1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:09,639 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to This Day in History Class, a 3 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 1: show for those who can never know enough about history. 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:18,799 Speaker 1: I'm Gabe Lucier, and today we're looking at the story 5 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: behind the roar of the MGM Lion, an iconic sound 6 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: from the golden age of Hollywood that still echoes through 7 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:35,919 Speaker 1: the movies today. The day was July thirty first, nineteen 8 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: twenty eight, MGM Studio's mascot Leo the Lion roared for 9 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,959 Speaker 1: the first time on the big screen. Live action footage 10 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: of a lion had been played before the start of 11 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 1: every MGM film going back to the studios founding in 12 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty four, but thanks to the recent advent of 13 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: synchronized sound, this was the first time that the big 14 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: cat nicknamed Leo, ever let out a For most in 15 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: the crowd, it was a real novelty to hear a 16 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,680 Speaker 1: lion roar, and for some it was likely the first 17 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: time they ever did. The intro was certainly more lively 18 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 1: than MGM's previous moving logo or bumper, which had shown 19 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: Leo turning his head from side to side without ever 20 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: making a sound. Audiences heard the now classic roar at 21 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: the New York premiere of White Shadows in the South Seas, 22 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: an adventure romance film loosely based on a travel book 23 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,639 Speaker 1: of the same name. Released during the transition period between 24 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: the silent era and talkies. White Shadows was the first 25 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: MGM film to feature a pre recorded soundtrack. The movie 26 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: had no spoken dialogue besides a faintly heard hello, but 27 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,919 Speaker 1: its romantic score and synchronized sound effects could be heard 28 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: through a gramophone record set up in the theater. The 29 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: idea of using a lion as a movie studio mascot 30 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: dates to nineteen sixteen, eight years before the merger that 31 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: gave rise to MGM. The newly launched Samuel Goldwyn Pictures 32 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: studio was in search of a logo, and publicist Howard 33 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: Diets suggested that they use a lion. Diets chose the 34 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: King of the Jungle as a tribute to his alma mater, 35 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 1: Columbia University, whose athletic team mascot was a lion. The 36 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: rest of the studio wasn't affiliated with Columbia, but they 37 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: liked the idea of the lion as a symbol of 38 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: the power and majesty of cinema. The final design of 39 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: the logo is generally credited to Lionel S. Reese, a 40 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: Polish American Jewish painter and commercial artist. His design featured 41 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: the portrait of a lion enclosed within a circular frame 42 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: of unfurling film strips, with a Greek theater mask and 43 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: some laurel branches directly beneath it. At Dietz's request, the 44 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: studio's Latin mantra was also added to the banner above 45 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: the lion's head, ours Grodia Artists or art for Art's Sake. 46 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: In April of nineteen twenty four, Goldwyn Pictures joined forces 47 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:15,399 Speaker 1: with Marcus Lowe's Metro Pictures and Louis B. Mayer's Mayor Pictures. 48 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: The result was a new studio called Metro Goldwyn Mayor, 49 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: or MGM for short. The producers had to choose which 50 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: studio's logo to retain, and since Goldwyn's lion was the 51 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: clear standout, Leo became the literal face of MGM. The 52 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: studio's legal trademark makes clear that the mascot's name is 53 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: Leo the Lion, but the real life animal that first 54 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: appeared and the logo was actually named Slats. He was 55 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 1: born at the Dublin Zoo in Ireland and was trained 56 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: by MGM's go to animal wrangler, Volney Pfeiffer. The two 57 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: reportedly became quite close, and when Slats passed away in 58 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 1: nineteen thirty six, Pfeiffer had the body buried on his 59 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: own farm, where he marked the grave with a pine tree. 60 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: Slats graced the studio's logo during its pre sound years 61 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: from nineteen twenty four to nineteen twenty eight, but to 62 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: herald the arrival of pre recorded sound, MGM hired a 63 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,839 Speaker 1: second lion named Jackie and filmed a brand new bumper 64 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,919 Speaker 1: to showcase his roar. The signature sound was recorded in 65 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 1: a special booth built around Jackie's cage and was mixed 66 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: by pioneering sound engineer Douglas Shearer. He did his best 67 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: to blend multiple roars to create a more powerful sound, 68 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: