Let's Go To The Zoo

Let's Go To The Zoo (also referred to as Barney, Let's Go To The Zoo in press releases)^[1][2] is a 2001 direct-to-video Barney Home Video that was released on August 28, 2001. Directed by Jeff Gittle and written by Stephen White, this was the first Barney Home Video to be produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment, alongside being the first installment in the "Let's Go" series in the Barney franchise.

Plot[]

BJ makes the trip to the zoo a photo safari, taking pictures of all the animals, while Baby Bop looks for a real elephant to show to her doll "Nelly the Elephant". And there's an unexpected guest - Scooter McNutty - who searches the zoo for an exhibit devoted to the noblest of animals: the squirrel! There's an abundance of animal fun and facts, songs and surprises when Barney takes YOU to the zoo.

Cast[]

• Barney (Voice: Duncan Brannan / Tim Dever; Costume: David Joyner)
• Baby Bop (Voice: Julie Johnson; Costume: Jeff Ayers)
• BJ (Voice: Patty Wirtz; Costume: Jeff Brooks)
• Ticket Seller (Kate Rafferty Keimig)
• Miss Kepler (Gene Raye Price)
• Scooter McNutty (Todd Duffey)
• Sean (Sean Greene)
• Man in Zebra-Print Shirt (Steven G. McAfee)
• Child #1 (David Schulenburg)
• Child #2 (Stephanie Sechrist)
• Child #3 (Olivia Payne)
• Child #4 (Laryssa Bonacquisti)

Songs[]

1. "What Will We See at the Zoo?"
2. "Ten Little Meerkats"
3. "Growing"
4. "Have a Snack!"
5. "Jungle Adventure"
6. "The Tiger Song"
7. "This Little Piggy"
8. "The Elephant Song"
9. "Rock Like a Monkey"
10. "Everybody Needs a Nap" *
11. "What Will We See at the Zoo" (Reprise)
12. "I Love You"

*Notes a song was instrumentally played during the end credits.

Production[]

Let's Go To The Zoo was the final Barney project in which Richard C. Leach served as the executive in charge of production as this video was made prior to his passing in May 2001. It was also the final Barney project produced by Timothy Clott, who was the CEO of Lyrick Studios. The video also marked the final time Barney is voiced by Duncan Brannan and performed by David Joyner in production order.

Filming[]

Filming for Let's Go To The Zoo occurred at the Fort Worth Zoo in Fort Worth, Texas. Although Love to Read, with Barney (which wasn't widely released) was the first Barney video filmed on location, this video was marketed as the first Barney video to be filmed on location.^[2] Let's Go To The Zoo was chosen to be filmed at the Fort Worth Zoo due to the proximity to Lyrick Studios and its historical significance.^[3]

Marketing[]

Lyrick Studios, which became a HIT Entertainment company, supported the release of Let's Go To The Zoo with a comprehensive marketing campaign designed to deliver over one hundred million consumer impressions. Elements included Barney's Zoo Tour; full-page brand ads in leading women's and parenting magazines, with one-third page tags promoting the Let's Go To The Zoo video; and a national cross-promotion with Gerber. The cornerstone of the Gerber tie-in campaign is a consumer mail-in offer for a deck of colorful flashcards featuring twenty zoo animals that appear in Let's Go To The Zoo (which was good between September 1, 2001 to February 28, 2002).^[2] The trailer for this video was originally intended to appear on Barney's Pajama Party,^[2] but use of that trailer on Barney releases was delayed until Read With Me/Dance With Me. Its only appearance on Barney releases was in Barney's Outdoor Fun!. A teaser trailer was seen on the video release of Barney's Musical Castle however.

To support retailers' in-store merchandising efforts, Lyrick's design team created a total of eight displays featuring graphics of Barney and his animal friends. There were five floor displays that held the following VHS units: twelve (with strip clip), eighteen, eighteen (with strip clip), twenty-four and thirty-six. The strip clips allowed retailers to merchandise the Barney Zoo Beanbag collection of mini-costumed plushies. Lyrick also offered three counter displays conveniently configured to hold twelve, eighteen and twenty-four VHS units.^[2]

Tour[]

Main Article: Barney's Zoo Tour

Barney's Zoo Tour was a tour to promote the home video, Let's Go To The Zoo. It originally toured at major metropolitan zoos in the US and Canada, including Toronto, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Miami.^[4] The tour ran from July 2001 until August 2001. It toured UK zoos the following year and in Germany in 2003.

