Ripley's Believe It or Not!
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Robert Ripley's Believe It or Not (January 12, 1941)
The Ripley collection includes 20,000 photographs, 30,000 artifacts and more than 100,000 cartoon panels. With 80-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, and games.
Contents
Syndicated feature panel
| Ripley's Believe It or Not! | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Robert Ripley (1919–1949) Paul Frehm (1949–1978) Walter Frehm (1978–1989) John Graziano (1989–present) |
| Launch date | December 19, 1918 |
| Alternate name(s) | Champs and Chumps (1918–1919) |
| Syndicate(s) | Associated Newspapers (1924–1929) King Features Syndicate (1930–1989)[1] United Feature Syndicate (1989–present) |
| Genre(s) | Bizarre facts |
Other writers and researchers included Lester Byck. In 1930, Ripley moved to the New York American and was picked up by the King Features Syndicate, being quickly syndicated on an international basis.[4]
Ripley died in 1949; those working on the syndicated newspaper panel after his death included Paul Frehm (1938–1978; he became the full-time artist in 1949), and his brother Walter Frehm (1948–1989); Walter worked part-time with his brother Paul and became a full-time Ripley artist from 1978 to 1989. Others who assisted included Clem Gretter (1941–1949), Bob Clarke (1943–1944), Joe Campbell (1946–1956), Art Sloggatt (1971–1975), Carl Dorese, and Stan Randall. Paul Frehm won the National Cartoonists Society's Newspaper Panel Cartoon Award for 1976 for his work on the series. Clarke later created 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. Other strips and books borrowed the Ripley design and format, such as Ralph Graczak's Our Own Oddities, John Hix's Strange as it Seems, and Gordon Johnston's It Happened in Canada. The current artist is John Graziano and current researcher is Sabrina Sieck.[5]
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. 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. It was a cartoon claiming his dog was "a hunting dog who eats pins, tacks, screws, nails and razor blades."[6] Schulz's dog Spike later became the model for Peanuts' Snoopy.[7]
Books
Some notable books:- Believe it or not! by Ripley The Big Little Book (1931)
- Ripley's Believe It or Not (1929), reprinted in 2004
- Ripley's Mammoth Book of Believe It or Not (1953)
- Ripley's Giant Book of Believe It or Not (1976)
- Ripley's 35th Anniversary Believe It or Not (1954)
- Ripley's 50th Anniversary Believe It or Not (1968)
- Ripley's Believe It or Not Special Edition 2012 (2011)
- Ripley's Believe It or Not 1st Series (1941)
- Ripley's Believe It or Not 2nd Series (1948)
- Ripley's Believe It or Not 3rd Series (1954)
- Ripley's Believe It or Not 34th Series (1982)
The people whose items are featured in such books as Strikingly True, have what Edward Meyer, Vice President of Exhibits and Archives at Ripley Entertainment Inc. describes as an obsession. "Whatever it is they're after, it is so important to them that all the rest of the world can go on without them. They want to make something that makes them immortal, makes them a little different than you and me."[14] Despite the wide range of true and unbelievable art, sculpture, photographs, interactive devices, animal oddities, and recycled objects contained within the Ripley's collection, rarely considered are alien or witchcraft-type stories, which are, according to Meyers, difficult to prove. To be included in Ripley's Believe It or Not books, museums, or television shows, items must undergo scrutiny from Ripley's staff and be 100% authenticated.[14]
Radio
On April 14, 1930, Ripley brought "Believe It or Not" to radio, the first of several series heard on NBC, CBS and the Mutual Broadcasting System.[15] 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 (1938–40) 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 World War II. Romance, Rhythm and Ripley aired on CBS in 1945, followed by Pages from Robert L. Ripley's Radio Scrapbook (1947–48).Robert 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.[16]
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.
