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Season guide

The Ed Sullivan Show: Season 23

36 episodes Premiered Sep 28, 1969 Updated Sep 30, 2026
Previously on The Ed Sullivan Show

Season 23 Lore Primer

Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.

  • ⚡ Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of The Ed Sullivan Show Season 22.
  • ⚡ Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
  • ⚡ Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
  • ⚡ Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
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Season 23 Episodes

Episode Guide

🛡️ SPOILER SHIELD

Season 23 Progress Shield

Future titles & synopses blurred. Tap "Reveal" on any card to peek.
Binge Efficiency Engine

Season 23: Filler vs. Essential Canon

Filter episodes by narrative weight. Focus on essential mytharc and skip standalone side quests.

11%
89%
Mytharc (4): Crucial lore & season climaxes
Core (32): Character development & subplots
Side Quest (0): Standalone / filler
S23·E2 Core

Gladys Knight & the Pips / Clint Eastwood (on film)

Oct 5, 1969 · 60 min

--Gladys Knight & the Pips - medley (""Let Us Entertain You,"" ""Nitty Gritty,"" ""By the Time I Get to Phoenix"" & ""I Can't Get Used to Seeing You"") --Phyllis Diller (stand-up

S23·E3 Core

Lee Marvin / Woody Allen / Oliver / Shirley Bassey

Oct 12, 1969 · 60 min

Guests: --Woody Allen --Lee Marvin (with the Yale Glee Club) - ""Wandering Star"" (from the movie ""Paint Your Wagon"") Lee Marvin making his singing debut, --Oliver (singer) -

S23·E4 Core

Smith / Cyd Charisse / Joan Rivers / Lana Cantrell

Oct 19, 1969 · 60 min

Guests (on 30-minute PBS repeat): --Smith - ""Baby It's You"" --Cyd Charisse - dances to an instrumental version of ""MacArthur Park"" --Joan Rivers & Anthony Holland - ba

S23·E5 Core

Santana / Liza Minnelli / Henry Mancini

Oct 26, 1969 · 60 min

Guests: --Santana - ""Persuasion"" & ""Jingo Jingo"" --Liza Minnelli - ""Come Saturday Morning"" --Mason Williams - ""Cowboy Buckaroo"" --Henry Mancini - ""Peter Gunn"" th

S23·E7 Core

The Association / Nancy Wilson / Jack Jones

Nov 9, 1969 · 60 min

Guests: --The Association - ""Seven Man Band"" & ""Dubuque Blues"" --Nancy Wilson - ""What A Little Moonlight Can Do"" & ""Can't Take My Eyes Off of You"" --Nancy Wilson & J

S23·E8 Core

Creedence Clearwater Revival / Jerry Lee Lewis

Nov 16, 1969 · 60 min

Guests: --Creedence Clearwater Revival - ""Fortunate Son"" & ""Down on the Corner"" --Jerry Lee Lewis - ""You Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye,"" ""Great Balls of Fire,"" ""Whol

S23·E9 Core

The Rolling Stones / Ella Fitzgerald / Eddie Albert

Nov 23, 1969 · 60 min

Guests: --The Rolling Stones - ""Gimme Shelter,"" ""Love in Vain"" & ""Honky Tonk Woman."" --Ella Fitzgerald - ""You Better Love Me"" & ""Open Your Window"" --Robert Klein (

S23·E10 Core

Neil Diamond / Julie Budd / Sergio Franchi

Nov 30, 1969 · 60 min

Guests: --Neil Diamond - ""Sweet Caroline"" & ""Holly Holy"" --The Muppets (2 singing cows & 1 hairy creature sing ""Ma-Na-Ma-Na"" song) --Sergio Franchi - ""Stay"" & "" Gr

S23·E11 Core

Fifth Dimension / Imogene Coca / Ferrante & Teicher

Dec 7, 1969 · 60 min

Guests: --Fifth Dimension - ""Wedding Bell Blues"" & medley (""People Got to Be Free"" & a musical version of the Declaration of Independence) --The Fifth Dimension sing ""Ha

