43-804: The Maggie Murphy hoax was a hoax perpetrated in 1895 by W. L. Thorndyke. He created an image that depicted farmer Joseph B. Swan holding what appeared to be a giant potato. The photo rapidly spread around the United States, and appeared in a panel of Ripley's Believe It or Not! . The hoax began in Loveland, Colorado . W. L. Thorndyke, editor-in-chief for a local newspaper, had wanted to promote an upcoming street fair. Thorndyke turned to farmer Joseph B. Swan, and wanted to help bring customers to him. Swan had been known for growing more than 70 different types of potatoes and had previously been featured in several news reports for his success with his crop. With
86-484: A Ripley's film series. In addition to Jacks, Sean Daniel and Richard D. Zanuck were to serve as producers for the film. Zanuck spent six weeks in China to scout filming locations for the project. 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
129-551: A day and six days a week in order to find unusual facts for Ripley. 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. Ripley died in 1949; those working on the syndicated newspaper panel after his death included Paul Frehm (1938–1978; he became
172-482: A hoax. When Ripley's Believe It or Not! was adapted into a television series , the photograph was used in the opening segment. In 2012, Colorado playwright Rick Padden adapted the tale of the hoax into a two-act play, entitled The Great Loveland Potato Hoax . Ripley%27s Believe It or Not! 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
215-488: 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
258-539: 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 appearing in their books have been dubbed "myths" by the Discovery Channel television show MythBusters . 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
301-596: 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". Despite the wide range of true and unbelievable art, sculpture, photographs, interactive devices, animal oddities, and recycled objects contained within the collection, alien or witchcraft-type stories are rarely considered as they 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
344-667: The Jim Pattison Group ) 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. 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, he changed
387-694: The Ripley's Twists , the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Special Edition in conjunction with Scholastic USA and a number of other titles. At the height of his popularity, Robert Ripley received thousands of letters a day from the public 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. 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
430-473: 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
473-458: The army, where he worked for the European edition of Stars and Stripes and met his wife. Clarke remained with Stars and Stripes after being discharged as a civilian contributor, before eventually returning to America and joining the advertising firm Geyer, Newell, and Ganger. That job would prepare Clarke well for his MAD work: "I learned about typefaces and layouts, how to prepare comps in
SECTION 10
#1732794233131516-543: 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. 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
559-490: 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 Spike was "a hunting dog who eats pins, tacks, screws, nails and razor blades". Said dog would later became the model for Snoopy . Some notable books include: A series of paperback books containing annotated sketches from
602-436: 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
645-613: 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 . The Odditorium is housed in the Castle Warden, built in 1888 by an associate of Henry Flagler , President of the Florida East Coast Railway . As of May 2023 , there are 28 Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditoriums around the world. Odditoriums (in
688-459: The film was delayed further to allow Burton to film Sweeney Todd . 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. Later in January, Zanuck said he was no longer involved with the project, and that he was unaware that it
731-460: 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. 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
774-527: 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
817-569: The help of local photographer Adam Talbot, they produced a photograph which appeared in an 1895 issue of the Loveland Reporter . It was implied the potato weighed 86 pounds 10 ounces, and measured 2 feet 5 inches. Swan swore that he grew it himself. The image quickly spread around the United States. Over one thousand citizens sent letters to Thorndyke, requesting pieces of Maggie Murphy so they could grow their own oversized potato. Requests for seeds were also common. Thorndyke, realizing that
860-458: The most cartoon-like style. This was exploited by the two circus panoramas that ran in MAD #41; the first depicted an old-time circus done by Wallace Wood, a breathtakingly elaborate vision of impossible spectacle. The circus drawn by Clarke was simple and uncluttered, showing small routine acts. The point of the article was the decline of the circus, and the artistic contrast sold the premise. But
903-564: 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. 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
SECTION 20
#1732794233131946-490: The panel from 1989 to 2004. John Graziano from 2005 to 2021. The current artist is Kieran Castaño, who is supported by the Ripley's Research Team. At the peak of its popularity, the syndicated feature was read daily by about 80 million readers; 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
