Elvis

Elvis's "wiggles" were decried as vulgar by his detractors, they didn't lessen his appeal to a growing audience of young fans. The success of tv appearances encouraged Steve Allen to risk having Elvis on his program--despite network protests--provided that he would tone down his aggressive body movements and dress in comically square white tie and tails. Even Ed Sullivan, who had initially announced that he was not a fan of Presley's, succumbed to popular opinion and invited him for a series of three appearances on Ed Sullivan's "Toast of the Town Show", assuring critics that the camera would be carefully manipulated to prevent Presley's gyrations from shocking the audience. He earned a combined total of $50,000, at that time the largest amount ever paid to a performer to appear on television. Although the show censored his writhings, (showing him only above his waist) Elvis attracted 54 million viewers and the highest ratings ever for any television variety show. The fallacious popular belief that Elvis was shown entirely from the waist up is, however, refuted by these exciting kinescopes.