elvis has left the building

"Elvis has left the building!" is a phrase that was often used by public address announcers following Elvis Presley concerts to disperse audiences who lingered in hopes of an Elvis encore. Al Dvorin, a concert announcer who traveled with Elvis throughout the performer's career, made the phrase famous when his voice was captured on many recordings of Elvis' performances.

It was originally used by promoter Horace Lee Logan on December 15, 1956, to plead with concertgoers not to leave a concert hall to try to see Elvis as he left, and instead remain to see the other acts on the bill. The full quotation was "Please, young people... Elvis has left the building. He has gotten in his car and driven away.... Please take your seats." Former Houston Oilers coach Jerry Glanville popularized it in the early 80's (to refer to his team's imminent victory over its opponents).

The phrase has since become a pop culture catch phrase and punchline, used to refer to anyone who has "exited" in some sense. For instance, it might be used when someone makes a dramatic exit, such as at the end of an argument, partly to relieve tension among those who remain. Baseball announcers on radio or television sometimes use the phrase as a humorous way to describe a home run, which is typically hit over the outfield fence and into the stands. Also, some online communities use a variant of or reference to the phrase to refer to someone who has ceased to be a part of the community - e.g. "looks like he's Elvissed". It may also be said in a snide or sarcastic manner, such as the exit of a disliked character (possibly their exit to an off-screen death).

At the end of some episodes of Frasier, Kelsey Grammer says "Frasier has left the building." This contemporary twist on Elvis was a very popular way to tell viewers that the show had ended.

In early 90s World Wrestling Federation (WWF) matches, heel commentator Bobby Heenan would interrupt broadcast colleague Gorilla Monsoon to inform him that "Shawn Michaels has left the building" (usually some time after one of Michaels' matches).

When Elvis Stojko (named for Presley) headlined figure skating tours of Canada in the 90s, the announcers would declare "Elvis has left the building" after the show. When Stojko was battling injuries, it became a catchphrase for TV announcers to say "Elvis is/is not in the building".

In the popular video game GTA2, the phrase is used when one kills a group of men dressed in Elvis costumes.

External link

• The Straight Dope - What is the origin of "Elvis has left the building"?