Elvis plays the Ed Sullivan Show

Although he had previously announced that he would never allow Elvis Presley to perform on his "shew," allegedly because of The King's obscene performance style, TV host Ed Sullivan caved in after rival Steve Allen trounced him in the ratings with his Presley performances. The controversy that accompanied Presley's third Sullivan performance, in January 1957, where the singer was mostly only shot from the waist up, allegedly to hide his gyrating hips, is overstated given that Presley was mainly performing ballads that night. Rumours that Presley dangled a small Coke bottle from his groin under his pants have never been confirmed.