Robert Ripley’s “Believe-It-Or-Not”

Robert L. Ripley (1893-1949)
SEE: Robert Ripley
Ripley’s Odditoriums
Perhaps the consumate showman of the 20th Century, Ripley deserves a bio and a full profile. (Coming soon).
In addition, we will be presenting the most complete checklist and image archive of the many dozens of fantastic postcards (and pitcbooks) created for Ripley’s various Odditoriums from 1933-1960.
Odditorium Venues:
-Bard, Roy “Ossified Man”
-Battley, Irene “Voltess”
-Blackburn, John Esau “Hairy-Man”
-Blystone, E.L. “Microscopic Writer”
-Broadbent, Betty “Tattooed Lady”
-Bryant, B.A. “Human Pincushion”
-Burke, Henry Paul “Ambidextrous Cartoonist”
-Captain Ringman Mack
-Coleman, Frank “Man With Steel Hands”
-Coogan, Val “Prince Hagur, White Fakir”
-Desmuke, Paul “The Armless Wonder”
-Edema, Edward “Human Automobile Tire”
-Eck, Johnny “Half-Boy”
-Ensign, Orpha “Ossified Woman”
-Everhart, Robert “Gurning & Grimacing”
-Gardner, Roy “One Man Band”
-Garneau, Mimi “Swordswallower”
-Gawley, Andrew A. “The Steel-Fingered Wonder”
-Grendol, Joseph “Swallows All”
-Gravityo, The Great “Man of 1000 Thrills”
-Hadji Ali “The Human Fountain”
-Hall, Earl “Smoky”
-Homma “The Rice Writer”
-Hayes, Anato “The Anatomical Wonder”
-Hubbard, Skeets “Blockhead & Pulls Wagons By Eyelids”
-Johnson, W.H. “Leopard Skin Man”
-Jone, Harry “Contortionist”
-Lambert, Zora “Razor Blades & Glass Eater”
-Langevin, Alfred “Eye-Smoker”
-Kanichka “Man With Ostrich Stomach”
-Kehr, Clarence “Strong Boy”
-King, Tommy “Tire-Pump Player”
-Knox, Pierce “Blind Xylophonist”
-Lake, Etta
-Langevin, Alfred
-Laurello, Martin “Revolving Head”
-Lavardo “Voodoo Torturer Sword-Ladder”
-Lewis, Forest “Man of Many Faces”
-Loos, Arthur “Rubber-Necked”
-McDaniel, Grace “Mule-Faced Woman”
-McGregory, Harry & Evelyn “Lifts Weights With Eyelids”
-McPherson, Lydia “Longest Red Hair In The World”
-McWilliams, Paul “Big Mouth”
-Marvello “Fingerless Pianist”
-Mayfield, William “Doc” “Lifting Weights With Tongue & Eyelids”
-Miller, James Marion A. “Calico Jim”
-Morrell, Prof. & Mrs.”Jack-Knife King & Queen”
-Mortensen, Mort “Piano Wonder”
-Nielsen, Rasmus “Lifts Anvil With Pierced Chest”
-O’Dell, Larry “Count Fro-Zo Growing Man”
-Omi, The Great “Tattooed”
-Ortiz, Demetrio “Backwards Feet”
-Ossified Harry -Plumhoff, Arthur “Human Pincushion” -Price, Edna “Sword and Neon Swallower” -Pushnik, Freda “Half-Girl” -Rankin, D.D. “Champion Whittler” -Rivers, C.L. & Blanche “Liquid Air”
-Romano, Charles “Contortionist”
-Russell, Francois “Strong Man”
-Saylor, John “Gurner”
-Seyah, Albert “Contortionist”
-Schmidt, Agnes “Rubber-Skinned”
-Siciliano, Michael “Chain-Swallower”
-Singlee “Fireproof Fakir”
-Smith, Melvin “Twisto”
-Stone, John R. “The Miracle Man-Human or Robot?”
