5. Before Beatlemania, Sinatramania

Photo in public domain from Wikimedia Commons

The Ed Sullivan Theater’s most famous moment occurred in 1964 when Sullivan introduced the Beatles to America with hundreds of screaming girls in the theater. This was nothing new. A similar scene occurred in the theater 20 years earlier. In 1944 Ed Sullivan Theater was known as CBS Playhouse No. 3 and it hosted a variety of radio programs including “Vimms Vitamins Presents the Frank Sinatra Show.”

According to a United Press article,when Sinatra appeared on stage he “was met with a roar of noise” and following the show his fans, “the Bobby Sox Brigade,” swarmed after Sinatra “with complete disregard for the safety of innocent bystanders.”