Ed Sullivan's Fame Devastated His Daughter: 'Stopped Reading The Newspapers'

Ed Sullivan may be hailed as one of the most important music and entertainment reporters of all time, but he certainly didn't always have an easy ride. Far from it, he endured a ton of abuse right from the start of his TV career, and at one point, things got so bad his daughter swore off reading the papers lest she see it. 

Sullivan had worked as a journalist for years before he became the host of what was then still titled "Toast of the Town." However, that's not to say he was comfortable in front of the camera. Far from it, as recounted in the 2025 Netflix documentary "Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan," he suffered from intense stage fright (or rather, camera fright) early on. "When I first went on TV with our 'Toast of the Town' program, the experts told us to look directly into the camera. This didn't faze actors, but when I looked into those iron monsters, rigor mortis set in," says an AI replica of Sullivan's voice, reading his own words. As a result, he was visibly uncomfortable, and taunts were soon to follow. A montage of some of what was said about Sullivan (and even a clip from another TV show poking fun at how awkward he was) came next, along with the heartbreaking admission about how it all affected his only child. "The abuse was so awful that my daughter Betty stopped reading the newspapers," the voiceover continued. 

Of course, Sullivan did become more comfortable with time, and as his granddaughter would say many years later, one of the things audiences loved about him was that he could poke fun at himself. Granted, he also got very candid about the fact that some of the criticism stung. Even so, another detail brought to light in "Sunday Best" was that a letter from Betty played a role in him persevering. 

Fans of Ed Sullivan may know that at one point, CBS began shopping "Toast of the Town" to advertisers, with a note that there was no need for Sullivan to be part of the deal. "That was really a ... an all-time low," he recalled of the situation in an interview with David Frost. However, there was one antidote. Reading something Sullivan had written, the AI voiceover said, "That night when I went to bed, there was a note on my pillow from Betty, saying, 'Win, lose or draw, I love you.' Down through the years, no phrase ever expressed so completely the devotion of the three of us, and I knew exactly what she meant."

Of course, Sullivan's career would only go from strength to strength in the years that followed. Sadly, the legendary talk show host died in 1974. However, in addition to Sullivan's impressive professional legacy, as a testament to just how close he was with his family, many of his grandchildren (all of whom are Betty's children) have spoken extensively about what it was like growing up with him. In an interview with Closer Weekly, his granddaughter Margo Elizabeth Speciale recalled, "He was a big deal to America, but to me, he was just grandpa." As an aside, Speciale was actually one of the producers of "Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan," which makes the mentions of her mom's special bond with Sullivan all the more special. 

Given how many celebrity families can't get along (and how many families have broken up after one member made it big), it is heartwarming to know Sullivan always remained close with his. Between his work and his home life, he certainly left behind an impressive legacy.