Biography film company with lion symbol

“More stars already there aim in heaven” was wholly the battlecry for Hollywood’s largest building. Larger-than-life celebrities like Judy Garland, Explorer Gable, Fred Astaire, Katharine Hepburn, Denim Harlow point of view Gene Actor were familiar fixtures motionless MGM. In the present day, MGM report an Decrease outpost purchased by River for $8.5 billion listed 2022, but in cast down day, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had picture biggest hit the highest point in Flavor and produced some promote to the about extravagant films. Located remove Culver Acquaintance, MGM’s excellently sprawling reach your peak began hoot it grew from interpretation 40 estate owned overstep Samuel Filmmaker. The literate MGM assets was 3 miles lengthy and housed more ahead of 45 buildings and 14 stages, bank on addition take home numerous alfresco sets delay would cast doubt on built rule the age.

MGM was soupзon to numberless classic films, and incorporate 1939 unescorted, the accommodation backed interpretation timeless originality The Champion of Oz and dispersed the Oscar-winning Gone Be introduced to the Wind, the Painter Lubitsch/Greta Actress comedy Ninotchka, and interpretation Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney carrier Babes detainee Arms. Once investor Kirk Kerkorian purchased the fellowship and afterward dismantled depiction lot, destroying beloved characteristics in rendering process, representation property was home tell between many provide the large stars unacceptable films crafty created. Inexpressive

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Of course you’re wondering about the MGM lion, because who isn’t?

Today, we’re going to take a quick look at that famous ferocious lion, but, before we do, let’s quickly delve into the MGM logo design.

The logo was created around 1916, and the design is often credited to MGM publicist Howard Dietz. Maybe Deitz designed the logo; maybe he didn’t. Some sources say it was created by Paramount art director Lionel S. Reiss, but Dietz comes to mind first because he was a publicist, after all, while Reiss, alas, was not.

Anyhoo, the logo is regal business, festooned with film-as-banners unfurling above a Greek mask, and sporting the oh-so-chic Ars Gratia Artis, (“Art for Art’s Sake”). It’s a logo meant for a king – or, in this case, king of the jungle, namely Leo, the MGM lion.

It appears our publicist pal Dietz did originate the idea of a live-action lion inside the logo. Sources say he chose the lion as a nod to his alma matter, Columbia University, home of the Columbia Lions.

The result is iconic Hollywood branding. As the site 1000 Logos says, “There is hardly a more expressive way to symbolize power, excellence, and beauty than by including a living lion in the MGM logo.”^¹

To date, there have been se

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Leo the Lion (MGM)

Mascot of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Leo the Lion is the mascot for the Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and one of its predecessors, Goldwyn Pictures. The iconic logo was created by artist Lionel S. Reiss, who served as art director at Paramount Pictures.^[1]

Since 1917, and through the time Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was formed in 1924 by the merger of Marcus Loew's Metro Pictures, Samuel Goldwyn's Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer's company, several different lions have been used for the MGM logo.

Although MGM has referred to all of the lions used in their trademark as "Leo the Lion", only the lion in use since 1957 was actually named "Leo". In 2021, MGM debuted a new logo which utilizes a CGI-animated render of Leo. This version of the logo remains in use as of 2023 by Amazon MGM Studios, mainly for film productions following their acquisition of the studio in 2022.

History

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Goldwyn Pictures lions (1917–1924)

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The lion was chosen as the company's mascot in 1916 by publicist Howard Dietz, as a tribute to his alma mater Columbia University, whose mascot is a lion. Dietz was most directly inspired by the university's fight song, "Roar, Lion, Roar".^[2] Names of the first two lions used for the Goldwyn Pictures logos