Ripley's Believe It or Not! facts for kids
Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a famous American brand started by Robert Ripley. It shares amazing and often unbelievable stories and objects. These things are so strange that you might wonder if they are real! What began as a simple newspaper cartoon became very popular. It then grew into many other forms, like radio shows, movies, TV shows, comic books, museums, and a series of books.
The Ripley collection is huge. It includes 20,000 photographs, 30,000 unique items, and over 100,000 cartoon drawings. There are more than 80 attractions around the world. The company, Ripley Entertainment, Inc., welcomes over 12 million visitors every year. They also create TV shows, newspaper cartoons, books, posters, and games.
Contents
The Amazing Newspaper Cartoon
Quick facts for kids Ripley's Believe It or Not! |
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Robert Ripley's Believe It or Not (January 12, 1941)
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| Author(s) |
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| Launch date | December 19, 1918 (106 years ago) |
| Alternate name(s) | Champs and Chumps (1918–1919) |
| Syndicate(s) |
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| Genre(s) | Bizarre facts |
Robert Ripley first called his cartoon "Champs and Chumps." It started on December 19, 1918, and was all about sports achievements. Later, he began adding other strange facts. In October 1919, he changed the name to "Believe It or Not!"
In 1924, Ripley hired Norbert Pearlroth as his main researcher. Pearlroth spent 52 years finding amazing facts for Ripley. He worked ten hours a day, six days a week, in the New York Public Library. The cartoon became very popular and was shared with newspapers all over the world.
After Ripley passed away in 1949, other artists continued his work. Paul Frehm was the main artist for many years. At its most popular, the cartoon was read by about 80 million people every day! Even Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz had his first artwork published by Ripley. It was a cartoon about his dog, Spike, who could eat pins and razor blades! Spike later inspired the famous character Snoopy.
Books Full of Wonders
Ripley's has published many books filled with strange facts and pictures. Some popular titles include:
- Ripley's Believe It or Not (1929)
- Ripley's Mammoth Book of Believe It or Not (1953)
- Ripley's Giant Book of Believe It or Not (1976)
Ripley Entertainment now has its own publishing company, Ripley Publishing Ltd, in the United Kingdom. They create new "Believe It or Not!" books every year. These include the bestselling Ripley's Believe It or Not! Annuals and a children's fiction series called Ripley's RBI.
The company encourages readers to send in their own strange stories and photos. Before anything is included in a book or museum, the staff carefully checks it. They make sure every fact is 100% true!
Comic Book Adventures
"Ripley's Believe It or Not!" has also appeared in comic books.
- In 1953, Harvey Comics published the first comic book series.
- From 1965 to 1980, Gold Key Comics released 94 issues of the comic.
- Dark Horse Comics published a new series in 2002.
- In 2015, Zenescope also released a two-issue comic.
Radio Shows and Broadcasts
On April 14, 1930, Robert Ripley brought "Believe It or Not!" to the radio. He hosted several series on major radio networks like NBC and CBS. His shows were 15 to 30 minutes long and featured many strange stories.
Ripley achieved several "radio firsts." He was the first to broadcast across the entire country from the middle of the ocean. He also made the first broadcast from Buenos Aires to New York City. With help from translators, he was the first to broadcast to every country in the world at the same time!
The radio show ended in 1948 as Ripley planned to bring his amazing stories to television.
Films and TV Shows
The newspaper cartoon has inspired many films and TV shows over the years.
Early Films
Ripley hosted a series of short films called "Believe It or Not!" between 1930 and 1932. These were shown in movie theaters. Later, Warner Bros. made funny cartoon parodies of Ripley's shorts, like "Believe It or Else" (1939).
Television Series
- The very first "Believe It or Not!" TV series started on NBC on March 1, 1949. Ripley hosted it himself.
- A popular revival of the show, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, aired from 1982 to 1986. It was hosted by film star Jack Palance.
- In 1999, an animated series called Ripley's Believe It or Not! was made for younger audiences. It followed the adventures of "Michael Ripley," Robert Ripley's nephew.
- Another TV show, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, aired from 2000 to 2003. It was hosted by actor Dean Cain.
