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| Famous Lions – there have been many throughout history. This page is a feeble attempt to focus on some of the more famous lions who have lent “pride” to their fellow big cats. If you know of a famous lion that I have not included, please let me know. Mojo Lions love to share the stories of their famous brethren.  MGM Lion MGM's trademark lion mascot (a.k.a."Leo") is seen at the beginning of every MGM feature film. Leo first roared July 31, 1928 for the debut of the movie White Shadows of the South Seas. The roar was heard via a phonograph record since it was a silent movie. The MGM lion logo was created in 1916 for the Goldwyn Pictures Corporation by advertising executive Howard Dietz. The logo was based on the Columbia University fight song Roar, Lion, Roar. In 1924, when Goldwyn merged with Metro and Louis B. Mayer, the lion logo became the trademark for the new company. Over the years a number of lions have portrayed Leo including Slats, Jackie and Tanner.  New York City Library Lions The world-renowned pair of marble lions that stand proudly before the majestic Beaux-Arts building of The New York Public Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street in Manhattan have captured the imagination and affection of New Yorkers and visitors from all over the world since the Library was dedicated on May 23, 1911.  The Cowardly Lion The Cowardly Lion is probably the most famous lion in television culture outside of the MGM Film mascot. The Cowardly Lion was created by Lyman Frank Baum and featured in his book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). As the book story goes, the lion was a coward, and afraid of his own shadow. He traveled to the Emerald Kingdom with the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Dorothy Gale of Kansas to see if the Wizard could give him courage. He battled the Wicked Witch and won the right to drink courage from the Wizard's green bottle. In the film adaptation The Wizard of Oz (1939) which has been re-run on television over the years, actor Bert Lahr portrayed the cowardly lion and sang his now famous rendition of "If I Were the King of The For-r-r-r-est!" In the screen version, the lion was awarded with a badge of courage that the Wizard pinned to his fur. The Cowardly Lion returned to television in the Saturday morning cartoon The Wizard of Oz from 1990-91, an animated adaptation of the classic story. |
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