Ripley's Believe It or Not!

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Logo used since 2023 Ripley's Believe It or Not! 2023.png
Logo used since 2023

Ripley's Believe It or Not! is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the Believe It or Not feature proved popular and was later adapted into a wide variety of formats, including radio, television, comic books, a chain of museums and a book series.

Contents

The Ripley collection includes 20,000 photographs, 30,000 artifacts and more than 100,000 cartoon panels. With 80-plus attractions, the Orlando, Florida-based Ripley Entertainment, Inc., a division of the Jim Pattison Group, a Canadian global company, hosts more than 12 million guests annually. Ripley Entertainment's publishing and broadcast divisions oversee numerous projects, including the syndicated TV series, the newspaper cartoon panel, books, posters and games.

Syndicated feature panel

Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley410112.gif
Robert Ripley's Believe It or Not (January 12, 1941).
Author(s)
  • Don Wimmer (1989–2004)
  • John Graziano (2004–2021)
    Kieran Castaño (2021–present)
Launch dateDecember 19, 1918
(105 years ago)
Alternate name(s)Champs and Chumps (1918–1919)
Syndicate(s)
Genre(s)Bizarre facts

Ripley called his cartoon feature, originally involving sports feats, Champs and Chumps, when it premiered on December 19, 1918, in The New York Globe . He began adding items unrelated to sports, and in October 1919 changed the title to Believe It or Not. When the Globe folded in 1923, he moved to the New York Evening Post . In 1924, the panel began being syndicated by Associated Newspapers, [2] (formed as part of a cooperative that had included the Globe). 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. [3]

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 . Don Wimmer took up the panel from 1989 to 2004. [5] John Graziano from 2005 to 2021. [6] The current artist is Kieran Castaño, who is supported by the Ripley's Research Team. [7]

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". [8] Schulz's dog Spike later became the model for Peanuts' Snoopy. [9]

Books

Some notable books:

A series of paperback books containing annotated sketches from the newspaper feature:

Ripley Entertainment produces a range of books featuring unusual facts, news stories and photographs. In 2004 Ripley Entertainment founded Ripley Publishing Ltd, based in the United Kingdom, to publish new Believe It or Not titles. [10] The company produces the New York Times bestselling Ripley's Believe It or Not! Annuals , the children's fiction series Ripley's RBI, an educational series called the Ripley's Twists, the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Special Edition in conjunction with Scholastic USA and a number of other titles. [11] [12] [13] At the height of his popularity Robert Ripley received thousands of letters a day from the public, [14] and Ripley Entertainment continues to encourage submissions from readers who have strange stories and photographs that could be featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not! books and media. [15]

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". [16] 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. [16]

Comic books

In 1953, Harvey Comics published the first Ripley's Believe It or Not! comic book, titled Ripley's Believe It or Not! Magazine and lasted for four issues until March 1954. [17]

From 1965 until 1980, Gold Key Comics published the second Ripley's Believe It or Not! comic book, which lasted for 94 issues. [18]

In 2002, Dark Horse Comics published the third Ripley's Believe It or Not! comic book, written by Haden Blackman, which lasted for three issues and was later collected in a trade paperback published by Dark Horse in May 2003, entitled Ripley's Believe It or Not! ( ISBN   1-56971-909-8) [19]

In 2015, Zenescope published a two issue comic edited by Terry Kavanagh. [20] [21]

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. [22] As noted by the website 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 City. Assisted by a corps of translators, he was the first to broadcast to every nation in the world simultaneously. [23]

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

Proposed film

In October 2004, Paramount Pictures announced plans for a film that would chronicle the life of Robert Ripley. The film was to 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. 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". [25]

In November 2005, Tim Burton was attached to 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. [26] In addition to Jacks, Sean Daniel and Richard D. Zanuck were to serve as producers for the film. [27] Zanuck spent six weeks in China to scout filming locations for the project. [28]

In June 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 . [29] [30]

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. [31] Later in January, Zanuck said he was no longer involved with the project, and that he was unaware that it was proceeding. [28] 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. [32] Later that month, Paramount was searching for a new director. [33]

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. [34] 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. [27]

Television

Internet and games

Museums

Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum at Innovative Film City in Bangalore, India Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum in Bangalore - Jim Ankan Deka photo.jpg
Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum at Innovative Film City in Bangalore, India

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 (in an apparent promotional gimmick, beds were provided in the Odditorium for people who "fainted" daily). 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 City, 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. [41] The Odditorium is housed in the Castle Warden, built in 1888 by an associate of Henry Flagler, President of the Florida East Coast Railway. [42]

As of May 2023, there are 28 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 (a commemoration of a sinkhole that opened on the site while construction was in progress).

Asia

Hong Kong Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium in 2004. ThePeakTower200401.JPG
Hong Kong Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium in 2004.

Alphabetical, by country or district:

Europe

Denmark

  • Copenhagen – This Ripley's museum is a smaller one located close to the city hall and next to a museum of Hans Christian 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

A Ripley's Believe It or Not! designed Paddington Bear statue in London, one of fifty auctioned for the NSPCC Paddington Trail - Paddington The Explorer.jpg
A Ripley's Believe It or Not! designed Paddington Bear statue in London, one of fifty auctioned for the NSPCC
  • Blackpool – Located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, this Ripley's museum is based in the popular holiday destination of Blackpool. It was located further north in the 1980s at a location adjacent to Central Pier. [44]
  • Great Yarmouth (closed) – There was an Odditorium in Great Yarmouth on the east coast of England. It opened in 1993 and closed in 1997. [45] It is now an indoor miniature golf course that uses some of the leftovers from the Odditorium as scenery for the holes.
  • 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. It was famed for its large collection of Marilyn Monroe's personal belongings and interactive exhibits over five floors, including a mirror maze and illusion tunnel.

North America

Canada

  • 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.
Ripley's BION Niagara Falls Ripniagarafacade2016.png
Ripley's BION Niagara Falls
  • Niagara Falls, Ontario – This Ripley's museum is shaped like a toppled over Empire State Building with King Kong standing on top of it. This is the second oldest Ripley's Museum in the world and is one of three in Canada. The museum was closed for major renovations between November 2015 and May 2016. The newly updated museum is the largest and most valuable museum for the company. Located across the street is a Ripley's 4D Moving Theatre, and up the street there is a Louis Tussaud's 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. [46] 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. [47]

Mexico

  • Guadalajara – Opened in 1994, [48] 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.
  • Veracruz – Opened in 2011, this Ripley museum is small and available in a mall with the associated Veracruz Aquarium and Wax Museum, has 150 figures on display, and features a mirror maze and rotating tunnel.
  • Cancún – Opened in 2021, this Ripley's museum is located in La Isla Mall and features a mirror maze and laser maze.

United States

St. Augustine, Florida, Odditorium St Aug Warden Ripleys01.jpg
St. Augustine, Florida, Odditorium
Panama City Beach, Florida, Odditorium Ripley'sMuseumPanamaCityBeach.jpg
Panama City Beach, Florida, Odditorium
Ripley's shark being produced for the Ocean City location. Ripley's-shark-production-at-Creative-Environs-Inc.jpg
Ripley's shark being produced for the Ocean City location.
California
Florida
  • Key West (closed) – Opened on April 15, 1993, in the former Strand Theatre, this Ripley's Museum was located on Duval Street. It then relocated to the former Planet Hollywood building nearby on July 6, 2003. It closed permanently in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Orlando – Opened in July 1992, 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 June 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 4D theater.
  • St. Augustine – This is the oldest Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum, located in the Castle Warden. It was purchased shortly after Ripley's death in 1949 and opened in 1950. Before 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 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 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 (closed) – Opened on November 21, 1968, the museum was located on Wells Street in the Chicago Old Town area until its closure in 1987.
Maryland
Ripley's Believe It or Not! in Ocean City, Maryland Ripleys Ocean City MD from north.jpg
Ripley's Believe It or Not! in Ocean City, Maryland
  • Baltimore (closed) – This Ripley's Museum opened on June 26, 2012, in the Light Street Pavilion of Harborplace on the Inner Harbor. The museum's entrance featured a sculpture of a sea monster known as Chessie. It was dismantled and closed permanently in May 2020. [49]
  • Ocean City – This Ripley's Museum opened in 2001 and 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 (closed) – This Ripley's museum was on the Boardwalk. It opened in late June 1996. It closed on December 31, 2022. [50]
New York
  • New York City (closed) – This location opened in Manhattan on 42nd Street in July 2007. This was the largest Ripley's in the world, housing over 1000 authentic artifacts and interactive exhibits. It closed on November 28, 2021. [51]
Oregon
  • Newport – This Ripley's museum was funded by Jacob Walters and built in 1986. It is at the Historic Bayfront and one of two amusements known as Mariner Square, the other being Wax Works.
South Carolina
Odditorium in Myrtle Beach Ripleysmbeach.JPG
Odditorium in Myrtle Beach
  • Myrtle Beach – This Ripley's museum looks like a building cracked by a hurricane, located near the center of Myrtle Beach's Ocean Boulevard. It opened in 1976. Also in Myrtle Beach is Ripley's Crazy Golf, a mirror maze, Ripley's Haunted Adventure, Ripley's Illusion Lab, and Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach.

