Ripley's Believe It or Not!

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Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. The Believe It or Not franchise started in 1918 as a newspaper cartoon panel featuring unusual and startling facts from around the world. Conceived and drawn by Robert Ripley, the panel proved popular and was later adapted into a wide variety of formats, including radio, television, a chain of museums, a book series and a pinball game (produced by Stern Pinball, Inc.). The Ripley collection includes 20,000 photographs, 20,000 artifacts and more than 130,000 cartoon panels. With 50-plus attractions, the Orlando-based Ripley Entertainment, Inc., a division of the Jim Pattison Group, is a global company with an annual attendance of more than 12 million guests. Ripley Entertainment's publishing and broadcast divisions oversee numerous projects, including the syndicated TV series, the newspaper cartoon panel, books, posters, games and mobile phone content.

[edit] Syndicated Feature Panel

"Ripley’s Believe It or Not!" is a registered trademark of Ripley Entertainment, Inc. Originally involving sports feats, Ripley first called his cartoon feature Champs and Chumps, but he changed the title to Believe It or Not, and it premiered on December 19, 1918, in the New York Globe. When the Globe folded in 1923, Ripley moved to the New York Evening News. That same year, Ripley hired Norbert Pearlroth as his researcher, and Pearlroth spent the next 52 years of his life in the New York Public Library, working ten hours a day and six days a week in order to find unusual facts for Ripley. Other writers and researchers included Lester Byck and Don Wimmer.

Artists who assisted Ripley or worked on the syndicated newspaper panel after Ripley included Joe Campbell (1946-1956), Art Sloggat, Clem Gretter (1941-1949), Carl Dorese, Bob Clarke (1943-1944), Stan Randall, Paul Frehm (1938-1978 - Frehm became full time artist in 1949) and his brother Walter Frehm (1948-1989 - Walter worked part time with his brother Paul and became full time Ripley artist from 1978-1989). Paul Frehm won the National Cartoonist Society Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award for 1976 for his work on the series. Clarke later drew parodies of Believe It or Not! for Mad, as did Wally Wood, and Ernie Kovacs, who also did a recurring satire called "Strangely Believe It!" on his TV programs.

At the peak of its popularity, the syndicated feature was read daily by about 80 million readers, and during the first three weeks of May 1932 alone, Ripley received over two million pieces of fan mail. Dozens of paperback editions reprinting the newspaper panels have been published over the decades. Other strips and books borrowed the Ripley design and format, such as Strange As It Seems by John Hix and It Happened in Canada by Gordon Johnston. Recent Ripley's Believe It or Not! books containing new material have supplemented illustrations with photographs.

Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz's first publication of artwork was published by Ripley a cartoon claiming his dog was "a hunting dog who eats pins, tacks and razor blades." Schulz's dog Sparky later became the model for Peanut's Snoopy.

[edit] Radio

In April 1930, Ripley brought "Believe It or Not" to radio, the first of several series heard on NBC, CBS and Mutual. As noted by Ripley On Radio, Ripley's broadcasts varied in length from 15 minutes to 30 minutes and aired in numerous different formats. When Ripley's 1930 debut on The Collier Hour brought a strong listener reaction, he was given a Monday night NBC series beginning April 14, 1930, followed by a 1931-32 series airing twice a week. After his strange stories were dramatized on NBC's Saturday Party, Ripley was the host of The Baker's Broadcast from 1935 to 1937. He was scheduled in several different 1937-38 NBC timeslots and then took to the road with popular remote broadcasts. See America First with Bob Ripley (1939-40) on CBS expanded geographically into See All the Americas, a 1942 program with Latin music. In 1944, he was heard five nights a week on Mutual in shows with an emphasis on WWII. Romance, Rhythm and Ripley aired on CBS in 1945, followed by Pages from Robert L. Ripley's Radio Scrapbook (1947-48).

Ripley is known for several radio firsts. He was the first to broadcast nationwide on a radio network from mid-ocean, and he also participated in the first broadcast from Buenos Aires to New York. Assisted by a corps of translators, he was the first to broadcast to every nation in the world simultaneously.

As the years went on, the show became less about oddities and featured guest-driven entertainment such as comedy routines. Sponsors over the course of the program included Pall Mall cigarettes and General Foods. The program ended its successful run in 1948 as Ripley prepared to convert the show format to television syndication.

[edit] Films, Television, & Internet

Ripley's Believe It or Not! (1949)
Genre	Non-fiction
Running time	30 min.
Creator(s)	Robert L. Ripley
Starring	Robert L. Ripley Robert St. John
Country of origin	USA
Original channel	NBC
Original run	1949–28 September 1950
IMDb profile

The newspaper feature has been adapted into more than a few films and TV shows.

Ripley hosted a series of two dozen Believe It or Not! theatrical short films in 1930 and 1931 for Warner Brothers Vitaphone. He also appeared in a Vitaphone musical short, Seasons Greetings (1931), with Ruth Etting, Joe Penner, Ted Husing, Thelma White, Ray Collins, and others.

