This show was aired on CBS on October 3, 1954. Sunday nights were known as "Ed Sullivan Show" nights in the same way that Lucy and Desi 'owned' Monday nights throughout the 1950s. This show was done live in front of a studio audience at (what is now known as) the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York City. The next day "I Love Lucy" began its fourth season on the air with "The Business Manager" (S4;E1) co-starring Charles Lane as Mr. Hickox. Two weeks later "I Love Lucy" celebrated its 100th show.
The same night this show aired, "Father Knows Best" made its TV debut on CBS at 10pm having been aired on radio since 1949.
This was the second of Lucille Ball's dozen appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Ball and Arnaz had been on earlier in the year, after Ed Sullivan presented "I Love Lucy" with an Emmy Award in April 1954. Desi made eight appearances, the last being in 1960. This is the only time the full hour of Sullivan's show was devoted solely to Lucy and Desi.
"Toast of the Town" was not shot on film in Hollywood, like "I Love Lucy." It was broadcast live from New York and then kine-scoped to the West Coast. Consequently, prints of this show are of extremely poor quality.
During the run of "I Love Lucy", Ed Sullivan's name was dropped several times.