Films, television, Internet, and computer game
The newspaper feature has been adapted into more than a few films and TV shows.Film
- Ripley hosted a series of two dozen Believe It or Not! theatrical short films between 1930 and 1932 for Warner Bros. Vitaphone. A 2-DVD release featuring 24 of these theatrical shorts is available in the United States beginning March 16, 2010 from Warner Home Video, through their Warner Archive manufacture-on-demand program.[17] Directors on the shorts included Murray Roth (on the first five), Roy Mack and Alfred J. Goulding (latter half of second season). Leo Donnelly assisted later on commentary. The titles of the series were all numbered accordingly:
- No. 1 / Vitaphone No. 1005, released May 4, 1930
- No. 2 / Vitaphone No. 1038, © June 11, 1930
- No. 3 / Vitaphone No. 1053, August 31, 1930 (Film Daily review date)
- No. 4 / Vitaphone No. 1067, released September 5, 1930
- No. 5 / Vitaphone No. 1093, released September 12, 1930
- No. 6 / Vitaphone No. 1109, © November 5, 1930
- No. 7 / Vitaphone No. 1148, © January 5, 1931 (features Medal of Honor recipient Daniel R. Edwards)
- No. 8 / Vitaphone No. 1172, © February 20, 1931
- No. 9 / Vitaphone No. 1189, released May 2, 1931
- No. 10 / Vitaphone No. 1197, released July 5, 1931
- No. 11 / Vitaphone No. 1211, released July 12, 1931
- No. 12 / Vitaphone No. 1267, released September 1931 (with extensive travelogue footage of Egypt)
- No. 2-1 / Vitaphone No. 1282, released November 5, 1931 (focuses on Algeria, Egypt and Morocco)
- No. 2-2 / Vitaphone No. 1294, released December 3, 1931
- No. 2-3 / Vitaphone No. 1304, released December 1931
- No. 2-4 / Vitaphone No. 1320, released January 2, 1932 (features child actor Billy Hayes visiting "Believe It Or Not Land")
- No. 2-5 / Vitaphone No. 1336, released March 20, 1932
- No. 2-6 / Vitaphone No. 1346, released March 13, 1932
- No. 2-7 / Vitaphone No. 1361
- No. 2-8 / Vitaphone No. 1362
- No. 2-9 / Vitaphone No. 1363, © April 23, 1932
- No. 2-10 / Vitaphone No. 1364, © April 23, 1932
- No. 2-11 / Vitaphone No. 1412, released June 1932
- No. 2-12 / Vitaphone No. 1427, July 1932
- He also appeared in a Vitaphone musical short, Seasons Greetings (1931), with Ruth Etting, Joe Penner, Ted Husing, Thelma White, Ray Collins, and others.
- Ripley's short films were parodied in a 1939 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon titled Believe It or Else. Released on June 25, 1939, directed by Tex Avery and written by Dave Monahan, it featured a running gag in which Egghead (a prototype Elmer Fudd) appeared to declare, "I don't believe it!" On 5 November of the same year, another Avery documentary parody, Fresh Fish, was released. Written by Jack Miller, this cartoon's running gag was a two-headed fish that kept swimming onto the screen to ask, "Pardon me, but can you tell me where I can find Mister Ripley?"
- 20th Century Fox produced another film short titled Acquitted By The Sea, released September 27, 1940, produced by Truman Talley and directed by Earl Allvine. This told an unusual story involving the Titanic.