The first Believe It or Not TV series, a live show hosted by Ripley, premiered March 1, 1949. Shortly after the 13th episode, Ripley died May 27, 1949 of a heart attack and was replaced by Robert St. John who served as host until the series ended on October 5, 1950.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! (1982)
Genre	Non-fiction
Running time	60 min.
Creator(s)	Robert L. Ripley
Starring	Jack Palance Catheryn Sherriff Holly Palance Marie Osmond
Country of origin	USA
Original channel	ABC
Original run	1982–1986
No. of episodes	20
IMDb profile

Ripley's Believe It or Not! aired from 1982 to 1986 on the American ABC Network. Character actor Jack Palance hosted the popular series throughout its run, while three different co-hosts appeared from season to season, including Palance's daughter, Holly Palance, actress Catheryn Sherriff, and singer Marie Osmond. The 1980s series reran on the Sci Fi Channel during the late 1990s.

An animated series, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, was produced in 1999 and followed the adventures of "Michael Ripley", Robert Ripley's nephew. The show was aimed at a younger audience, and would often feature Michael going around the world.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! (2000)
Genre	Non-fiction
Running time	60 min.
Creator(s)	Robert L. Ripley
Starring	Dean Cain Kelly Packard Gregory Jbara
Country of origin	USA
Original channel	TBS
Original run	12 January 2000–15 October 2003
No. of episodes	87
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

The most recent series based upon the comic strip, once again titled Ripley's Believe It or Not! also debuted in 2000 on TBS. Hosted by actor Dean Cain, the series took a slightly more sensationalistic approach to its subject matter. The series was cancelled in October of 2003 after four seasons. Like the previous syndicated live-action series, this latest edition moved to the Sci Fi Channel for reruns, and continues to air today.

www.Ripleys.com Is having a Dear Mr. Ripley contest where 10 contestants have been chosen to be voted upon by the people of the world which of their stories is the most unbelievable.

The Contestants are:

Cathy Kapula, Spring Hill, FL - Two Faced Kitten (A kitten born with two faces. Said to be a 1 out of 9 million chance.)
Cathy Kapula, Spring Hill, FL - Snake Swallows A Golf Ball (Snake mistaked golf ball for egg.)
Joshua Mueller, Lakewood, WA - Over 400 Pairs of Chuck Taylors (Wears a different pair every day & never repeats himself in a year. Also in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Tony Hutchins, Carlsbad, NM - Snake Charmer (Kissed 5 Rattlesnakes on the nose in a 2 month period. Had been bitten several times.)
David Schave, Barefoot Bay, FL - Accident Survivor (Garbage truck fell on him, crushed his skull, and broke his spine in five places.)
Jeff Clay, Rossville, GA - Car Hurdler (Jumped over 101 compact cars in a row set like hurdles. Missed only once.)
Lea Tharby & Todd Miller, London, ON, CAN - Baby Born Outside of Womb (1 of 3 children to be born in a pietre dish, the first in 1978.)
Angie Hernandez, Tucson, AZ - Skin Portrait (Used her removed excess skin from prengnancy as a canvas to paint a portrait of her daughter.)
Kyle Nolte Fort Smith, AR - Pogo Stick Jump Roper (Can jumprope or swing a bat and pogo at the same time for an hour.)
Mary Scott, Horn Lake, MS - Nail Polish Portrait (Uses nail polish as a medium for her paintings.)
Jamie D. Grant, Vancouver, BC, CAN - Unopened Cards In Glass Bottle (A magician places an unopen deck of cards in a milk bottle with an opening to small to fit through.)
Nicole Schaffer, Cocoa, FL - Tounge Swallower (Can place her tounge at the back of her throat.)

[edit] Museums

When Ripley first displayed his collection to the public at the Chicago World's Fair in 1933, it was labeled Ripley’s Odditorium and attracted over two million visitors during the run of the fair. That successful exhibition led to trailer shows across the country during the 1930s, and Ripley's collections were exhibited at many major fairs and expositions, including San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas and Cleveland. In New York, the famed Times Square exhibit opened in 1939 on Broadway. In 1950, a year after Ripley's death, the first permanent Odditorium opened in St. Augustine, Florida.

As of August 2006, there are 29 Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditoriums around the world. Odditoriums, in the spirit of Believe It or Not!, are often more than simple museums cluttered with curiosities. Some include theaters and arcades, such as the one in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Others are constructed oddly, such as the Orlando, Florida Odditorium which is built off-level as if the building is sinking. The first one was opened in Chicago in 1933, where, in an apparent promotional gimmick, beds were provided in the Odditorium for people who "fainted" daily.

(Note that the list below is incomplete and is not all inclusive.)

