MGM Lions #1 (From Eric Beheim)

The recent series on Gay’s Lion Farm mentioned the MGM lions. Following is a movie-watcher’s guide to the various lions that have appeared in the MGM logo over the years. The first MGM lion was “Slats,” who made his initial appearance in 1917 in the logo used by Goldwyn Pictures. (The Goldwyn logo was designed by Howard Dietz, who included a lion as a tribute to his alma mater Columbia University, whose athletic teams were nicknamed the Lions.) After the Goldwyn studio was absorbed into the partnership that formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the Slats logo was revised and retained as the MGM logo. MGM used the Slats logo from 1924 until 1928. Slats died in 1936 and his skin is reportedly now on display at the McPherson Museum in McPherson, Kansas. Trivia note: the first Goldwyn picture to use the Slats logo was POLLY OF THE CIRCUS, released in 1917. The first MGM picture to use the Slats logo was HE WHO GETS SLAPPED, released in 1924.