Leo the Lion, who appeared in the Metro Goldwyn-Meyer logo that preceded its films from 1924 to 1928, spent his post-retirement days at the Philadelphia Zoo, writes Kristin Hunt for PhillyVoice.

After retiring from Hollywood in 1931 after a lengthy career, Leo was meant to stay at the Fairmount Park site temporarily.

However, the stay turned into a permanent one after he took a lengthy, cross-country tour of America.

The Leo the Lion mascot was played by several different lions.

The one who retired to the Philadelphia Zoo was reportedly Slats, who was the first jungle cat to represent the newly formed MGM in 1924.

At the time, movies were still silent; therefore, he didn’t actually roar. He, instead, moved his head from side to side within the logo.

By 1927, he began roaring; however, synchronized sound was new, so his shouts were muted over the film’s music.

Much of the lion’s life was spent on the road, entertaining crowds at publicity events across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. According to newspaper reports, he hit at least 17 U.S. states between the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Leo passed way in 1935 at 20 years old, four years after settling at the Philadelphia Zoo.

Read more about Leo the Lion and his legacy in PhillyVoice.

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