Vince Calandra, who as a longtime booker for CBS juggernaut The Ed Sullivan Present helped introduce The Beatles to America’s TV viewers, has died. He was 91. In response to an area mortuary’s obit, he died Saturday at his house in Woodland Hills, CA.
Calandra was simply 23 when he landed a job on Sullivan’s expertise showcase, which already had been a Sunday evening staple for almost a decade. Beginning within the mailroom, he graduated to holding the cue playing cards and finally to expertise booker. On the daybreak of the British Invasion of U.S. radio airwaves and report gamers, he was instrumental to bringing Liverpudlian upstarts John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr to the Ed Sullivan Present stage, making a landmark second in TV and music historical past.
It was February 9, 1964, when The Beatles made the primary of three appearances on the present inside two weeks. Calandra had been an stand-in for ailing guitarist Harrison throughout rehearsal, full with moptop wig. The evening was nothing wanting electrical, with producers coping with tens of 1000’s of ticket requests earlier than coping with 700-plus principally screaming followers in attendance. A then-record 73 million-plus folks tuned in as The Beatles conquered the colonies, and Calandra was among the many producers of the group’s famed Shea Stadium live performance in August 1965. He was an affiliate producer of the function documentary The Beatles at Shea Stadium!
From left: Paul McCartney, Ed Sullivan, George Harrison, Ringo Starr (standing) and John Lennon after their February 9, 1964, debut efficiency on ‘The Ed Sullivan Present’
Everett Assortment
Born on April 22, 1934, in Brooklyn, Calandra additionally was there for 2 extra memorable Ed Sullivan appearances by legendary rock bands. In early 1967, he was the poor man who needed to inform Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger the information that CBS and Sullivan demanded that they modify a recurring lyric. “Let’s Spend the Night time Collectively” was the B-side of the group’s hit single “Ruby Tuesday,” however that title didn’t thrill the higher-ups. Calandra informed a grumbling Jagger to sing “Let’s spend a while collectively.” The singer acquiesced.
Late that summer season, as “Mild My Fireplace” was about to prime the singles chart in America, The Doorways had been booked on the present. This time, the offending lyric “Woman we couldn’t get a lot increased.” Calandra once more obtained Cocky rock star-in-training Jim Morrison was pissed however agreed, publicly a minimum of. When the band closed the present that evening — following a sweaty younger comedian named Rodney Dangerfield making his nationwide TV debut — they started with new single “Folks Are Unusual.” “Mild My Fireplace” was subsequent, and Morrison defiantly sang the unique lyric. Twice. Sullivan and his producer had been apoplectic, and it could be the band’s last Ed Sullivan Show look.
Among the many many different acts Calandra booked for the present had been Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Stewart, Julie Andrews, Irving Berlin, Jack Nicholson, Jackie Mason, Alan King and Muppetmeister Jim Henson. He stayed with Sullivan till its last episode in June 1971. After that, he booked company for speak exhibits hosted by the likes of Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore, Robin Thicke, John Davidson and Pat Sajak. He additionally labored on showbiz-related collection together with Leisure Tonight and Strong Gold.
He’s survived by daughter Christine Calandra Farrell and son Vince Calandra Jr., a veteran TV producer.