and while I'm sure the result commanded attention back in 69 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty eight, it's not quite as punchy as we'd 70 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: expect today. Take a listen. Jackie spent the next several 71 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: years in the limelight, appearing in front of all of 72 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: MGM's black and white films, but he was soon joined 73 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:05,799 Speaker 1: at the studio by three so called color test lions, Bill, Telly, 74 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: and Coffee. They shared logo duties for the studio's animated 75 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: and two strip color shorts, and a few years later 76 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 1: they were joined by Tanner, who would play the role 77 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: of Leo in MGM's technicolor films. Although Jackie no longer 78 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: had pride of place at the studio, he did get 79 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: the honor of opening nineteen thirty nine's The Wizard of Oz, 80 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 1: which included cepa toned opening credits. Despite being a technicolor film, 81 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:37,239 Speaker 1: Jackie would also continue to greet audiences at all black 82 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: and white MGM films released throughout the nineteen forties and fifties. 83 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: The seventh Leo the Lion, George, was hired in nineteen 84 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: fifty six, but his time with the studio proved short lived. 85 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 1: The very next year, he was replaced by the eighth 86 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: Leo the Lion, and this one, for the first time ever, 87 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: was actually named Leo. In an other happy coincidence, he'd 88 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: been born in the Dublin Zoo, just like Slats, MGM's 89 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:10,040 Speaker 1: original lion, Seemingly born to play the role. Leo went 90 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: on to have the longest career of any of the 91 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: studio's lions to date. He appeared in front of films 92 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: and TV shows from nineteen fifty seven all the way 93 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: until twenty twenty one, meaning that for most listeners, he's 94 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: the Leo you've likely heard roar the most. Throughout all 95 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: the Lion's tenures, the studio routinely tried out different roars 96 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: to pair with its logo. Leo's roar remained more or 97 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 1: less unchanged until the nineteen eighties, when sound engineer Mark 98 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 1: Mangini was tapped to produce a new, higher fidelity roar. 99 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: He had already amassed a library of big cats sounds 100 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,239 Speaker 1: to use in the horror movie Poltergeist, and he found 101 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 1: that mixing a few of them together created the perfect 102 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 1: voice for Leo. Strangely enough, though the sounds he chose 103 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: were the cries of not lions is Mangini later explained, quote, lions, 104 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: for all their ferocity, don't make the most terrifying sounds 105 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: to pair with the majestic teeth bared open mouth seen 106 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: in the logo, I would discover that, in fact, the 107 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: sound that one would hear when a lion roars is 108 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: something more akin to a giant yawn to my ears, 109 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: so I substituted tiger roars. They just sounded bigger and 110 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 1: more majestic. If you remember Jackie's roar from a few 111 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: minutes ago, you'll know that Mangini was right on about 112 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:38,239 Speaker 1: it sounding like a yawn. As for the tiger fueled 113 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: replacement being more majestic, well, here's a clip to judge 114 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:52,559 Speaker 1: for yourself. Beefing up a lion's roar with the voice 115 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: of a tiger is phony movie magic at its finest. 116 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: But in twenty twenty one, MGM went a step further, 117 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: not only doing away with the lion's real voice, but 118 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: with real lions altogether. That's right, the ninth and current 119 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: Leo the Lion is actually a CGI model based on 120 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: the appearance of his real life predecessor, Leo the eight. Personally, 121 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: I wish they still used footage of a proper flesh 122 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: and blood lion, but I've got to admit that the 123 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: computer generated one does make an odd kind of sense. 124 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:30,119 Speaker 1: After all, everything else in Hollywood is fake, why should 125 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 1: the lions be any different. I'm gay, blues gay, and 126 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 1: hopefully you now know a little more about history today 127 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: than you did yesterday. If you'd like to keep up 128 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 1: with the show, you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, 129 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: and Instagram at TDI HC Show, and if you have 130 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 1: any comments or suggestions, feel free to send them my 131 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: way by writing to This Day at iHeartMedia dot com. 132 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 1: Thanks to kazby biased forduy the show, and thanks to 133 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: you for listening. I'll see you back here again tomorrow 134 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: for another day in history class.