrote: Fri Sep 23, 2022 2:58 pm And how would you swing the camera for such a shot?
Back, and to the left.
Or,
mimic the cameraman from the rehearsal...
(possibly, letting him work overtime).
That camera in the balcony sure is worth the effort...with such incredible footage of the 16X19 viewing monitor! There should be surplus footage from that vantage point as long as the audience wasn't in the way. Is there any advantage to the insertion of pre-recorded rehearsal footage(audience) into a LIVE broadcast feed? Is that done with edit pieces or do they use an unedited tape of raw audience reaction and simply stop and start when needed on the fly? I'm guessing it was even more difficult after the pre-determined audio levels were all wiped off by the janitor. That's the problem with grease-pencils. If we don't know the correct level, we will hear the difference with every cut to/from audience...as we do. At least that mystery is solved. Does anyone know why or when the pre-taping of Fred Kaps' card-tricks was accomplished. I'm assuming that was the point in the chronology when the Beatles set was changed from arrows to planks. It would be vital to know that they had a full 6 minutes of 'down' time in which to perform the transformation. That is a tribute to the crew's efficiency. And, finally...I understand why we never see any audience from the live February 9 broadcast.
(none was filmed!!!)
Alas, poor Fred Kaps! All of that talent to be an adjustable shim. I guess that was the tightest 60 minute schedule ever realized with a 7-second delay.
My questions have all been answered.
George Martin to the control room please! They should have let the boom mic stay on during the insertions of the rehearsal audience footage!
Back and to the left!
Just like A Hard Day's Night!
I want a Fred Kaps 'LIVE' t-shirt...
Thanks, for obliging me.
KC
I would guess Fred Kaps was taped on Sunday Feb. 2nd, or maybe the week before that. Sullivan needed something "in the can" to make the set changes, or in case something went wrong... there were a lot of extra circumstances surrounding having the world's hottest act on his rilly big shew.
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Re: The Ed Sullivan Shows By Mirror Spock

Post by rtbcIII »

Another clue for you all.

"My Grandfather Overdubbed the Beatles on Ed Sullivan"

http://www.rebeatmag.com/my-grandfather ... -sullivan/

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