Video: 'The Beatles - Twist & Shout - Performed Live On The Ed Sullivan Show 2/23/64'

(Sunday, February 9, 1964, 2:30 p.m. EST) — Some five-plus hours before they debuted live on The Ed Sullivan Show television variety series, The Beatles taped three songs for Sullivan (“Twist And Shout,” “Please Please Me” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand”) in front of a live studio audience this afternoon at Studio 50 in New York City for broadcast on Feb. 23, 1964, on what would be the band’s third appearance on the CBS weekly variety primetime TV show.

The Beatles got an early start this morning, with a 9:30 call for camera rehearsals. By now, George Harrison was well enough to attend.

Video: '(Audio Only) The Beatles - Please Please Me - Live On The Ed Sullivan Show - Feb. 23, 1964' (click here to watch a colorized video version of this performance)

After lunch, they went into makeup at 2:00 p.m. for the dress rehearsal, which would be videotaped in front of 728 lucky fans.

“Twist and Shout” and “Please Please Me” at the beginning of the show received enthusiastic cheers. Although neither had been released on a single in the United States yet, both appeared on the Introducing the Beatles LP, which was getting tons of airplay.

Video: 'The Beatles- I Want To Hold Your Hand (Ed Sullivan Show 23rd February 1964) Snippets and Full Audio' (click here to watch a colorized video version of this performance)

After “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” Ed strolled over to shake hands with each Beatle (climbing on Ringo’s drum riser) and egged on the audience: “Now, all right … come on, let’s hear it!”

Everything had gone smoothly, and The Beatles insisted on visiting the audio control booth to confer with the sound engineers.

The proper microphone levels and balances were marked on the mixing board with chalk, and the Beatles returned to their hotel to unwind before the “really big shoo.”