Planned film
On October 4, 2004, Paramount Pictures announced plans for a film that would chronicle the life of Robert Ripley. The film would be produced by James Jacks and his Alphaville Films company, associated with Paramount. Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski were hired to write the script. Jacks explained, "It's about the exploits of Robert Ripley, one of the most popular newspaper cartoonists in the '30s and '40s, who was well known for going around the world and looking for oddities and getting into adventures while doing so. We want to make a series of movies that, if not quite the truth, are the adventures that should have happened." Jacks also said, "We want to turn it into an Indiana Jones, a goofy version, as played by Johnny Depp. When they saw we had the writers from Larry Flynt, they thought that we wanted to make the kinky version, but we saw a chance to do a Spielberg-type movie with one of their characters."[18]On November 29, 2005, it was announced that Tim Burton would direct the film, with Jim Carrey starring as Robert Ripley. Filming was to begin in October 2006, for a 2007 release. Paramount hinted that the film, if successful, could be the start of a Ripley's film series.[19] In addition to Jacks, Sean Daniel and Richard D. Zanuck were also to serve as producers for the film.[20] Zanuck spent six weeks in China to scout filming locations for the project.[21]
On June 12, 2006, Paramount delayed the start of production on the film for at least a year because its projected budget went over the allowed $150 million. Carrey had waived his entire upfront salary to help keep costs low, but the project remained over budget. Burton and Carrey also wanted to have Alexander and Karaszewski make changes to the film's script to focus more on Ripley's Believe It or Not column. Carrey was adamant on avoiding what happened with his previous project, Fun with Dick and Jane, which required reshoots and additional editing as a result of beginning production without a script. Filming had been scheduled to begin in China in November 2006. Although Paramount could have delayed production to spring 2007, the film was delayed further to allow Burton to film Sweeney Todd.[22][23]
In December 2006, Burton and Carrey approved writer Steve Oedekerk to rewrite the script. Oedekerk had worked with Carrey on several previous projects. Production was to begin in China in winter 2008, for a 2009 release.[24] In January 2007, Zanuck said he was no longer involved with the project, and that he was unaware that it was proceeding.[21] Oedekerk's draft was completed in June 2007, and was approved that month by Paramount, Burton, and Carrey. At that time, Carrey hoped to have production finished by summer 2008.[25] Later that month, it was reported that Paramount may be searching for a new director.[26]
In October 2008, Chris Columbus pitched an idea for the film that was approved by Carrey and Paramount. Columbus' idea involved scrapping the previous China-based storyline entirely. Negotiations were underway that month to hire Columbus as director, with plans to hire a writer afterwards. Paramount planned to release the film in 2011, and hoped that it would be the start of a Ripley's film series.[27] In January 2011, Eric Roth was hired to write the script, with Carrey still attached to star. Ken Atchity and Chi-Li Wong joined the project as producers, alongside Jacks and Daniel.[20]
Television
- The first Believe It or Not TV series, a live show hosted by Ripley, premiered March 1, 1949. Shortly after the 13th episode, on May 27, 1949, Ripley died of a heart attack and several of his friends substituted as host, including future Ripley's Believe It or Not! president Doug Storer. Robert St. John served as host from the second season until the series ended on October 5, 1950.
- Ripley's Believe It or Not! aired from 1982 to 1986 on the American ABC television network. Based on three pilots/specials conceived, produced and directed by Ron Lyon and Jack Haley, Jr, (1980–81) the series was a Haley/Lyon/Rastar production in association with Columbia Pictures. Featuring film star Jack Palance who hosted the popular series throughout its run, the series had three different co-hosts, who appeared from season to season, initially actress Catherine Shirriff followed by Palance's daughter, Holly Palance, later singer Marie Osmond. The 1980s series reran on the Sci-Fi Channel (UK) and Sci-Fi Channel (US) during the 1990s; it last aired on NBCUniversal's horror/suspense-themed cable channel Chiller.
- An animated series, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, was produced for Fox Family 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.[28]
- The most recent series based upon the comic strip, once again titled Ripley's Believe It or Not! aired from 2000 to 2003 on TBS. Hosted by actor Dean Cain, executive-produced by Dan Jbara and co-executive-produced by Dennis Lortz, the series took a slightly more sensationalistic approach to its subject matter and "premiered as the highest-rated original series on cable" at that time.[29] The series was cancelled in October 2003 after four seasons. Like the previous syndicated live-action series, this latest edition moved to the Biography Channel for reruns, and continues to air today.
