The Strange and Brilliant Life of Robert "Believe It or Not!" Ripley

A Curious Man: The Strange and Brilliant Life of Robert "Believe It or Not!" Ripley

by Neal Thompson

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	13394 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	434 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE

Robert Ripley was a man of many talents: a cartoonist, journalist, explorer, and collector of oddities. He is best known for his syndicated cartoon panel "Believe It or Not!", which featured strange and unusual facts from around the world. Ripley's life was as fascinating and bizarre as the stories he told.

Early Life and Career

Robert Ripley was born in Santa Rosa, California, on December 5, 1890. He showed an early interest in art and drawing, and by the age of 14, he was selling cartoons to local newspapers. After graduating from high school, Ripley attended the California Institute of Technology, where he studied engineering. However, he soon realized that his true passion was art.

In 1913, Ripley moved to New York City, where he began working as a cartoonist for the New York Evening Journal. He quickly gained a reputation for his unique and humorous style of drawing. In 1918, Ripley created his first "Believe It or Not!" cartoon panel, which was an immediate success. The panel featured strange and unusual facts from around the world, such as the fact that the average person eats about 35 tons of food in their lifetime.

"Believe It or Not!"

"Believe It or Not!" quickly became one of the most popular cartoon panels in the world. Ripley traveled extensively to find new and interesting stories for his panel. He visited over 200 countries and collected over 30,000 oddities, which he displayed in his museums.

Ripley's "Believe It or Not!" panel was not without its critics. Some people accused Ripley of being a hoaxer, and others claimed that his stories were too far-fetched to be true. However, Ripley always maintained that his stories were true, and he offered a $5,000 reward to anyone who could prove that he had lied.

Later Life and Legacy

Robert Ripley continued to produce "Believe It or Not!" until his death in 1949. He died at the age of 58 from a heart attack. Ripley's legacy lives on through his museums, which continue to attract visitors from around the world. Today, there are over 30 Ripley's Believe It or Not! museums in 15 countries.

Robert Ripley was a man of great curiosity and imagination. He was a master storyteller, and his "Believe It or Not!" panel brought joy and wonder to millions of people around the world. Ripley's legacy is a reminder that the world is a strange and wonderful place, and that there are always new things to learn.

Additional Resources

* [Ripley's Believe It or Not! website](https://www.ripleys.com/) * [Robert Ripley biography](https://www.biography.com/people/robert-ripley-40736) * [The Strange and Brilliant Life of Robert Ripley](https://www.amazon.com/Strange-Brilliant-Life-Robert-Ripley/dp/061833059X)

A Curious Man: The Strange and Brilliant Life of Robert "Believe It or Not!" Ripley

by Neal Thompson

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	13394 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	434 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE