Exactly 100 years ago today, on April 26, 1924, Metro Pictures merged with Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Pictures to form what would become the movie industry titan, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This photo shows employees of the new studio gathering for the ceremony while a Naval band played. Those three men on the platform holding a giant key marked “SUCCESS” were Harry Rapf (movie producer) on the left, Irving Thalberg (production chief) on the right, and studio head Louis B. Mayer in the middle. What most people don’t know is that on this date, the studio’s name was officially Metro-Goldwyn. Mayer’s name wasn’t added until a year later. But all three men were determined to make MGM the most prestigious movie studio in Hollywood – and by golly they succeeded.
** UPDATE ** – I later learned that that photo was doctored in a number of ways, which was quite common back then. Let’s call it early Photoshopping. Here’s what the day actually looked like:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, M-G-M!
I started a reply when I realized that the top of the photo is some kind of awning the person is standing under to take the picture. I thought it was the backdrop of the shot, and I was wondering what those mountains or forests were doing in Culver City!
I had to look twice at that too.
Happy Birthday to MGM Studios, indeed. It was a great place to be.
How exciting it must have been on that day! All the good movies and memories made. Happy Birthday MGM!