No quotation dictionary gives the origin of the common phrase “Elvis has left the building.” Who said it first? –Nicole A., Palo Alto, CA

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But Logan decided to take a chance. On October 16, 1954, Elvis debuted on the show, which was broadcast live on KWKH, a 50,000-watt station in Shreveport, Louisiana, that reached 28 states. The studio audience responded politely to the young singer–he had yet to develop his trademark hip wiggle or sultry sneer–but Logan and company saw his potential and signed him up for a regular gig. Soon teenage girls discovered him and Elvis was on his way.

After two years of touring the south and southwest and drawing increasing national attention, Elvis bought out his contract with Hayride for the unheard-of sum of $10,000, with the stipulation that he give one last performance, which turned out to be on December 15, 1956. By this time he was verging on superstardom. Ten thousand kids jammed the youth building on the fairgrounds in Shreveport and screamed at the top of their lungs for the duration of the King’s 45-minute show. (According to KWKH disc jockey Frank Page, it was sometimes hard to tell if Elvis was singing, or even if the band was playing.) After Elvis had given his final encore and left the stage, the crowd headed for the exits, even though many other Hayride acts were still waiting to perform. Logan took the microphone and pleaded with Elvis’s fans to return to their seats: “Please, young people…Elvis has left the building. He has gotten in his car and driven away…. Please take your seats.”

what would happen if a giant alien came up and ate the sun, would it die? what would happen to us. Would it eat us too or would it be too full from the sun. Is there any nurtional value in the contens of the sun or anyn of the planets of the matter. –D Guarna

can you send me the hearing of him saying any of that? –theallens

Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): illustration/Slug Signorino.