Release[]

Home media[]

Let's Go To The Zoo was available for pre-order in both English and Spanish on July 31, 2001. The video was officially released on VHS on August 28, 2001 by Lyrick Studios and HIT Entertainment. The VHS release was suggested at a retail price of $14.95.^[2] Despite the cover and label of the VHS having the Lyrick Studios logo, the actual tape shows the HIT Entertainment logo. This was due to the company being rebranded around the same time this video was originally released. However, the Lyrick Studios logo was used during the end credits. On September 18, 2001 ^{[citation needed]}, this video was featured in the Blockbuster Exclusive video, Barney's Island Safari (along with Imagination Island).

On September 22, 2001, Let's Go To The Zoo debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Kid Video chart^[5] and #5 on the Billboard Top VHS Sales chart.^[6] Let's Go To The Zoo spent eleven weeks on the Official Video Chart for OCC (between November 5, 2001-July 20, 2002), peaking at #10 during the week of May 25, 2002.^[7] Let's Go To The Zoo was also the #1 children's title on Videoscan's sell-through chart.^[1]

Originally, this video was supposed to be released on DVD on August 28, 2001 just like the VHS,^[8] but the release of the DVD was delayed until April 8, 2003.

Releases[]

Front cover[]

Original Release (2001)

Original DVD Release (2003)

UK Release (2002)

UK DVD Release (2004)

Australian Release (2002)

Original Australian DVD Release (2003)

Australian DVD Rerelease (2006)

Original Spanish Release (2002)

Spanish Rerelease (2005)

German Release (2004)

Portuguese Release (2006)

Cantonese VCD Release

Let's Go Cover (2005)

Trivia[]

• This video marked:
  • The final video until The Land of Make Believe where the "Barney Theme Song" is not sung.
  • The final appearance of Miss Kepler, and the only time she appeared without Keesha.
  • The final time as well as the final video where Scooter McNutty appeared without Miss Etta Kette.
  • The final appearance of Scooter McNutty in production order, despite him making his final appearance in You Can Be Anything!.
• The screener copy of this video used the Lyrick Studios Screener Warning including the 1998-2001 Lyrick Studios logo as the actual release has the 2001 HIT Entertainment PLC logo.
• The 1996 BJ costume is briefly used during the scene where BJ gets wet (This is done so the costume in the video would not get damaged by the splash.).
• During the credits, Tim Dever is incorrectly credited as "Tim Devers".
• Laryssa Bonacquisti (actress who portrayed Child #4 in this video) would later portray the role of Jordan in the seventh season of Barney & Friends in the episode, "Play for Exercise!".
• The book Barney & BJ Go to the Zoo was presumably made first before this video was made as the photographs from the book were also taken at the same location prior to the video being filmed a year later.
• When this video was released on DVD, it was closed captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH.
• Running gag: Scooter being teased by numerous kids at the zoo who kept calling him a "monkey" even though squirrels only live in the wilderness.

Cameos[]

• Kate Rafferty Keimig, who's known to be a producer and production coordinator for a few Spanish Barney albums, makes a cameo appearance as the Ticket Seller in this video.
• Steven G. McAfee, who's best known as a production coordinator for Barney & Friends (including this video), makes a cameo as the Man in Zebra-Print Shirt.

Videos[]

Trailers[]

Barney- Let's Go To The Zoo Teaser Trailer

Barney Let's Go to the Zoo VHS Trailer

References[]

