Vince Calandra, who as a long -standing book for CBS Juggernaut The Ed Sullivan show Helped to present the Beatles to the American television public, died. He was 91 years old. According to the local morgue obit, he died on Saturday at his home in Woodland Hills, California.
Calandra was only 23 years old when he won a job on the Sullivan talent window, which had already been a must for Sunday evening for almost a decade. From the mail hall, he graduated to hold the benchmark cards and possibly Talent Booker. At the dawn of the British invasion of American waves and record players, he played a decisive role in bringing the upstarts of Liverpudlian John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr Ed Sullivan Show scene, creating a historic moment in the history of television and music.
It was on February 9, 1964, when the Beatles made the first of the three appearances of the show in two weeks. Calandra had been a stand-in for the sick guitarist Harrison during the rehearsal, with a moptop wig. The night was nothing less than electricity, the producers dealing with tens of thousands of ticket requests before processing with more than 700 fans that howled mainly. A record of more than 73 million people attentive while the Beatles conquered the colonies, and Calandra was among the producers of the famous concert of the group’s shea stadium in August 1965. He was associate producer of the documentary documentary documentary The Beatles at Shea Stadium!
From left to right: Paul McCartney, Ed Sullivan, George Harrison, Ringo Starr (Standing) and John Lennon after their February 9, 1964, begins on “The Ed Sullivan Show”
Everett collection
Born April 22, 1934 in Brooklyn, Calandra was also there for two other memorables Ed Sullivan Appearances of legendary rock groups. At the beginning of 1967, he was the poor guy who had to say to the singer of Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, the news that CBS and Sullivan demanded that they change recurring words. “Let’s Passing the Night Together” was the B -face of the “Ruby Tuesday” group, but this title did not force the highest. Calandra told a growled jagger to sing “Let’s spend a little time together.” The singer has agreed.
At the end of the summer, while “Light My Fire” was about to exceed the table of singles in America, the doors were reserved in the series. This time, the “Girl, which we could not increase”. Calandra again obtained a rock star from rock in Jim Morrison training was upset but accepted, at least publicly. When the group closed the series that evening – according to a young comic strip in sweaty named Rodney Dangerfield making its debut on national television – they started with the new single “People Are Strange”. “Light My Fire” was as follows, and Morrison sang with the original words. Twice. Sullivan and his producer were apoplectic, and it would be the group’s final Ed Sullivan ShoW appearance.
Among the many other acts reserved by Calandra for the show was 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 Puff Until his last episode in June 1971. After that, he reserved guests for talk shows led by Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore, Robin Thicke, John Davidson and Pat Sajak. He also worked on showbiz series, especially Entertainment tonight And Solid gold.
He is survived by the daughter Christine Calandra Farrell and his son Vince Calandra Jr., veteran television producer.