The aquarium, opened in 1997 at Broadway at the Beach, does scientific research and veterinary care for sharks, turtles and other fish but is not always taken seriously because of the Ripley's reputation. [52]

Tennessee
  • Gatlinburg – The original museum was built in 1970. On July 14, 1992, a fire started from a neon light fixture in a neighboring T-shirt shop. It quickly spread and engulfed a total of twelve businesses in one city block and damaged almost every building along the main street. From that Tuesday night to Wednesday morning, firefighters managed to get the situation under control, but the Ripley's Odditorium was one of the twelve to be completely consumed. Some of Ripley's most prized and unique possessions were lost in the fire, although some artifacts were able to be salvaged. The museum was rebuilt and opened in 1994 with nearly twice the amount of exhibit space, plus a tribute to the city's firefighters included among the collections. Artifacts salvaged from the blaze sport decals saying "I Survived the Fire". As with other Ripley museums, it has an architectural theme by looking as if it has survived a major earthquake, with interior and exterior feature cracks throughout. The Ripley's Company has since opened several other attractions in the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge area, including a "four-dimensional" theater, a state-of-the-art aquarium, a haunted factory, several arcades, two miniature golf courses, and a mirror maze, all of which carry the Ripley's brand name and logo. [53]
Texas
  • Grand Prairie – This Ripley's Museum is located at 601 East Safari Parkway in Grand Prairie, Texas. It is west of downtown Dallas on IH-30 and is on the northwest intersection of Belt Line Road and IH-30, 7 miles (11 km) east of Six Flags Over Texas.
  • San Antonio – This Ripley's Museum is located across from the historic Alamo. Next door is Louis Tussaud's Waxworks, and just a short walk down the road is Ripley's Haunted Adventure.
Virginia
  • Williamsburg – This Ripley's Museum opened in 2006. It has 11 galleries and over 350 exhibits. There is also a 4D theater that shows 3D movies with added effects (air, water, scent, etc.).
Wisconsin
  • Wisconsin Dells – This Ripley's Museum franchise is owned by Concept Attractions. [54] It opened in May 1990. The exterior of the original museum is designed as a temple with a plane crashed into its side. It feature 3 floors with 11 galleries with illusions and puzzles. It is located on Broadway, the downtown strip of Wisconsin Dells. [55] The museum recently relocated to a larger building about two doors from its original location on July 8, 2023.

Oceania

Australia

  • Gold Coast – This Ripley's museum is located at the popular tourist destination Surfers Paradise. It reopened in the new Soul Centre on January 22, 2010, featuring a band of human oddities playing songs at the entrance.

Inaccuracies

Authorities at the company insist that they thoroughly investigate everything and ensure their accuracy before they publish their research. This is emphasized on its television show, where they often say "If you see it on Ripley's, you can bet that it's real". However, two claims[ which? ] appearing in their books have been dubbed "myths" by the Discovery Channel television show MythBusters .[ citation needed ] One claim which had previously appeared in Ripley's books, concerning an "accidental" execution of 1,200 Turkish prisoners when something uttered by Napoleon Bonaparte was misunderstood, has had its accuracy challenged by Snopes. [56]

Ripley's has reported the urban legend of Frank Tower – an individual who was supposed to have survived the sinkings of the RMS Titanic, RMS Empress of Ireland, and RMS Lusitania – as being factual, but this story has been debunked by several sources. [57] [58]

Ripley's has also repeated the Muhlenberg legend, which claims that German was once one vote short of becoming the official language of the United States. [59]

See also

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Ripley's Aquarium of Canada is a public aquarium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The aquarium is one of three aquariums owned-and-operated by Ripley Entertainment. It is located in downtown Toronto, just southeast of the CN Tower. The aquarium has 5.7 million litres of marine and freshwater habitats from across the world. The exhibits hold more than 20,000 exotic sea and freshwater specimens from more than 450 species.

