Who is Gilmore the lion?

Answer 1

Gilmore the Lion or more commonly Gilmore the Flying Lion was a lion owned by aviation pioneer Roscoe Turner. The Gilmore Oil Company sponsored Turner's barnstorming tours. The oil company's logo featured a lion. Not one to miss a publicity stunt, Turner purchased a lion cub and named it Gilmore. Gilmore flew across country with Turner who set both east/west and north/south records for cross the United States with the lion cub as his passenger.

In the early 1930's Turner and his lion were nationally famous. Alas, as Gilmore grew from cub to juvenile he became to heavy and in 1932 Turner was forced to retire Gilmore from flying. Gilmore lived out his days at wildlife refuge near Thousand Oaks, California. When he passed away in 1950, Turner was by his former passenger's side holding his paw.

Gilmore's story is told in Allan Janus' Animals Aloft (Bunker Hill Publishing 2005).

Answer 2

Gilmore the lion was a beloved character in the children's book "Gilmore the Lion Who Wore Glasses" written by Harry Allard. The book tells the story of a lion who wears glasses and struggles with fitting in due to his unique style. It teaches children to embrace their differences and be proud of who they are.