In 1956, the King of Rock and Roll made a historic move backstage at ‘The Ed Sullivan Show.’
Dec 27, 2025 1:06 PM EST
By Carly Silva
Trending News Writer, Parade
Key Points
Elvis Presley received the polio vaccine backstage before his 1956 Ed Sullivan Show performance.
A widely circulated photo of the event inspired Americans to trust the vaccine.
Teenage polio vaccination rates rose from 0.6% to 80% within six months.
Elvis Presley is known for his undeniable influence on the music industry, but he once also had a profound effect on immunization rates for polio.
Nearly 70 years ago, the “Heartbreak Hotel” singer made the decision to get the polio vaccine backstage at CBS Studio 50, right before his second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show—a historic move that would end up being a monumental moment for public health.
Just a month after his iconic first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in September 1956, Elvis returned to the storied studio that October, where he received his polio shot backstage.
In a photo of the historic moment, Elvis can be seen with rolled-up sleeves as New York City Commissioner of Health Leona Baumgartner holds his arm and Assistant Commissioner Harold Fuerst administers the polio vaccine.
The photo was sent out across the nation, inspiring thousands of Americans to follow his example, despite looming fear surrounding the safety of the vaccine.
At the time of Elvis’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in October 1956, immunization levels among American teens had dropped to 0.6 percent, according to Scientific American.
But just six months after Elvis’ public immunization, polio vaccine rates among American youth skyrocketed to 80 percent.