<i>Ripleys Believe It or Not!</i> (1982 TV series) American documentary TV series (1982–1986)

Ripley's Believe It or Not! was an American documentary television series hosted by Jack Palance that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1986 and is the second television version of Ripley's Believe It or Not!. Based on the travels and discoveries of oddity-hunter Ripley, this show looked at the people, places and events that made up the stranger side of human history. Subjects have included Nikola Tesla, The Bermuda Triangle, The Elephant Man, and Mad King Ludwig. The series featured Palance or a co-host showcasing strange events, places of odd significance, trivia, and a commercial bumper (broadcasting) of original art from Ripley's comics. In a few cases, such as the assassination of Rasputin, Palance reenacted the event in period costume and a stage set. Henry Mancini and His Orchestra provided the theme song.

References

  1. ↑ Markstein, Don. "Ripley's Believe It Or Not", Toonpedia. Accessed December 15, 2018.
  2. ↑ Thompson, Neal. A Curious Man: The Strange & Brilliant Life of Robert "Believe It Or Not!" Ripley (Crown/Archetype, 2014), p. 115.
  3. ↑ "Norbert Pearlroth, 89, Researcher For 52 Years For 'Believe It Or Not'" (obituary). The New York Times . April 15, 1983. Retrieved January 11, 2015. Norbert Pearlroth, who combed hundreds of thousands of books in the New York Public Library over 52 years as sole researcher for Ripley's Believe It or Not, died of heart and kidney diseases Thursday at Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn. He was 89 years old and lived in Brooklyn.
  4. ↑ Thompson, A Curious Man, pp. 163–165.
  5. ↑ Not!, Ripley's Believe It or (April 4, 1996). "Ripley's Believe It or Not by Ripley's Believe It or Not! for April 04, 1996 | GoComics.com". GoComics.
  6. ↑ Not!, Ripley's Believe It or (April 28, 2005). "Ripley's Believe It or Not by Ripley's Believe It or Not! for April 28, 2005 | GoComics.com". GoComics.
  7. ↑ "About Ripley's Believe It or Not". gocomics.com. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  8. ↑ Mendelson, Lee (1970). Charlie Brown & Charlie Schulz. The World Publishing Company.
  9. ↑ Schulz, Charles M. (1994). Around the world in 50 years: Charlie Brown's anniversary celebration. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p.  11. ISBN   978-0-8362-1766-7.
  10. ↑ "Ripley sets up in UK". theBookseller.com. March 13, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Best Sellers: Advice, How To and Miscellaneous". The New York Times . December 27, 2009.
  12. ↑ "Ripley Publishing launches fiction series". theBookseller.com. February 26, 2010. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Random does the Twist". theBookseller.com. April 14, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  14. ↑ Hartzman, Marc. "Robert L Ripley | Interviews | Entertainment | Bizarre Magazine UK". Bizarremag.com. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
  15. ↑ "Send Us Your Stuff!". Ripley Entertainment, Inc. Archived from the original on October 5, 2009. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
  16. 1 2 "Maynard's Spooky Action...An Interview with Edward Meyer from Ripley's Believe It or Not". The Skeptic Zone . Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  17. ↑ Ripley's Believe It or Not! Magazine at the Grand Comics Database
  18. ↑ Ripley's Believe It or Not! (Western, 1965 series) at the Grand Comics Database
  19. ↑ "Ripley's Believe It or Not: Into Thin Air #1 (of 3)". Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Ripley's Believe It or Not #1". Zenescope Entertainment. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Ripley's Believe It or Not #2". Zenescope Entertainment. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  22. ↑ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 76–78. ISBN   978-0-19-507678-3 . Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  23. ↑ "Old Time Radio Shows – Ripley's Believe It or Not! (1930)". Matinee Classics. April 14, 1930. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  24. ↑ "Ripley's Believe It or Not (1930–32) (2 DVD Set)". WBshop.com. Warner Bros. Archived from the original on March 12, 2010.
