Sources say he chose the lion as a nod to his alma matter, Columbia University, home of the Columbia Lions. It appears our publicist pal Dietz did originate the idea of a live-action lion inside the logo. It’s a logo meant for a king – or, in this case, king of the jungle, namely Leo, the MGM lion. Reiss, but Dietz comes to mind first because he was a publicist, after all, while Reiss, alas, was not.Īnyhoo, the logo is regal business, festooned with film-as-banners unfurling above a Greek mask, and sporting the oh-so-chic Ars Gratia Artis, (“Art for Art’s Sake”).

Some sources say it was created by Paramount art director Lionel S. Maybe Deitz designed the logo maybe he didn’t.

The logo was created around 1916, and the design is often credited to MGM publicist Howard Dietz. Today, we’re going to take a quick look at that famous ferocious lion, but, before we do, let’s quickly delve into the MGM logo design. Of course you’re wondering about the MGM lion, because who isn’t?

Mgm casino lion logo