[edit] St. Augustine, Florida

Ripley's oldest Odditorium, located in the Castle Warden, was purchased shortly after his death in 1949 and opened in 1950. Prior to becoming home to Ripley's vast collections from his many travels, "The Castle" as it is known, was once a hotel which played host to many famous guests, including Ripley himself and author/owner Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. "The Castle" was originally a Moorish Revival style mansion, built in 1887 by millionaire William Warden as a winter home. The popularity and success of this museum led Ripley's associates to open new establishments throughout the United States and the world. But "The Castle" remains the permanent home of Ripley's personal collections and is the flagship of the Odditoriums. Perhaps not surprisingly, it is also rumored to be haunted. Segments of the most recent Ripley's TV series were filmed here, including the opening credits. One of the most famous attractions here is Johnathan Thiele, who can fit an entire banana down his throat.

[edit] Gatlinburg, Tennessee

The original Gatlinburg, Tennessee museum, built in 1970 by Jason Santuccio, was destroyed by a massive fire caused by a faulty light fixture in a neighboring shop on July 14, 1992. The museum had to be completely rebuilt. Some of Ripley's most prized and unique possessions were consumed by the blaze. The current museum opened in 1995, with a tribute to the city's firefighters included among the collections. Artifacts salvaged from the blaze sport "I Survived The Fire" decals. The new building also has nearly twice the amount of exhibit space as the original.

As with some other Ripley museums, this building has a theme. The museum looks as if it has survived a major earthquake. The interior and exterior of the building feature "cracks" throughout, adhering to the theme. The original museum featured the same theme.

The Ripley's Company has since opened several other attractions in the area, including a "four-dimensional" theater, a state-of-the-art aquarium, a haunted mansion, several arcades and two miniature golf attractions, all of which carry the Ripley's brand name and signature logo.

[edit] Buena Park, California

This Ripley's Odditorium is located in Buena Park's E-Zone district on Beach Boulevard. It is within close distance of Knott's Berry Farm as well as the now-closed Movieland Wax Museum.

[edit] Atlantic City, New Jersey

The Ripley's Museum in Atlantic City, New Jersey is located on the boardwalk between New York Avenue and St. James Place. It is a popular destination for tourists.

[edit] Branson, Missouri

The Branson, Missouri museum looks like a stone edifice that was cracked by an earthquake.

Image:Ripleysmbeach.JPG

[edit] Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

The Myrtle Beach, S.C. museum looks like a building cracked by a hurricane. It's at the corner of 9th Avenue and Ocean Boulevard, across from the famed pavilion. Ripley's has three other attractions in Myrtle Beach besides the museum: an aquarium, a moving-theater attraction and a haunted house.

[edit] Malaysia

The Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum is located inside the First World Hotel in Genting Highlands, Malaysia.

[edit] Mexico City

Opened in 1992, the Mexico City's Ripley's Museum is shaped like a Medieval castle and has 14 exhibitions halls within it. It was the first of several Ripley's museums to open in Latin America.

[edit] Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

The museum in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada is shaped like the Empire State Building fallen over, with King Kong standing on top of it. In 2008, Ripley's will open an aquarium in Niagara Falls.

[edit] Surfers Paradise, Australia

The Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum located in the Cavill Mall of Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Queensland amongst hundreds of exhibits features an oversized running water tap which appears to be hanging in mid air without support, commonly known as the Culligan illusion.

[edit] Blackpool, England

The only Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum located in the UK is based in the popular holiday destination of Blackpool.

[edit] Copenhagen, Denmark

There is one Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Copenhagen, Denmark.

[edit] Ocean City, Maryland

The Ripley's Museum in Ocean City, Maryland is located on the boardwalk at Wicomico Street. It is a popular destination for tourists and it sits at the entrance to Jolly Roger's Pier Amusement Park. It features a large model of a shark that appears as if it has crashed through the museum.

[edit] Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, California

There is a Ripley's Museum located near Fisherman's Wharf.

[edit] Newport, Oregon

The Ripley's Museum in Newport, Oregon is at the Historic Bayfront. One of three amusements known as Mariner Square. The other two are the Wax Works and the Undersea Gardens.

[edit] Orlando, Florida

This Odditorium is located on the busy International Drive tourist corridor.

[edit] Pattaya, Thailand

The Ripley's Museum is in Royal Garden Plaza in Pattaya.

[edit] Panama City Beach, Florida

Opened in 2006, this Ripley's Odditorium in Panama City Beach is designed to look like a 1950s luxury cruise liner that has run aground on the beach.

[edit] Williamsburg, Virginia

This Ripley's Museum in Williamsburg opened in 2006. It has 11 galleries and over 300 exhibits. Along with the museum there is also a 4-D theater.

[edit] Closed parks

[edit] Great Yarmouth, England

There was a Odditoruim in Great Yarmouth on the east coast of England. It opened mid 1996 and shut its doors early 1997. It closed because the owner said "People Wanted Something New".

[edit] External links

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