  25. ↑ Linder, Brian (October 4, 2004). "Paramount Telling Ripley Tale: Believe It or Not". IGN. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Burton, Carrey May Believe". IGN . November 29, 2005. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  27. 1 2 McNary, Dave (January 12, 2011). "Eric Roth takes on Ripley project: Jim Carrey remains attached to topline". Variety. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  28. 1 2 "Borat's New-er Look". Variety. January 3, 2007. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  29. ↑ Fleming, Michael; Gardner, Chris (June 12, 2006). "Burton takes rain check on Par pic". Variety. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Burton, Carrey put 'Believe' on hold". Variety. June 12, 2006. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  31. ↑ Fleming, Michael (December 17, 2006). "Oedekerk brings 'Ripley' back to life". Variety. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  32. ↑ Fleming, Michael (June 3, 2007). "Carrey lights up 'Phillip Morris'". Variety. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Burton Off Believe It or Not? Helmer may be booted from Jim Carrey's off-beat adventure". IGN. June 19, 2007. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  34. ↑ Fleming, Michael; Siegel, Tatiana (October 23, 2008). "Chris Columbus in talks for 'Ripley's': Paramount wants director for long-delayed film". Variety. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  35. ↑ "Ripley's Believe It or Not! The Animated Series". IMDb.com.
  36. ↑ "Ripley's Believe It or Not! – Official Site – Cast & Producers Bio". Sonypictures.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
  37. ↑ "Ateneo team captain Chris Tiu still on cloud nine, denies getting death threats". Philippine Entertainment Portal. September 29, 2008. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  38. ↑ Oller, Jacob (January 1, 2019). "Ripley's Believe It or Not! show names Bruce Campbell host". Syfy Wire. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  39. ↑ "Bruce Campbell Reveals Bizarre and Astounding Talents in Travel Channel's Ripley's Believe It or Not!". The Futon Critic . April 25, 2019.
  40. ↑ "Internet Pinball Machine Database: Stern 'Ripley's Believe It or Not!'". Ipdb.org. June 9, 2012.
  41. ↑ "A Century of Strange". Ripley's Believe It or Not!. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  42. ↑ Sehlinger 1, Finley 2, Bob 1, John 2 (1983). Northern Florida Attractions: A Consumer Guide. Hillsborough, North Carolina: Menasha Ridge Press. p. 86.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  43. ↑ "'Believe It or Not Museum' to make its debut in Jakarta". Indonesian Business Updates. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  44. ↑ Burke, John (December 31, 2015). "Fourth 1977 Blackpool Photo Album, 2: The Golden Mile". John Burke's A-Musings. Blogger. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  45. ↑ "Believe it or not, collection has gone overseas". Great Yarmouth Mercury. February 28, 1997. Archived from the original on November 28, 2004.
  46. ↑ "Work On New Aquarium Could Start This Year". CityNews. Archived from the original on August 12, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  47. ↑ "Ripleys Development at Niagara Glenview Site". www.niagaraglenview.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2004. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  48. ↑ "Museo de cera". Museo de cera. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  49. ↑ Simmons, Melody; McLeod, Ethan (May 15, 2020). "Ripley's Believe It or Not! leaving Harborplace for good". Baltimore Business Journal.
  50. ↑ "Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum to close in Atlantic City". AP NEWS. December 1, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  51. ↑ Brown, Nora. "Ripley's Believe It or Not! New York, Times Square". Ripley's Believe It or Not! New York. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  52. ↑ Karacostas, Chase (June 25, 2022). "Myrtle Beach Ripley's Aquarium marks 25th anniversary in SC". The Sun News . Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  53. ↑ "Businesses Destroyed as Fire Guts Block in Tennessee Resort Town". Los Angeles Times (Archives). July 16, 1992.
  54. ↑ "Contact | Ripley's Believe It or Not". ripleysbelieveitornot-wizardquest. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  55. ↑ "Wisconsin Dells – Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum". dellschamber.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  56. ↑ "Ma Sacrée Toux!". Snopes. December 14, 2008. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
  57. ↑ Spignes, Stephen J. (2012), "The Titanic For Dummies", John Wiley & Sons, Inc., ISBN   9781118206508 , retrieved August 1, 2014
  58. ↑ Molony, Senan (2004), "On the Trail of 'Lucky' Tower", Encyclopedia Titanica, retrieved August 1, 2014
  59. ↑ "Believe It or Not: A Refutation of Mr. Ripley's Very Absurd Fabrication Concerning the Continental Congress", Carnegie Magazine (1930)
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