MGM - Slats the Lion, 1924

[whammy850]

G'aww. Nice kitteh.

[ariwarhol]

aaayy q bello!!!!!!!!! (sooo cute!)

[universalnickelodeon]

slats: *looks around* director: slats u should growl slats: okie *GROWLS* director:* hair is now a afro* thats okay slats: okiedokie, nice hair btw

[universalnickelodeon]

director: ok and Action

[MultiGlory13]

director: and ACTION!

leo: ROAR!

director: that's a rap leo

[LFWISKOOLreturns]

I found this exact logo but with a fanfare. I can't upload it cause it might get removed for copyright.

[trev358]

SLATS: So, what should I do? Should I roar, or should I just look around?

DIRECTOR: I think you should just look around.

VOLNEY PHIFER: Yeah, that's what you should do.

SLATS: Alright then.

Volney Phifer, by the way, was Slats' trainer.

[ChiuahuaTubeALT]

From 1916-1928 Slats was always silent. The original of Slats (1916) died in 1938, when Tanner was being used.

[trev358]

@ChiuahuaTubeALT Actually, Slats was born at the Dublin Zoo in 1919, so the original lion used for the Goldwyn Pictures logo from 1917-1923 couldn't have been Slats. Also, Slats died in 1936, not 1938.

[ChiuahuaTubeALT]

@trev358 That's the 1924 version of Slats. Besides, not all lions had the same name, as I know. But all the 1916-1924 lions are collected by the name of Slats.

[trev358]

@ChiuahuaTubeALT That's quite true. I just don't understand why, though.

[TheFlash180]

@trev358 If I recall, Slats was the first live action lion used for MGM. The lion for Goldwyn Pictures log was just a drawing

[LFWISKOOLreturns]

There's another movie with this logo; The Unholy Three.

[alcoholicferrets]

Slats is so cute, just looking around confused...

[ChiuahuaTubeALT]

Slats "Leo": Hmmm, I'm gonna be at the begging of a movie? raaaawr.

Slats "Leo": Ahhh, those were the good days...

[BatBastardson]

I like the MGM monkey logo better.

[Meshuggah17]

When I'm 18 I'm going to open up Gay's Lion Farm again. :)

[bogercs]

The mgm lion is so quiet it looks as if roaring back then is not as big.

[angelpichu1]

he looks like he's saying "uh....line please?"

[Beautifulstar24]

I think Slat and the Goldwyn Pictures Lion are so cute. They have personality imo.

[Pinky39559]

He's so cute , I like him better than the other MGM lions that came after him .

[bloodshotclam]

Why isn't Slats roaring?

[razgar02]

@bloodshotclam Because sound didn't come yet in movies, that's why.

[bloodshotclam]

What's Slats's roar sound like?

[malondo7]

LOL....ooo look..a pussy..huh?..roar?

[centainec]

Who took my roar

[Legometallica09]

Slats: Am i supposed to roar?!?

Director: No, theres no sound, plus why are we using a lion?!?

Slats: Wow and you critisiz me?

[Legometallica09]

Hes like " You said there was meat, WHERES THE MEAT... NO ROAR FOR YOU"

[ClaraLaraBombara]

thats a good proper irish lion

[minia1]

Poor critter... He really has no clue what's going on... NONE...

[jakestooge34]

It's like he's wondering "What am I doing here?"

[Doommlla]

hes dead

[toadetterocksmysocks]

he looks a little uncomfortable

[SilverEspeon26]

He is my favorite lion. :3

[TuckHandler]

Have you heard about the MGM lion that got loose during his filming for the MGM logo?

It was awful. He mauled a cameraman and tore the poor chap's balls clean off his body.

[hsuehhs]

Did that really happen?

[silvina6763]

@TuckHandler that's true??

[Irieperez0509]

that lion did'nt even roar thats weird.

[Monaghan]

Yeah, because it's from a silent film!

[narutokid2]

Yo, don't kick the lion, it can eat your guts up.

[rtivey01]

umm he's already dead

[Hondo20132]

He didn't roar 'cause there wasn't any point to do so; sound didn't come yet!

