While the craze known as "Beatlemania" had taken over the UK, in the fall of 1963, the Beatles were practically unknown in America. Through the efforts of band manager Brian Epstein, TV host Ed Sullivan, and a teenage fan from Silver Spring, MD, all of that would change by February 1964. By the time The Beatles arrived at JFK Airport on February 7, 1964, "Beatlemania" was a full-blown phenomenon in America. Their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show garnered 73 million viewers, making it one of the most watched shows in television history.