Tyrannosaurus in popular culture

Lore & Background

Tyrannosaurus was first discovered by paleontologist Barnum Brown in the badlands of Hell Creek, Montana, in 1902. Brown, who discovered many other prehistoric animals, always referred to Tyrannosaurus rex as 'my favorite child.' Upon learning of the find, Henry Fairfield Osborn, president of the American Museum of Natural History, named the genus Tyrannosaurus, stating it was 'the ne plus ultra of the evolution of the large carnivorous dinosaurs' and famously called it 'king of the period and monarch of its race.' The New York Times hailed T. rex on December 30, 1905, as 'the most formidable fighting animal of which there is any record whatever' and 'the absolute warlord of the earth.'

Reader's Guide

Tyrannosaurus rex has had a profound and lasting impact on popular culture, beginning with its naming in 1905. Paleontologist Mark P. Witton attributes much of its popularity to its name, arguing that Henry Fairfield Osborn created the popular image of the dinosaur by presenting T. rex as the sole giant theropod at a time when other large carnivorous dinosaurs were known but made little impact. The narrative established around T. rex reflected early twentieth-century Western values, portraying it as the pinnacle of dinosaurian development. In film, Tyrannosaurus first appeared in 1918 in The Ghost of Slumber Mountain, and its battle with the giant ape in the 1933 film King Kong is credited with securing that film's financial backing. Paleontologists note that whenever a museum erects a new T. rex skeleton or brings in an animatronic model, visitor numbers increase. The dinosaur continues to be a subject of fascination and a popular icon, inspiring budding paleontologists worldwide.

Did You Know?

• Henry Fairfield Osborn, who named Tyrannosaurus, called it 'king of the period and monarch of its race.'
• The New York Times hailed T. rex in 1905 as 'the most formidable fighting animal of which there is any record whatever.'
• The battle between King Kong and Tyrannosaurus in the 1933 film King Kong was one of the most technically difficult scenes to animate, and a test reel of that scene convinced studio heads to continue production.
• Charles R. Knight depicted Tyrannosaurus facing Triceratops as early as 1905, and his 1927 mural further popularized the rivalry between the two dinosaurs.