- In 2006, the Philippines made a local adaptation of Ripley's Believe it or Not! with a local host. ABC 5 (now known as TV5) was the first to make it with Raymond Bagatsing as host. The show however was short-lived.
- In 2008, GMA Network bought the rights and revived Ripley's in the Philippines. This time Chris Tiu of the Ateneo Blue Eagles was chosen as host. It is part of the "Bilib Ka Ba? Nights/Araw-araw" ("Do You Believe? Nights/Daily") block of the network which premiered on August 18, 2008.
Internet and games
- In 2006, the Ripleys.com website held a "Dear Mr. Ripley" contest in which contestants submitted "unbelievable" stories and with a public vote selecting a winner. The submissions included stories about a two-faced kitten, a car hurdler, a painting on human flesh canvas, a snake swallowing a golfball, an unopened deck of cards in a thin-necked bottle, a collector of Converse shoes with over 400 pairs, a man who survived a dumptruck falling on him, a painting made of nail polish, a child who played sports while hopping on a pogo stick, and a tongue swallower. The winners were announced on December 15, 2006.
- In 2003, a Ripley's Believe It or Not! pinball machine was released.[30]
- The point and click adventure game Ripley's Believe It or Not!: The Riddle of Master Lu was published and developed by Sanctuary Woods, and released in 1995.
Museums
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This section needs to be updated. (August 2014)
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As of December 2010, there are 32 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 ones in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Others are constructed oddly, such as the Orlando, Florida Odditorium which is built off-level as if the building is sinking. Expected to open summer 2016 is the first Odditorium in the Netherlands, at Dam square in Amsterdam.
Asia
Hong Kong Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium in 2004
- Shanghai, China-This Ripley's museum is located at Huangpu River.
- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong (closed) – There was an Auditorium in The Peak, opened in 1998 and closed on March 20, 2005.
- Bangalore, India – This Ripley's Museum is at the Innovative Film city.
- Jakarta, Indonesia (closed) - This Ripley's museum was located in Pondok Indah Mall
- Kuwait City, Kuwait (closed)– This Ripley's museum was located in the Hadiqat Al Sheaab Amusement Park.
- Genting Highlands, Malaysia – This Ripley's museum was located in the First World Plaza. It reopened as Ripley's Adventureland located on level 4 in SkyAvenue.
- Mandaluyong City, Philippines (closed) – This Ripley's museum was in the Shangri-La Mall in Ortigas.
- Jeju Island, South Korea - This Ripley's museum is located at the Jeju Jungmun resort.
- Pattaya, Thailand – This Ripley's museum is in Royal Garden Plaza in Pattaya. It appears as if an airplane has crashed into it.
Europe
Denmark
- Copenhagen – This Ripley's museum is a smaller one located close to the city hall and next to a museum of H. C. Andersen.
The Netherlands
Amsterdam - The Ripley's Believe It or Not! Amsterdam museum opened on June 23, 2016, at the Dam Square, Dam 21, in a building that belongs to the Heritage of Amsterdam. It has more than 500 exhibits.[citation needed]United Kingdom
- London (Closed) – This Ripley's museum was the world's largest and it opened on August 20, 2008, at the London Pavilion, 1 Piccadilly Circus, and closed on September 25, 2017. It housed over 500 exhibits from educational artifacts to the truly weird and wonderful. It was famed for its large collection of Marilyn Monroe's personal belongings and interactive exhibits.
- Blackpool – This Ripley's museum was the first and is based in the popular holiday destination of Blackpool. Located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
- Great Yarmouth (closed) – There was an Odditorium in Great Yarmouth on the east coast of England. It opened in 1993 and closed in 1997.[32] It is now an indoor miniature golf course that uses some of the leftovers from the Odditorium as scenery for the holes.
