Howard Dietz

Born September 8, 1896, died July 30, 1983. Howard Dietz was an American publicist, lyricist, and librettist. He was born in New York City and studied journalism at Columbia University. He also served as publicist/director of advertising for Samuel Goldwyn Productions and later MGM and is often credited with creating Leo the Lion, its lion mascot, and choosing their slogan Ars Gratia Artis. He began a long association with composer Arthur Schwartz when they teamed up for the Broadway revue The Little Show in 1929. They would continue to work on and off over the next 30 or so years. Dietz served in the US Navy in World War 2. He died in New York City of Parkinson's Disease.