- In 2012, the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants featured a funny parody of Ripley's called "The Guinness O'Ripley Enormous Book of Curiosities, Oddities, and World Records."
- The most recent TV series, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, premiered on the Travel Channel in 2019, hosted by Bruce Campbell.
Online Fun and Games
- A computer game called Ripley's Believe It or Not!: The Riddle of Master Lu was released in 1995.
- In 2004, a "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" pinball machine came out.
- The Ripleys.com website once held a "Dear Mr. Ripley" contest. People submitted their own unbelievable stories, like a two-faced kitten or a man who survived a dump truck falling on him!
Museums: The Odditoriums
Ripley first showed his collection to the public at the Chicago World's Fair in 1933. He called it Ripley's Odditorium. It was so popular that over two million people visited! This success led to traveling shows and permanent museums. The first permanent Odditorium opened in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1950, a year after Ripley's death. It is located in the historic Castle Warden building.
Today, there are 28 "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" Odditoriums around the world. These museums are not just full of strange items. Some have theaters and arcades. Many are built in unusual ways to fit the "Believe It or Not!" theme. For example, the Orlando, Florida, Odditorium looks like it's sinking into the ground! This design remembers a sinkhole that appeared there during construction.
Amazing Odditoriums Around the World
Asia
- Genting Highlands, Malaysia: This location is now called Ripley's Adventureland.
- Pattaya, Thailand: This museum looks like an airplane has crashed into it!
Europe
- Copenhagen, Denmark: A smaller museum near the city hall.
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Opened in 2016, it has over 500 exhibits.
- Blackpool, United Kingdom: Located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, a popular holiday spot.
Middle East
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Found in Global Village, it includes a mirror maze and a moving 4D theater.
North America
- Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada: Features a lighthouse with a broken top.
- Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada: This museum is shaped like a toppled Empire State Building with King Kong on top! It's one of the oldest Ripley's museums.
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada: The Ripley's Aquarium of Canada opened in 2013. It has the longest underwater tunnel in North America.
- Mexico City, Mexico: Opened in 1992, this museum looks like a medieval castle.
- Cancún, Mexico: Opened in 2021, it has a mirror maze and a laser maze.
United States
- Hollywood, California: Located in the Bank of America Building on Hollywood Boulevard.
- San Francisco, California: Near Fisherman's Wharf.
- Orlando, Florida: Built to look like it's dropping into a sinkhole.
- Panama City Beach, Florida: Designed to look like a 1950s luxury cruise liner that crashed onto the beach. It also has a 4D theater.
- St. Augustine, Florida: The oldest Odditorium, opened in 1950 in the historic Castle Warden. It's rumored to be haunted!
- Ocean City, Maryland: Features a huge shark model that looks like it crashed through the museum.
- Branson, Missouri: This museum looks like a stone building cracked by an earthquake.
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: Opened in 1976. This area also has Ripley's Crazy Golf, a mirror maze, Ripley's Haunted Adventure, and the Ripley's Aquarium of Myrtle Beach. The aquarium does scientific research on sharks and other sea creatures.
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee: The museum here looks like it survived a major earthquake, with cracks inside and out. It even has a tribute to the city's firefighters.
- San Antonio, Texas: Located across from the historic Alamo.
- Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin: The original museum was designed as a temple with a plane crashed into its side. It has illusions and puzzles across three floors.
Oceania
- Gold Coast, Australia: Located in Surfers Paradise, it reopened in 2010.
Are the Stories Always True?
Ripley's staff says they check everything very carefully to make sure it's accurate. They often say, "If you see it on Ripley's, you can bet that it's real." However, some claims have been questioned. For example, the TV show MythBusters called two claims in Ripley's books "myths."
Some stories, like the urban legend of Frank Tower, who supposedly survived three famous shipwrecks (the Titanic, Empress of Ireland, and Lusitania), have been shown to be untrue. Ripley's has also repeated the myth that the Great Wall of China is visible from the Moon with just your eyes, which is not true.
Images for kids
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Ripley's shark being produced for the Ocean City location
See also
In Spanish: Ripley's Believe It or Not! para niños
