Volney the MGM lion lived at the Memphis Zoo?

Memphis is filled with interesting historical stories and facts that you probably didn't know. For example, You have no doubt heard that 'Volney', the lion who roared at the beginning of all the old MGM movies, lived at the Memphis Zoo until his death in 1944. Is it true ? Kinda.

Much has been made about the names of the MGM lion mascots. Here are the facts:
1) LEO (the Goldwyn lion) - Found as a cub in Port Sudan, Africa by lion trapper/trainer Volney Phifer in 1913. Hired by Sam Goldwyn in 1917 (not '16) to fill the logo designed by Howard Dietz. After the MGM merger, he made tours with Phifer at the studio's behest. Moved with Phifer to New Jersey in the early '30's, but was sold to the Philadelphia Zoo when local zoning commission banned wild animals kept as domestic pets. Died in Philadelphia in 1936; remains are buried at Phifer's former home.
2) SLATS - Born 1919 in Dublin Zoo, Ireland; brought to Hollywood by Volney Phifer as MGM's new mascot. Became the star of Gay's Lion Farm in El Monte, California; the farm closed in 1942, and he was returned to Phifer. He sold Slats to the Memphis Zoo, who renamed him "Volney". He died in 1944.
3) JACKIE - the one who "roared in" the sound era at MGM. Born at the World Jungle Compound in Hollywood; trained by Melvin Koontz; lived at the Selig Zoo (the former Selig Studios) in Los Angeles, and later at Jungleland in nearby Thousand Oaks, where he died in 1952.
4) TANNER - Jackie's Technicolor counterpart, and the lion who would symbolize the MGM musical. Also handled by Melvin Koontz, his life-dates are unknown to me. His roar was the lustiest and liveliest. Served two tenures as the mascot of MGM's animated output.
5) al-MARAH (a.k.a JACKIE II, BOB) - Fluffy-maned and ill-tempered, not much is known about him at all, except he was pressed into service as the lion who would be shot in CinemaScope.
6) LEO (a.k.a. LEO II, JACKIE III) - The most famous to today's audiences, his image has been used since 1957 in motion pictures and television, although his roar was discarded in 1982 (the year he died).

Credit: http://www.portalentretextos.com.br/colunas/recontando-estorias-do-domin...