Who was the headliner of the first Super Bowl halftime show?

Who was the headliner of the first Super Bowl halftime show?

Ciku Njuguna
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:21 PM

Since 1993, ultimate entertainment heavyweights, including Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, and Lady Gaga, have graced the annual NFL playoffs. Who was the headliner of the first Super Bowl halftime show? Discover more about Super Bowl history right here.

Who has performed the Super Bowl halftime show?
Iconic artists Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson and J LO put up incredible performances at various halftime shows. Pictures by Matt Cowan, Ronald Martinez, George Rose and Kevin Mazur.
Source: Getty Images

According to Billboard, the Super Bowl halftime show's popularity in 2022 grew to its highest viewership after a record 112.3 million people viewed the show, headlined by Dr Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem. Dig in here and learn more about superstars who headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 1967.

There is no doubt that entertainment value is not the only reason why the Super Bowl halftime show is important. The show's purpose was initially centred around introducing new players, filling time, and entertaining fans during the halftime break. Today, the show acts as a career launchpad for creatives and offers multiple businesses advertising access to millions of fans.

Who played in the 1st Super Bowl?
Young women in Indian headdresses wait for the festivities to begin before Super Bowl I in January 1967 at the LA Memorial Coliseum in LA, California. Photo by Kidwiler Collection/Diamond Images.
Source: Getty Images

In an interview with CNN in 2021, the Super Bowl director Hamish Hamilton expressed his views on the biggest event in American football.

“It is the marriage of sport, music and entertainment, and there is no better example in the world.”
Did MJ ever do a halftime show?
Super Bowl XXVII singer Michael Jackson performed during the January 1993 Dallas Cowboys vs Buffalo Bills' halftime in Pasadena, California. Photo by Damian Strohmeyer/Sports Illustrated.
Source: Getty Images

When did they start doing halftime shows in the Super Bowl?

In the 1920s, Walter Lingo, a small-town Terrier breeder and owner of the Oorang Indians, laid the groundwork for creating today's million-dollar-worth NFL halftime shows. Lingo used well-known football games to promote his dog breeding and kennel business. To fill dead time during halftime, he began creating elaborate performances of indigenous Native American dances, dog shows, and grand finales.

What was the first Super Bowl in history?

The Green Bay Packers played the first Super Bowl in history against the American Football League champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. The annual NFL Super Bowl game, which has become one of the most viewed matches in the world, was first held in January of 1967 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Who was the headliner of the first Super Bowl halftime show?

The headliners for the first Super Bowl halftime show, the University of Arizona marching band, staged an intricate performance that involved jetpacks, pigeons, and tributes to the union of the AFL and the NFL, the four corners of the United States and historical events.

In addition to the University of Arizona marching band, the 1967 Super Bowl halftime show performers list contained Grambling’s band, the Anaheim High School Drill Team, performers from the Bell Aerosystems, and celebrities such as the Three Stooges and Al Hirt.

Did Ella Fitzgerald sing at the Super Bowl?
Al Hirt (top) plays the national anthem at the start of the 1976 halftime show. (Bottom) Ella Fitzgerald sings while he plays during the 1972 show. Photo by Diamond Images/Jerry Cooke/Corbis.
Source: Getty Images

Here is a recap of performances by the 1st Super Bowl halftime show headliners and singers, according to various authoritative sources. Dig into the intricate performances of the most popular halftime show of the time.

Who headlined the first Super Bowl halftime show?

The University of Arizona band, popularly known as the pride of Arizona, led the 1967 Super Bowl halftime show. The original sports spectacle, aptly titled 'Super Sights and Sounds,' began with a musical journey to the four regions in the United States. The performance recreated the infamous O.K. Corral shootout and paid tribute to national icons such as the Liberty Bell and US industrialisation.

What was the highest rated Super Bowl halftime show?
University of Arizona marching band performs at Super Bowl I between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers in January 1967 at the LA Memorial Coliseum, California. Photo by Robert Riger.
Source: Getty Images

Anaheim High School Drill Team

About 80 Ana-Hi Steppers members dressed in white wigs, boots, colonial blue coats, and tri-corner hats joined the Grambling and the University of Arizona marching bands. At the time, the lesser-known drill team did not comprehend the depth of their performance. In an interview with LATimes, one of the former members of the team said,

“We had won many awards, so we looked at it as any other competition. It was like an Anaheim High School football game, only held at the Coliseum. It would be years before I realised it was bigger.”

The Grambling’s band

One of the most historical Grambling band performances was held by the HBCU state university. At a time when racial tensions were very high in Los Angeles, the GSU Tiger Marching Band joined the University of Arizona in creating a map of the country to show NFL team cities.

Who performed at the first Super Bowl halftime show in 1967?
The Grambling State Tigers marching band performs before the Houston Cougars match against the Grambling State Tigers in September 2014 at the TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas. Photo by Thomas B. Shea.
Source: Getty Images

The Bell Aerosystems Airmen

About 60,000 Super Bowl attendees and over 50 million television viewers were treated to a jetpack performance by two stunt performers from Bell Aerosystems. The two men flew 100 feet high before landing on the field's 50-yard line before hundreds of pigeons and thousands of balloons were released.

The Three Stooges

Did the Three Stooges ever perform at a Super Bowl? According to several publications, the Three Stooges, famous for their starring role in the Three Little Pigskins at the time, made an appearance at the show. However, the details of their role at the halftime show are unclear.

Were the Three Stooges at the first Super Bowl halftime show?
Actors Joe DeRita (R), Moe Howard (C) and Larry Fine (L), famously known as the Three Stooges, in a scene from the 1961 film, 'Snow White And The Three Stooges'. Photo by 20th Century-Fox.
Source: Getty Images

In addition, sources such as Snopes allege that the comedy stars did not perform at the games. Although the article quotes Larry Fine's recounting of their performance in his autobiography, Stroke of Luck, it also claims that there are no archival photographs or newspaper articles to prove Larry Fine's account.

Which artist performed at the first Super Bowl?

The show was graced by American jazz trumpeter Al Hirt, who performed at the Super Bowl multiple times after his initial appearance in 1967. The performance that included his solo, Way Down Yonder in New Orleans, was a tribute to New Orleans, his hometown.

Unknowingly, artists who were the headliners of the first Super Bowl halftime show paved the way for numerous acts dedicated to various social issues. Since the 1967 show, performances have shed light on minority representation, racial injustice, and patriotic messages, such as U2's tribute to 9/11 victims.

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Authors
Ciku Njuguna photo
Ciku Njuguna
Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with 3 year’s experience in content creation based in Kenya. She currently covers sports personnel as well as team biographies.