European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 29, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                                By Sid Schapiro is new York Bureau chief de Sullivan has been the target of some of the deadliest one line jabs in show business but the sportswriter turned showman Learned to Roll with the punches. The great Stone face is the All time television  must be doing something right and has been doing it for 20 years. Theed Sullivan show has managed to re main on the air for two solid decades week after week knocking out the rival to networks toughest  s been some feuding clubbing and fumbling along the Way but a someone put it if de Sullivan fell into a sewer he d climb out covered  Over the years the Host with the most Deadpan delivery has had to keep punching against some of the Choice derogatory descriptions that he has in  Allen came up with a couple of  Sullivan will be a Success he said As Long As other people  Fred who never did like to or be come a Success in it also cracked what does Sullivan do he Points a people. Rub meat on actors and dogs will do the same  Africa the cannibals adored him quipped one comic they thought hews some new kind of Frozen  or As comedian Alan King remarked de does nothing but he does it better than anyone else on  Sullivan himself asked a Friend what have i got the Friend Shook his head. I Don t know he said but you be got  gets the full treatment in a new biography titled always on  the Book was written by Michael David Harris a lbs to publicist who has been Sullivan s press agent for the past nine years and the photos on these pages Are reprinted with permission of Meredith press the  the Sullivan Harris relationship might give Rise to the question of com plete objectivity the Sullivan Saga is surprisingly candid As when the author recounts de s bloopers Over the years. Actually the Book sub titled Edsul Livan an inside View does not sugar coat the showman just tells it the wait is the pro and con. The Host with the most Deadpan  is Grandy if critics could killed Sullivan would be a Corpse Harris says. In 1948 television writers laughed at disappearance and personality predicting he would never be a polished Host and he could t last out the year. They were partially Correct. The unsmiling irishman has had the last laugh but his Lack of smoothness still inspires caricature. Today the awk Ward introduction is a trademark and people react with warmth and not Zirri As Roberta Peters. A troupe of new zealand natives came out the fierce Maori tribe from new  d like to prevent Robert Merrill he declared. In plugging the tuberculosis drive he concluded Good night and help stamp out  when his produce Rand son in Law Bob Precht was ill sul Livan extended Best wishes to my pro Ducer Bob  after Michigan state won the big 10championship and Sullivan had the team on stage he kept referring to the school As the University of Michigan. They did not Correct him. The football players went Home and sent Sullivan a huge birthday cake and on it his name was misspelled. Harris tells of Sullivan s Many feuds the Well publicized Donnybrook with Jack Paar getting a whole detailed chapter. Also recalled is the night the Host asked his audience to vote whether Ingrid Bergman whose Romance with Roberto Rossellini was in the papers should be seen on the show in a film  was roundly denounced for this. Ingrid never forgave me for what had done he says and she was  unpublicized tiffs Are also noted. Sullivan was incensed when the aggressive Debbie Reynolds asked him to give. Up his dressing room to her  has never been invited Back. Mary Tyler Moore insisted on taping her songs and mouthing the lyrics on the air. Sullivan cancelled her. Miss Moore sued and collected $7,500. Other squabbles involved Arthu Godfrey Steve Allen Nat King Cole Frank Sinatra Walter Wochell and Edda Hopper. Most of them however were settled in Friendly fashion. I tation to the most unintentionally Hilari Ous and Libs on  at a dress rehearsal one sunday afternoon Sullivan summoned Singer Jack Jones and asked was t Allan Jones your father the Young Man stared at him and shot Back he still  the Exchange got a big laugh fro the studio audience so it was decided to keep it in the program that  the proper moment Sullivan asked Jones is your father still alive some of Sullivan s famous goofs Are recalled after Sergio Franchi had finished religious song on the 1965 Christmas show the Host urged let s hear it forthe lord s  Jack Carter a frequent guest has been introduced As Jack Carson John Crater John Kerry and Carson Mccullers. Now i have my contracts with him made out to whom it May concern " says  introduced Roberta Sherwood Page 12 the stars and stripes _. Was on june 20, 1948, that the Toast of the town As the show a originally called with de Sullivan Ashorst made its debut As a sunday nigh series. Its total Foj offt Kors now pay More than  i the original Crew numbered 35 per sons including 14 members of the Chestra. Today about 200 persons Are involved in the production of in s do successful and longest running Vainu cd \u7 n headliners for the Preni  comedy team named Dean Man and Jerry Lewis who split a Nook now almost any head Mer will Rew at least $5,000. Non week Sullivan s salary is some $4,000 a we from the show Only a part of his Esu mated $1 million yearly income. It s hard to believe now by a double show went on the air Oneie we finding a sponsor. It was Offe Iea or without de Sullivan  says de still regards this As lowest Point in my life. Be  s looks and manner have ten been mimicked by Peri  own show. On one occasion monday of by ii n. Real Stone face de consoles a bawling Lucille Ball. Soupy sales toasts Toast of the Towner. Van described his Stone face As a de sense against shyness adding i once did my show playing a Clown. I love Dit. Behind makeup i could always be myself but without it i often feel i adjust a baggy eyed old  Harris credits the longevity of the show to Good organization fast Pace cleanness and having something for everyone in the audience. Offering his own explanation Sullivan has said it s because i Don t compete with my guests and quietly go about my  though de has Learned to laugh a himself the author does not Overlook Sullivan s vulnerability to Adverse criticism. De has Felt the sting from to reviewers from the beginning and re viewers have often gotten stinging let ters in reply. But it s a Little silly to criticize the showman for not singing dancing or do ing card tricks commented one to critic and plainly inaccurate to Call him untalented. His Talent is discovering entertainers and knowing How to blend them and that is More rare than people May  another reviewer pointed out that Sullivan is a Veteran Newspaperman with a love for show business and a understanding of what to edit what to play up what is on the verge of being in what will bring him the greatest number of viewers now estimated Tobe about 40 million weekly. It is this same Newspaperman s instinct that keeps him booking celebrities from other Fields sports stars War heroes visiting dignitaries personalities in the news. I Ullivan s career is traced from his beginnings in port Chester n.y.,his career As a sportswriter and then Broadway columnist. There Are recollections of his radio Days de introduced Jack Benny to the medium in 1932 his abortive attempt As a Broadway pro Ducer and his Hollywood Days when rewrote several forgettable screen  65-year-old Sullivan still writes two columns a week for the new Yor daily news. His television program stems from his role As master of Cere monies of the Harvest Moon Ball the annual Amateur dance contest sponsored by his paper. De and his wife Sylvia have Bee married almost 40 years and have five grandchildren. Their daughter Betty Isth wife of Bob Precht. The sullivans live in a Park Avenue hotel apartment have no servants and travel in taxis. They prefer dining out every night and do their entertaining in  have Given explanations of de Sullivan s to Success. These usually contradict one another. However author Harris puts it this Way his is the mos unusual Success Story in the history of a very unusual medium the spectacle of the loser who wins every  the stars and stripes wife Sylvia shares Happy moment with her husband of 40 years. Phil silvers rashly chips away at the great Stone  Page 13