Lake Tahoe Trip: Meet Metro

7 July 1984

Everyone knows MGM’s famous logo, which features a roaring lion.  What most people don’t know is that the first logo was introduced in 1916 and that five different lions were used in the production of the logo since then — Slats, Jackie, Tanner, George, and Leo.  Leo, whose film career has long been over (captive lions live about 20 years) has been the star since 1957.  Sure, the logo has undergone some change over the years, but Leo has remained a fixture.  (Click here for more information if interested.)

Collage of MGM Logos from the Wikipedia article linked above.
Top Left: Jackie and Tanner
top right: george
Bottom left: Leo
bottom Right: Slats and logo spoof from tom & Jerry Cartoons

While in Reno, we stopped at the MGM and had a souvenir photograph taken with a lion named Metro — or so my notes say.

I assure you, that’s a real lion.

Mui tells me there was a glass wall between us and the big cat; I have no recollection either way.

Lake Tahoe Trip: Harrah’s Automobile Collection

7 July 1984

On our way back home from Lake Tahoe, we stopped in Reno, Nevada to check out Harrah’s Automobile Collection, now the National Automobile Museum.  Why?  Good question!  Neither one of us is an antique cars enthusiast, so I can only guess that we saw some signage along the way that caught our attention.

From the 1983 version of the brochure we picked up that day:

Harrah’s Automobile Collection began in 1948 with the acquisition of two cars, a 1911 Maxwell and a 1911 Ford.  Today the collection is the world’s largest, with over 1,000 antique, vintage, classic, and special interest cars on display.

You'll see virtually every significant technical achievement, including a 1906 Compound with power brakes and a 1940 Packard — the first car with air conditioning.  But it is more than an exhibition of technology.  It is also a collection of memories where you’ll find Al Jolson’s 1933 Cadillac, Tyrone Power’s 1930 Duesenberg, and the 1907 Thomas Flyer — famous winner of the 1908 New York-to-Paris Race.

Many of the cars on display have been faithfully restored in the Collection’s Restoration Shops.  Here, craftsmen make the cars not only look, but also perform, as they did on the day they were purchased by their first owners.

1911 Simplex Nine-Passenger Tourabout.

1917 Ford Model T Touring

Lincoln Model L-134B Coaching Brougham

1929 Mercedes-Benz Model SSK Drop-Head Coupe

1938 Phantom Corsair Experimental Six-Passenger Coupe
(Above and Below)

1973 Cadillac Custom El Dorado
38th birthday Gift to Elvis from his dad.  Later, given by Elvis to his
karate instructor, Kang Ree.

1981 De Lorean LK Sport Coupe