S23·E12 Core

Jackson Five / Lainie Kazan / John Davidson

Dec 14, 1969 · 60 min

Guests: --The Jackson 5 - ""Stand,"" ""I Wonder Who's Loving You Now"" & ""I Want You Back."" --Lainie Kazan - ""Have I Stayed Too Long At The Fair?"" --John Davidson - ""S

S23·E14 Core

scheduled: Charlie Manna; Your Father's Moustache

Dec 28, 1969 · 60 min

Scheduled guests: --Roberta Peters - sings ""Sempra Libera"" (from ""La Traviata"") --Robert Merrill - sings ""Di Provenza IL Mar"" (from ""La Traviata"") --Joan Rivers (com

S23·E16 Core

Ike & Tina Turner Revue / Sonny James / Tiny Tim

Jan 11, 1970 · 60 min

Guests: --The Ike and Tina Turner Revue - ""Proud Mary"" & ""Bold Soul Sister"" --Tiny Tim with the Enchanted Forest (an all-girl band) - ""Earth Angel"" --Tiny Tim & Miss V

S23·E17 Core

Muhammad Ali / June Allyson / Buddy Greco

Jan 18, 1970 · 60 min

Guests: --Muhammad Ali (a.k.a. Cassius Clay) - gives speech & sings: ""Big Time Buck White"" & ""We Came In Chains"" --June Allyson (medley of show tunes) --Minnie Pearl (comedian)

S23·E20 Core

Bobby Goldsboro / Richard Pryor / George Carlin

Feb 8, 1970 · 60 min

Guests: --Bobby Goldsboro - ""Everybody's Talkin'"" & ""Can You Feel It?"" --Richard Pryor (stand-up comedy) --Connie Stevens - ""Yankee Doodle,"" ""Give My Regards To Broa

S23·E24 Core

Holiday on Ice Salute / Ed Ames / Lana Cantrell

Mar 15, 1970 · 60 min

Salute to ""Holiday on Ice"" (Silver Anniversary) Guests: --Ed Ames - ""Three Reasons"" --Lana Cantrell - ""Isn't This a Lovely Day?"" Ice skating segments: --Ronnie

S23·E25 Core

scheduled: Liza Minnelli, Rod McKuen, Liberace

Mar 22, 1970 · 60 min

Scheduled guests: --Liza Minnelli - possibly ""If I Were In Your Shoes"" --Rod McKuen (poet-composer) - ""London,"" ""Jean"" and ""Everybody's Rich But Us"" --Liberace -

S23·E26 Core

Gladys Knight & the Pips / Bobbie Gentry / Buck Owens

Mar 29, 1970 · 60 min

Special episode taped (probably filmed) at Army Hospitals. Sullivan and guests entertain soldiers who were wounded in Vietnam. Guests: --Gladys Knight and the Pips - ""Hey Ju

S23·E27 Core

The Temptations / George Hamilton / Buddy Rich

Apr 5, 1970 · 60 min

Guests: --The Temptations - ""You Make Me So Very Happy"" & ""Psychedelic Shack"" --Roy Rogers & Dale Evans - medley of patriotic songs: ""This Is My Country"" & ""God Bless A

S23·E30 Core

Richie Havens / Lesley Gore / John Gary

Apr 26, 1970 · 60 min

Guests: --Richie Havens - ""The Minstrel from Gault"" --Lesley Gore - ""Cry Me A River"" & ""Hey Jude"" --John Gary - medley: ""The Straight Life,"" ""Then She's a Lover"" &

S23·E35 Mytharc

Connie Francis / Roslyn Kind / Morey Amsterdam

Jun 7, 1970 · 60 min

Guests: --Connie Francis (medley of Judy Garland songs): ""The Trolley Song,"" ""You Made Me Love You,"" ""Swanie,"" ""The Man Who Got Away"" & ""Over The Rainbow"" --Roslyn

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