The intro logo for the studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (or MGM) is one of the most iconic film openings of all time. MGM was founded in 1924 and used to be one of the film industry's most glamorous and revered studios, until it encountered financial issues in the 70s and ultimately filed for bankruptcy in 2010. Since its earliest days, MGM's logo has been a variation of the same thing: a roaring lion surrounded by a ring of film, coupled with the Latin phrase Ars Gratia Artis or Art for art's sake. It's within these early days that we find two popular hoaxes surrounding the lion(s) that feature in the logo. A lion named Slats was the first animal used by MGM, between the years 1924 and 1928. The first hoax claims that once filming of the intro had finished, Slats the lion killed his trainer. Not only that, but he also killed two of the trainer's assistants. Fortunately for everyone involved, this was nothing but a cruel lie, debunked by the very fact Slats' trainer Volney Phifer actually buried the lion once it passed. The second hoax centres on the next lion MGM used, Jackie. Jackie was the first MGM lion to actually roar, as Slats simply sat there and did nothing (he probably got paid the same for less work, too...actors). Even today, the rumour persists that the intro was supposed to be silent, featuring nothing more than live footage of the animal. It goes on to state that Jackie only roared when two burglars broke into the warehouse where the intro was being filmed. Again, this was nothing more than a lie, perpetuated by a joke website that has since been lost to the sands of time (or rather, the internet). Nevertheless, it's a bit easier to understand why this one gained momentum, since the first intro with Slats was completely silent.