989-401: The photograph was beginning to get out of control, admitted that it was a hoax. He wrote that he had asked Swan to carve a fake potato out of wood. The photograph appeared in numerous publications, including Scientific American and Ripley's Believe It or Not! . It has been reprinted in the book The World of Ripley's Believe It Or Not! , however, no mention is made of the photograph being
1032-500: 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. 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. When Ripley first displayed his collection to
1075-569: 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,
1118-612: 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 his collections were exhibited at many major fairs and expositions, including San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas, and Cleveland. In New York City,
1161-466: 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
1204-434: The show format to television. The newspaper feature has been adapted into more than a few films and TV shows. 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
1247-519: 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
1290-506: The staff and be 100% authenticated. 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. From 1965 until 1980, Gold Key Comics published the second Ripley's Believe It or Not! comic book, which lasted for 94 issues. 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
1333-488: The styles of many artists and cartoonists". Clarke was among the GNG artists who designed the box for the children's game Candyland . Clarke was one of the artists who took up the slack after original editor Harvey Kurtzman left MAD , taking two of its three primary artists ( Will Elder and Jack Davis ) with him. In his first year at MAD , Clarke illustrated 24 separate articles; he would eventually draw more than 600. Clarke
Maggie Murphy hoax - Misplaced Pages Continue
1376-612: 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 , (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
1419-505: The versatile Clarke was also able to provide intricate detail. In a 1999 interview, he remembered one challenging MAD assignment: Like many of Mad ' s contributors, Clarke occasionally appeared in the humorous photos that appeared in the magazine. His most revealing pose was for a 1989 MAD Special for which he'd been assigned to create an actual pair of men's boxer shorts with a repeating pattern of Alfred E. Neuman 's face. Clarke impishly arrived at Mad ' s offices while wearing
1462-409: 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". 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
1505-520: Was a mainstay of the magazine as it rose in circulation, being one of four general-purpose artists who took MAD through the late 1950s and earliest 1960s, the others being Wallace Wood , George Woodbridge and Joe Orlando ( Jack Rickard 's work appeared in mid-1961, while Don Martin , Mort Drucker and Dave Berg produced more specialized topics or features). Of the Wood-Orlando-Woodbridge-Clarke quartet, Bob Clarke had
1548-473: Was a telephone or a slot machine or whatever, I would draw the things". MAD editor Al Feldstein called Clarke "a singular valuable asset to MAD ... his arrival upon the scene was a godsend". Feldstein's successor John Ficarra said of Clarke, "He was a great designer, and he also was a terrific mimic of other people’s styles... And if there was a problem you could give it to Bob, and he could usually solve it for you". Clarke's earliest professional job
1591-569: Was an American illustrator whose work appeared in advertisements and MAD Magazine . The label of the Cutty Sark bottle is his creation. Clarke was born in Mamaroneck, New York . He resided in Seaford, Delaware . Clarke's style in MAD was distinctive, showing a mastery of line and an eye for the humorous side of things. "I was known as the "thing" artist", said Clarke. "Whether it
1634-444: Was at the age of 17, as an uncredited assistant on the " Ripley's Believe It or Not! " comic strip. Ripley traveled the world collecting his fantastic trivia tidbits and sent them back to Clarke who drew them, captioned them and circulated them among the vast number of magazines and newspapers who carried the strip. Years later, he illustrated MAD ' s occasional "Believe It or Nuts!" parody. After two years with Ripley, Clarke joined
1677-466: Was in progress). Alphabetical, by country or district: 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. Authorities at the company insist that they thoroughly investigate everything and ensure their accuracy before they publish their research. This
1720-716: 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 ) In 2015, Zenescope published a two issue comic edited by Terry Kavanagh. 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 . 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
1763-530: Was misunderstood, has had its accuracy challenged by Snopes . 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. Ripley's has also repeated the Muhlenberg legend , which claims that German
Maggie Murphy hoax - Misplaced Pages Continue
1806-585: Was once one vote short of becoming the official language of the United States. Ripley's has mentioned a well-known myth that claims the Great Wall of China is visible from the Moon with the naked human eye. The 2013 videogame Grand Theft Auto V features a business called Bishop's WTF on Vinewood Boulevard, based on the Ripley's located on Hollywood Boulevard. Bob Clarke (illustrator) Robert J. "Bob" Clarke (January 25, 1926 – March 31, 2013)
1849-451: Was proceeding. 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. Later that month, Paramount was searching for a new director. In October 2008, Chris Columbus pitched an idea for the film that was approved by Carrey and Paramount. Columbus' idea involved scrapping
#130869