Let's All Go to the Lobby
Encyclopedia
"Let's All Go to the Lobby" is a 1953 animated musical snipe
played as an advertisement before the beginning of the main film. It featured a family of four talking concession stand products, singing "Let's all go to the lobby to get ourselves a treat" and walking to the concession stand.
The trailer was animated by Dave Fleischer
(producer of Popeye
cartoons) and produced by Filmack Studios of Chicago, a company that specialized in snipes. It was part of a series of Technicolor trailers aimed at informing audiences about a theater's newly installed concession stand. The melody bears a striking similarity to "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow
" but many songs are attributed to this melody. It is uncertain who may have originally composed the melody, but it appears to be well known first as a French folk song called "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre
" ("Marlborough has left for the war") in the 18th century about John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
.
In 2000, "Let's All Go to the Lobby" was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Further color snipes, such as ones using a clock and featuring singing and dancing hot dogs, popcorn boxes, candy bars and other concession stand products took their cue from this trailer. Those targeted at drive-in theater
s directed their patrons to the snack bar. Such shorts are still used for this purpose.
Snipe (theatrical)
A Snipe in the motion picture exhibition business refers to two things:* Any material before the feature presentation other than a trailer. "Welcome to our theater," courtesy trailers , promotions for the snackbar, and "daters", that announce the date for an upcoming show, are the most common...
played as an advertisement before the beginning of the main film. It featured a family of four talking concession stand products, singing "Let's all go to the lobby to get ourselves a treat" and walking to the concession stand.
The trailer was animated by Dave Fleischer
Dave Fleischer
David "Dave" Fleischer was an American animator film director and film producer, best known as a co-owner of Fleischer Studios with his two older brothers Max Fleischer and Lou Fleischer...
(producer of Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
cartoons) and produced by Filmack Studios of Chicago, a company that specialized in snipes. It was part of a series of Technicolor trailers aimed at informing audiences about a theater's newly installed concession stand. The melody bears a striking similarity to "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow
For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
"For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" is a song which is sung to congratulate a person on a significant event, such as, a promotion, a birthday, the birth of a child, or the winning of a championship sporting event. The melody originates from that of the French song "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre...
" but many songs are attributed to this melody. It is uncertain who may have originally composed the melody, but it appears to be well known first as a French folk song called "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre
Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre
Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre is one of the most popular folk songs in the French language...
" ("Marlborough has left for the war") in the 18th century about John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
.
In 2000, "Let's All Go to the Lobby" was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Further color snipes, such as ones using a clock and featuring singing and dancing hot dogs, popcorn boxes, candy bars and other concession stand products took their cue from this trailer. Those targeted at drive-in theater
Drive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
s directed their patrons to the snack bar. Such shorts are still used for this purpose.
In popular culture
- This was parodied in several episodes of The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, including "Burns' HeirBurns' Heir"Burns' Heir" is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons fifth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 14, 1994. In the episode, Mr. Burns has a near-death experience which prompts him to find an heir to inherit his wealth after he dies...
" and "Wild Barts Can't Be BrokenWild Barts Can't Be Broken"Wild Barts Can't Be Broken" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons tenth season, which was originally broadcast on January 17, 1999. When Homer, Barney, Lenny, and Carl drunkenly vandalize Springfield Elementary School, it is blamed on the children of Springfield, prompting Chief Wiggum to impose...
", and the DVD of The Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
. The short is also referenced in the webcomic The Order of the StickThe Order of the StickThe Order of the Stick is a comedic webcomic that celebrates and satirizes tabletop role-playing games and medieval fantasy through the ongoing tale of the eponymous fellowship of adventuring heroes...
. - In a season four episode of the sitcom Two and a Half MenTwo and a Half MenTwo and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
, titled "Smooth as a Ken Doll", both Charlie (Charlie SheenCharlie SheenCarlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
) and Myra (guest-star Judy GreerJudy GreerJudy Greer is an American actress, known for portraying a string of supporting female characters, including Kitty Sanchez on the Fox series Arrested Development and Cheryl on the animated comedy series Archer...
) are drunk and singing "Let's all go to the lobby..." in the back seat of Charlie's brother, Alan's (Jon CryerJon CryerJonathan Niven "Jon" Cryer is an American actor, screenwriter and film producer. He is the son of actress–singer Gretchen Cryer. He made his motion picture debut in the 1984 romantic comedy No Small Affair, but gained greater fame as "Duckie" in the 1986 John Hughes-scripted film Pretty in Pink...
) car, after returning from a movie. - The southern California improv team, The LobbyThe Lobby (improv)The Lobby is an improvisational comedy group based in Southern California. Unlike many improv groups, which are composed of many members who perform on a rotating basis, The Lobby is a small, close-knit group. The audience gets to know each of the players and feel they are part of the group...
, is named after the song. The group originally intended to use the song as introduction music, but they have rarely done so. - In the ScrubsScrubs (TV series)Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
episode My Life in Four Cameras, when asked by Carla what their song is, Turk begins humming the tune. However, Carla refers to it as the "Let's All Go to the Movies" song. - The song from Let's All Go to the Lobby is featured in an episode of the Adult SwimAdult SwimAdult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
television series Off the AirOff the Air (TV series)Off the Air is a television series on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim. Off the Air premiered in the United States, unannounced, on January 1, 2011...
. - The Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters parodies this song in its opening credits.