[TheDorancd]

@Hondo20132 Dat's true!!! Plus Irish lions are very quiet lol!!!

[Naruhinaluver15]

Slats: uh guys, am I supposed to roar now?

Director: no slats, just look around

Slats: ok

[dreamcicle19772006]

This is the first time that I've seen Slats in the MGM logo, meaning I haven't seen any movies with Slats in the beginning. Interesting that he doesn't roar.

[Nevidge]

This was the SILENT movie era remember. Leo is the current MGM lion. Slats died in 1936 in Dublin Zoo. Jackie was the second MGM lion but the first audiences heard roaring thanks to the new gramiphone technology. Oh and slats was trained NOT to roar. Roaring was'nt "family friendly".

[Yutzwagon404]

stage fright...

[MerSorax2007]

RIP Slats.

[jccw227]

Ol' Slats looked a little confused.

[Dablkwid0w2008]

There may not have had sound back then, but the lion didn't even attempt to roar. He just sitting with the WTF? look on his face LMAO

[thelogomaster]

it's from 1924 there was no sound back then now shut up and watch the logo

[doctorwholu]

he was born in dublin zoo

[MrBronson66]

Slats! Over here! Oi! No, look over here! Slaaaats! To me, to me! Slats!

Oh, screw this...

[looneywoman]

Slats: What's my motivation?

[bossradio930]

Actually, this opening was taken from "He Who Gets Slapped" (1924). The very first MGM picture conceived by the studio.

[Kashito91]

The reason why he doesn't roar is because, in 1924, there was NO SOUND! Sound didn't come to the movies until 1927

[looneywoman]

Motivation for the trademark MGM lion roar: the lion was eventually informed how much the MGM studio truly intended to pay him for his services. (PS: just kidding!!!)

[ricsanta1]

Question re the MGM lion roar: Was MGM wiliing to up the "steaks" to make the lion roar? :-)

[looneywoman]

LOL...good question, although given the system at the time I doubt it! :-) :-) :-)

On the other hand, maybe that's where the salaries of contract players ultimately went: into the "Leo Steak Fund." Who knows?

[toodeadbroke]

Samuel Goldwyn: Are you ready for your MGM Lion Idol?

Slats: Yes, I got that "Prince-in-my-pocket", and baby, I'm ready to ROAR! (mocking the tune 1999).

Samuel: Go' head.

Slats:

Samuel G: Nothin'.

Louis Mayer: Not Hollywood. But come back from Africa when Dolemite kicks your ass to stay in shape.

Slats: Okay.

[meesterfonnyboy]

Cute scenario, except that Sam Goldwyn was never a part of MGM personally; he had been eased out of his company a year before the M-G-M merger (which also included William Randolph Hearst's Cosmopolitan Pictures).

[Yutzwagon404]

SPEAK! damn...

[Yutzwagon404]

He has stage fright...

[ginaandsavionfan39]

He didn't roar

[FreakZilla34]

He looks kinda confused to me kinda like

"Who am I and what am I doing Here ???"

But He's Kinda Cuddly.

[JMFabianoRPL]

Oh hai, I r Slats. I is in yer movey. Eeting yet acturrs. ;-)

[hotman499]

cool

[rikiyamashi]

kittykittykitty...

it looks so cute when it doesn't roars

[PsycadelicShack]

He is adorable! I want him!

[GirlintheWater]

he doesnt roar which he looks so cuddly^^

[Joe500000]

Cuddly? He looks scary to me

[GirlintheWater]

how is he scary?

[Joe500000]

Take a look at his face and eyes. Thats how he looks scary

[lemonsters2008]

What?!?!?!? He died in 1936 or 1939!!!

[CHjfbalko]

He died in 1936.

[meesterfonnyboy]

Slats died in 1944, in the Memphis Zoo. It was his Goldwyn Studios predecessor, Leo, who died in 1936, in the Philadelphia Zoo.

[ORBSTEWBALL]

This is the original MGM logo! (not "Leo" yet...he was photographed in 1929.

[Naruhinaluver15]

no "Leo" was filmed in 1957