We all know about the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer lion that has roared at the beginning of so many movies. But, of course, the short movie sequence had to be shot.
As far as I can tell, the photo is not available as a poster.
Ed
The date on the upper picture, 1924, is incorrect. 1924 was the year of the merger that created MGM, who were not producing sounded pictures. At that time, they continued to use the same original lion, “SLATES”, first seen on the logo for the Goldwyn Corp. It wasn’t until 1929, that they replaced “SLATES” with “Jackie”, who we believe is the lion in this photo. But they may have shot many screen tests of various lions before choosing him for the logo. He was also the first lion that was actually heard, when MGM began making “talkies”. This is at least the history I was able to uncover when, in 2008, did a complete digital restoration of the MGM logo, which made it’s debut on “Quantum Of Solace”.
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Comments
6 responses to “The MGM lion: The making-off”
how did they shoot the lion for the 1928 logo in 1929? TIME TRAVEL?
wow neat
where can i buy the poster of ‘shooting the MGM logo 1924’
As far as I can tell, the photo is not available as a poster.
The date on the upper picture, 1924, is incorrect. 1924 was the year of the merger that created MGM, who were not producing sounded pictures. At that time, they continued to use the same original lion, “SLATES”, first seen on the logo for the Goldwyn Corp. It wasn’t until 1929, that they replaced “SLATES” with “Jackie”, who we believe is the lion in this photo. But they may have shot many screen tests of various lions before choosing him for the logo. He was also the first lion that was actually heard, when MGM began making “talkies”. This is at least the history I was able to uncover when, in 2008, did a complete digital restoration of the MGM logo, which made it’s debut on “Quantum Of Solace”.
Thanks for the update/correction.