North America
Canada
Ripley's BION Niagara Falls
- Cavendish, Prince Edward Island – This Ripley's museum is located in a concentrated area of tourist attractions adjacent to the Prince Edward Island National Park. A lighthouse (the top broken) features the Ripley's sign. The museum is adjoined to a wax museum and also features a mini-golf attraction.
- Niagara Falls, Ontario – This Ripley's museum is shaped like the Empire State Building fallen over, with King Kong standing on top of it. This is the second oldest Ripley's Museum in the world and is one of two in Canada. The museum was closed for major renovations between November 2015 and May 2016 but is now reopened. The newly updated museum is the largest and most valuable museum for the company.[citation needed] Located across the street is a Ripley's 4D Moving Theatre, and up the street there is a Louis Tussauds Wax Works which is owned by Ripley's.
- Toronto, Ontario - The Ripley's Aquarium of Canada opened in October 2013 next to the CN Tower and Metro Toronto Convention Centre.[33] The 150,000-square-foot (14,000 m2) structure boasts the longest underwater tunnel in North America. The aquarium was originally set to open in Niagara Falls, Ontario near Great Wolf Lodge in 2007, but relocated to Toronto.[34]
Mexico
- Guadalajara – Opened in 1994 [35] this Ripley's museum is a small one like Mexico City's location. It is near downtown.
- Mexico City – Opened in 1992, this Ripley's museum is shaped like a medieval castle and has 14 exhibition halls within it. This was the first of three locations to open in Latin America.
United States
St. Augustine, Florida Odditorium
Panama City Beach, Florida Odditorium
Ripley's shark being produced
California
- Buena Park (closed) – This Ripley's Museum was located in Buena Park's E-Zone district on Beach Boulevard, close to Knott's Berry Farm. This is the location where Steve Sindad broke the world record for consuming ranch dressing, drinking 61 bottles worth (about 7 gallons). It closed its doors on March 30, 2009.
- Hollywood – This Ripley's Museum is on Hollywood Boulevard.
- San Francisco – This Ripley's Museum is located near Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco.
Florida
- Key West – This Ripley's Museum is located on the famous Duval Street.
- Orlando – This museum is located on the busy International Drive tourist corridor, and is built to appear as though it is dropping into a sinkhole.
- Panama City Beach – Opened in 2006, this Ripley's Museum is at the intersection of Front Beach Road, Middle Beach Road, and Thomas Drive on Panama City Beach and is designed to look like a 1950s luxury cruise liner that has run aground on the beach. It also has a moving 4-D theater.
- St. Augustine – It is the oldest Ripley's Believe It or Not! and is located in the Castle Warden, was purchased shortly after his death in 1949 and opened in 1950. Prior to becoming home to his 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. It was originally a Moorish Revival style mansion, built in 1887 by millionaire William Warden as a winter home. Its popularity and success led Ripley's associates to open new establishments throughout the United States and the world. 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. Among the attractions here are a mummified cat, a 1/12 scale model of the original Ferris wheel made out of Erector sets, life and death masks of famous celebrities (including Abraham Lincoln), and shamanistic apparati from cultures around the world.
Illinois
- Chicago - The Museum on Wells Street in the Chicago Old Town area closed in 1987.
Maryland
Ripley's Believe It or Not! in Ocean City, Maryland
- Baltimore – This Ripley's Museum opened June 26, 2012, in the Light Street Pavilion of Harborplace on the Inner Harbor.
- Ocean City – This Ripley's Museum 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.
Missouri
- Branson – This Ripley's museum looks like a stone edifice that was cracked by an earthquake.
New Jersey
- Atlantic City – The Ripley's museum is on the famous Boardwalk.
New York
- New York City – This location reopened in Manhattan on 42nd Street in July 2007. This is the largest Ripley's in the world, housing over 1000 authentic artifacts and interactive exhibits.
Oregon
- Newport – This Ripley's museum was funded by Jacob Walters and built in 1986. It is at the Historic Bayfront and one of three amusements known as Mariner Square. The other two are the Wax Works and the Undersea Gardens.
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