Believe it...or Not!

Posted by Abner from user-2ive8bd.dialup.mindspring.com on June 04, 1999 at 12:22:21:

In Reply to: Re: The Real Indy posted by Michaelson on June 02, 1999 at 12:13:25:

: : Hi.

: : I have heard that in the middle 30tys there was a adventurer called
: : Robert Ripley. Not an argeolocist, but a collector of all weird stuff.
: : He had a museum in New York called Ripley`s Believe or Not. He was
: : very interested in China, and he traveled there often.

: : Does somebody know something about him?

: :
: : Wave

: : PS. I got this information about a PC game called Riddle of Master Lu

: On occation you'll see his biography on A & E's "Biography" program or TNT. He was a cartoonist who traveled the world in search of odd things and drew cartoons that were printed literally all over the world in newspapers. He eventually created his own museum of sorts that showcased this collection, which I understand still stands to this day. Very interesting man, but not one I would rank as an "Indy" like character. He was more of the refined world traveler of those times. Regards. Michaelson

Yes, I have a book of some of his collected cartoons/columns. It's filled with lots of interesting tidbits with drawings such as:

A HUGE STATUE OF BUDDHA which lay ignored in the fields near BANGKOK, SIAM for 300 years was found to have under its top coating of plaster 400 POUNDS OF GOLD

and

THE MAN WHO KILLED A LION WITH HIS SHEATH KNIFE!
Harry Wolhunter, a game ranger in Kenya National Park, in Africa, dragged from his horse by a full-grown lion KILLED THE BEAST BY PLUNGING HIS KNIFE INTO ITS HEART (August, 1903)

If it were the TV show we'd have Jack Palance in a scary voice saying "Believe it....Or not!"

Here is what it says inside the book:

"The day after Lindbergh made his historic trans-Atlantic flight in 1927, Ripley's newpaper cartoon announced that Lindbergh was the 67th person to make this nonstop journey by air from America to Europe. This, naturally drew an avalanche of protests- more than 3000 letters and telegrams poured in from irate readers. Of course, what Lindbergh had achieved was the first across-the-Atlantic SOLO flight; Alcock and Brown had been the first, in 1919. The English dirigible R-34 had made the flight with 31 aboard the same year, and the German ZR (later the Los Angeles) crossed in 1924 with 33 passengers. Ripley was right again...and those who had been so quick to protest became Ripley fans.

...

He was on firm ground when, in his first radio broadcast, April 14, 1930 from NBC's WEAF, he said: "We have no National Anthem!" Listeners... were shocked to learn that the tune played on formal occassions hadn't been officially made the anthem of the country, but was an old English drinking song, "To Anacreon in Heaven". A year later Congress acted, and "The Star Spangled Banner" was adopted as our anthem."

Ripley was born in 1893 and died in 1949. He worked at first as a sports cartoonis for the New York Globe. In 1918 he had his Believe-It-Or-Not inspiration, and published them at first weekly and then daily for over 20 years.

Interesting stuff.

Cheers,
Abner

Follow Ups:

Post a Followup:

Name:    
E-Mail:  
Subject: 
Comments:

: : : Hi.

: : : I have heard that in the middle 30tys there was a adventurer called
: : : Robert Ripley. Not an argeolocist, but a collector of all weird stuff.
: : : He had a museum in New York called Ripley`s Believe or Not. He was
: : : very interested in China, and he traveled there often.

: : : Does somebody know something about him?

: : : 
: : : Wave

: : : PS. I got this information about a PC game called Riddle of Master Lu

: : On occation you'll see his biography on A & E's "Biography" program or TNT. He was a cartoonist who traveled the world in search of odd things and drew cartoons that were printed literally all over the world in newspapers. He eventually created his own museum of sorts that showcased this collection, which I understand still stands to this day. Very interesting man, but not one I would rank as an "Indy" like character. He was more of the refined world traveler of those times. Regards. Michaelson

: 
: Yes, I have a book of some of his collected cartoons/columns.  It's filled with lots of interesting tidbits with drawings such as:

: A HUGE STATUE OF BUDDHA which lay ignored in the fields near BANGKOK, SIAM for 300 years was found to have under its top coating of plaster 400 POUNDS OF GOLD

: 
: and

: 
: THE MAN WHO KILLED A LION WITH HIS SHEATH KNIFE!
: Harry Wolhunter, a game ranger in Kenya National Park, in Africa, dragged from his horse by a full-grown lion KILLED THE BEAST BY PLUNGING HIS KNIFE INTO ITS HEART   (August, 1903)

: 
: If it were the TV show we'd have Jack Palance in a scary voice saying "Believe it....Or not!"

: 
: Here is what it says inside the book:

: "The day after Lindbergh made his historic trans-Atlantic flight in 1927, Ripley's newpaper cartoon announced that Lindbergh was the 67th person to make this nonstop journey by air from America to Europe.  This, naturally drew an avalanche of protests- more than 3000 letters and telegrams poured in from irate readers.  Of course, what Lindbergh had achieved was the first across-the-Atlantic SOLO flight; Alcock and Brown had been the first, in 1919.  The English dirigible R-34 had made the flight with 31 aboard the same year, and the German ZR (later the Los Angeles) crossed in 1924 with 33 passengers.  Ripley was right again...and those who had been so quick to protest became Ripley fans.

: ...

: He was on firm ground when, in his first radio broadcast, April 14, 1930 from NBC's WEAF, he said: "We have no National Anthem!" Listeners... were shocked to learn that the tune played on formal occassions hadn't been officially made the anthem of the country, but was an old English drinking song, "To Anacreon in Heaven".  A year later Congress acted, and "The Star Spangled Banner" was adopted as our anthem."

: Ripley was born in 1893 and died in 1949.  He worked at first as a sports cartoonis for the New York Globe.  In 1918 he had his Believe-It-Or-Not inspiration, and published them at first weekly and then daily for over 20 years.

: 
: Interesting stuff.

: Cheers,
: Abner

Optional:

Link URL:   
Link Title: 
Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Indyfan Forum ] [ FAQ ]