The King's journey to the most prized stage in 1950's TV was fraught with all kinds of obstacles - including that Sullivan himself wasn't even there, after suffering serious injuries in a terrible car accident several weeks earlier. Instead he was introduced by stuffy British actor Charles Laughton.

Not only that, but Presley wasn't even in New York, appearing remotely from the set of his movie in L.A. 

It wasn't his first TV appearance - but it can certainly be said it was his most famous. And it happened 68 years ago today. 

The Odd Story Behind Elvis Presley’s Debut On The Ed Sullivan Show