Throwback Thursday Trivia: MGM Lion

Jackie being filmed for MGM logo, 1928.
Image: niceoldspice.blogspot.com

A new feature for Ticket Stub: Throwback Thursday Trivia

Think of it as a movie fact of the day that you can impress your friends, family and colleagues with. 

So let's begin with the first edition...

Ever wondered about the story behind the famous MGM lion? You know this one:

There have been seven lions in total who have lent their furry faces and infamous roars to Metro Goldwyn Mayer's opening title. The very first lion, Slats, did not roar on screen - instead just looking about the logo - this was the silent era after all.

In 1928, however, MGM recorded Jackie's roar which was first heard by audiences seeing White Shadows in the South Seas at its premiere in New York. 

Although there have been seven lions playing the official Leo the Lion mascot, the current Leo is the longest serving of them all. From 1957 to the present day, we still see and hear Leo on the screen before our favourite MGM pictures.

To find out more, watch this video below: