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The Hollywood Icon That Survived A Terrible Plane Crash In The Desert
A familiar face in the movies for more than a century almost met an early end to their career
After more than a century pumping out popular entertainment for the United States and the World via movies and television, Hollywood is littered with legends. Many of these icons led thrilling and sometimes dangerous lives, including one that survived a plane crash in the desert but after being rescued days later went on to resume a successful and memorable career.
A roaring lion has long been a popular image for movie goers. lt is the memorable logo of MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer), one of Hollywood’s most successful film studios. Their symbol of power and prestige has graced the opening of their films since 1917. Over the years, a number of big cats have held the role of the MGM lion but one escaped dire circumstances when they were in a plane crash in the Arizona desert and wasn’t rescued until days later.
Also known as “Leo the Lion,” the marketing logo was created in 1917 by publicist Howard Dietz. Originally named Slats, the lion was a nod to his alma mater, Columbia University, which also utilized the animal as their mascot.
