Ed Sullivan Theater — Where the Beatles Changed Music History
On February 9, 1964, an estimated 73 million Americans — roughly 40% of the country — watched four young men from Liverpool perform live at the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway. It was the Beatles’ first live US television appearance, and it changed popular music forever.
The night that changed music
The Beatles played five songs — All My Loving, Till There Was You, She Loves You, I Saw Her Standing There and I Want to Hold Your Hand — to a screaming studio audience. The theater’s marquee still stands at 1697 Broadway (53rd Street), and the building is now home to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
The Beatles returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater twice more in 1964 and 1965, and the venue has since hosted Elvis Presley, the Jackson 5, and countless other legends — but it will always be remembered as the stage where Beatlemania began in America.
How to visit the Ed Sullivan Theater
The exterior and the marquee are publicly accessible 24/7. The theater is on the corner of Broadway and 53rd Street, a 5-minute walk from Times Square. If you want to see the inside, request taping tickets for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert — tapings usually happen in the afternoon, Monday through Thursday, and tickets are free.
See it with AR — the smart-glasses tour
The Ed Sullivan Theater is a highlight of our NYC smart-glasses movie & TV history walking tour. Through the glasses, the 1964 Beatles performance plays over the real marquee, right where 73 million people watched it happen — right before the tour reaches Times Square.
Practical info
- Address: 1697 Broadway, at 53rd Street, Manhattan
- Open: exterior 24/7; theater for ticketed events and Late Show tapings
- Subway: 1, 2, 3, N, Q, R, W to 57th Street or Times Square–42nd Street
- Best time for photos: daytime for the marquee; evenings for the neon
Frequently asked questions
Are there tours of the Ed Sullivan Theater?
Yes — it's a stop on our NYC smart-glasses movie & TV history walking tour, which plays the 1964 Beatles performance over the real marquee in AR. Interior visits are by free Late Show taping tickets or a ticketed performance.
Can you go inside the Ed Sullivan Theater?
Only with tickets to a Late Show taping or a performance. The marquee and exterior are always accessible from the sidewalk.
Is the Ed Sullivan Theater the same building as the Late Show?
Yes. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert tapes at the Ed Sullivan Theater, and the marquee now alternates between Ed Sullivan branding and Late Show branding.
How far is the Ed Sullivan Theater from Times Square?
About a 5-minute walk south on Broadway — it fits naturally between the New York Public Library stop and the Times Square finale of the smart-glasses tour.