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Barney & The Backyard Gang The Backyard Show (1988) • Three Wishes (1988) • A Day At The Beach (1989) • Waiting for Santa (1990) • Campfire Sing-Along (1990) • Barney Goes To School (1990) • Barney in Concert (1991) • Rock with Barney (1991) 1990s 1992: Barney's Magical Musical Adventure • Barney's Birthday 1993: Barney's Best Manners • Barney Rhymes with Mother Goose • Barney's Home Sweet Homes • Love To Read, With Barney 1994: Let's Pretend with Barney • Barney's Alphabet Zoo • Barney Live! In New York City • Imagination Island 1995: Barney's Families are Special • Barney Safety • Making New Friends • Barney's Birthday / Home Sweet Homes • Riding In Barney's Car • Barney Songs 1996: Barney's All Aboard For Sharing • Barney's Talent Show • Barney's Fun & Games • Barney's Exercises Circus / Barney's Parade of Numbers • Barney's 1-2-3-4 Seasons • Once Upon A Time 1997: Barney's Sense-Sational Day • Barney's Colors & Shapes • Barney's Musical Scrapbook • Camp Wannarunnaround • Barney's Adventure Bus • Barney's Stu-u-upendous Puzzle Fun! • Barney's Good Day, Good Night 1998: It's Time For Counting • Down on Barney's Farm • Barney in Outer Space • My Party with Barney • Barney's Big Surprise • Barney's Halloween Party • Barney's First Adventures • Barney's Good, Clean Fun! / Barney's Oh, Brother...She's My Sister 1999: Sing & Dance With Barney • What A World We Share • Walk Around The Block With Barney • Let's Play School! • Barney's Night Before Christmas • More Barney Songs 2000s 2000: Barney's Rhyme Time Rhythm • Barney's Super Singing Circus • Come on Over to Barney's House • Be My Valentine Love, Barney 2001: Barney's Musical Castle • A to Z with Barney • Barney's Dino Dancin' Tunes • Let's Go To The Zoo • Barney's Pajama Party 2002: You Can Be Anything! • Barney's Beach Party • Round and Round We Go • Barney's Christmas Star 2003: Barney Songs from the Park • Read With Me/Dance With Me • Barney's It's A Happy Day! • It's Nice To Meet You • Barney's Red, Yellow and Blue! • Barney's Numbers! Numbers! • Barney's Best Manners: Your Invitation to Fun! • Happy Mad Silly Sad 2004: Movin' and Groovin' • Let's Pretend with Barney • Now I Know My ABCs • Barney's Colorful World! • Ready, Set, Play! 2005: Let's Go to the Farm • Just Imagine • Everyone Is Special • The Land of Make Believe • Can You Sing That Song? 2006: Let's Make Music 2007: Let's Go To The Firehouse • Shake Your Dino Tail! • Dino-Mite Birthday 2008: Celebrating Around The World • Barney's Animal ABC's • Hi! I'm Riff! • The Best of Barney 2009: Once Upon A Dino Tale • Top 20 Countdown • Let's Go on Vacation • Sharing is Caring! • Barney's Jungle Friends • We Love Our Family 2010s 2010: Please & Thank You • Egg-Cellent Adventures • Let's Play Outside • Furry Friends • A-Counting We Will Go • Best Fairy Tales 2011: Musical Zoo • Shapes & Colors All Around • I Can Do It! • 1-2-3 Learn • Big World Adventure • A Very Merry Christmas 2012: I Love My Friends • Clean Up, Clean Up! • Planes, Trains & Cars • All About Opposites • Most Loveable Moments • Let's Go to the Doctor 2013: Let's Go To The Moon • Play with Barney • Dance with Barney • Imagine with Barney • Most Huggable Moments • Perfectly Purple 2014: Story Time with Barney • Happy Birthday, Barney! • A Super-Dee-Duper Day • This Is How I Feel 2015: Tee-rific Bugs & Animals • It's Showtime with Barney • Barney's Worldwide Adventure! 2016: Dinos in the Park 2017: Playground Fun Other releases Feature film: Barney's Great Adventure Blockbuster: Play and Learn with Barney • Barney's Time for School • Barney's Rockin' Rhyme Time • Barney's Favorite Songs • Barney's Big Top Fun • Barney's Valentine Adventure • Movin' & Groovin' with Barney • Barney's Learning Round-Up • Barney's Island Safari • Barney's Night-Light Stories • Barney's Summertime Fun • Going Places With Barney • On The Move with Barney • Sing-Along Fun! Re-releases: Barney's ABC's and 123's • Barney's Outdoor Fun! • Let's Go to the Beach • Barney's Book Fair • Fun on Wheels • Mother Goose Collection

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Home videos Let's Go To The Zoo • Let's Go to the Farm • Let's Go to the Beach • Let's Go to the Fire House • Let's Go on Vacation Stage shows Barney Live! - The Let's Go Tour Books Let's Go Visit The School • Let's Go to the Firehouse • Let's Go Visit The Doctor • Let's Go Visit The Police Station • Let's Go to the Farm and the Zoo • Let's Go Look and See • Let's Go Celebrate Christmas See also "Let's Go"