-Swami See Ram Li “Fireproof”
-Thorpe, Clarence “Blindfolded Cartoonist”
-Tritchler, Walter “Bottle-Player”
-Tryarto “Ambidextrous Artist”
-Von Lynd, Elma “Born With 3 Legs”
-Whisant, Joan “Armless Guitarist”
-Williams, Betty Lou “4 Legs, 3 Arms”
-Williams, John “Alligator-Skinned”
-Williams, Leopold “Leopard-Skinned Man”
-Willard, Clarence
-Whittaker, Paul “The Eye-Popper”
-Zaharee, James W. “Microscopic Writer”
Competitors: John Hix’s “Strange As It Seems” (Sideshow at New York World’s Fair 1939)
The Current Ripley’s Museums: IN NORTH AMERICA Hollywood, CA San Francisco, CA Key West, FL Orlando, FL Panama City Beach, FL St. Augustine, FL Baltimore, MD Ocean City, MD Branson, MO Atlantic City, NJ New York City, NY Newport, OR Myrtle Beach, SC Gatlinburg, TN Grand Prairie, TX San Antonio, TX Alamo Plaza, TX Williamsburg, VA Jackson Hole, WY Cavendish, CANADA Niagara Falls, CANADA Guadalajara, MEXICO Mexico City, MEXICO Puerto de Veracruz, MEXICO RIPLEY’S WORLD CLASS AQUARIUMS: EDUCATION, CONSERVATION & AMAZING FUN! Our aquariums in Myrtle Beach, SC, Gatlinburg, TN, and Toronto, CA,
These venues educate and entertain millions of visitors each year!
SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS NEW Traveling Science Exhibit! San Diego Air & Space Museum, GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS ATTRACTIONS Hollywood, CA San Antonio, TX Gatlinburg, TN Niagara Falls, CANADA
BRANDS Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, Ripley’s Aquariums, Guinness World Records Museums, Ripley’s 3D Moving Theaters, Ripley’s Haunted Adventures, Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks
SEE: Robert Ripley
Ripley’s Odditoriums
Perhaps the consumate showman of the 20th Century, Ripley deserves a bio and a full profile. (Coming soon).
In addition, we will be presenting the most complete checklist and image archive of the many dozens of fantastic postcards (and pitcbooks) created for Ripley’s various Odditoriums from 1933-1960.
Odditorium Venues:
(A) 1933 Chicago “Century of Progress”
(B) 1934 Chicago “Century of Progress”
(C ) 1935 “California Pacific International Exposition”
(D) 1936 “Texas Centennial Central Exposition”
(E) 1937 Cleveland, “Ohio Great Lakes Exposition”
(F) 1937 Dallas, “Greater Texas Pan-American Exposition”
(G) 1939-1971? “The Odditorium”, 48th & Broadway, New York (Moved to 45th & Broadway Late-1940’s?)
(H) 1940 “New York World’s Fair”
(I) 1940 Treasure Island, San Francisco “Golden Gate International Exposition”
- A Complete List of Performers at Odditoriums: (A work in progress…)
-Bard, Roy “Ossified Man”
-Battley, Irene “Voltess”
-Blackburn, John Esau “Hairy-Man”
-Blystone, E.L. “Microscopic Writer”
-Broadbent, Betty “Tattooed Lady”
-Bryant, B.A. “Human Pincushion”
-Burke, Henry Paul “Ambidextrous Cartoonist”
-Captain Ringman Mack
-Coleman, Frank “Man With Steel Hands”
-Coogan, Val “Prince Hagur, White Fakir”
-Desmuke, Paul “The Armless Wonder”
-Edema, Edward “Human Automobile Tire”
-Eck, Johnny “Half-Boy”
-Ensign, Orpha “Ossified Woman”
-Everhart, Robert “Gurning & Grimacing”
-Gardner, Roy “One Man Band”
-Garneau, Mimi “Swordswallower”
-Gawley, Andrew A. “The Steel-Fingered Wonder”
-Grendol, Joseph “Swallows All”
-Gravityo, The Great “Man of 1000 Thrills”
-Hadji Ali “The Human Fountain”
-Hall, Earl “Smoky”
-Homma “The Rice Writer”
-Hayes, Anato “The Anatomical Wonder”
-Hubbard, Skeets “Blockhead & Pulls Wagons By Eyelids”
-Johnson, W.H. “Leopard Skin Man”
-Jone, Harry “Contortionist”
-Lambert, Zora “Razor Blades & Glass Eater”
-Langevin, Alfred “Eye-Smoker”
-Kanichka “Man With Ostrich Stomach”
-Kehr, Clarence “Strong Boy”
-King, Tommy “Tire-Pump Player”
-Knox, Pierce “Blind Xylophonist”
-Lake, Etta
-Langevin, Alfred
-Laurello, Martin “Revolving Head”
-Lavardo “Voodoo Torturer Sword-Ladder”
-Lewis, Forest “Man of Many Faces”
-Loos, Arthur “Rubber-Necked”
-McDaniel, Grace “Mule-Faced Woman”
-McGregory, Harry & Evelyn “Lifts Weights With Eyelids”
-McPherson, Lydia “Longest Red Hair In The World”
-McWilliams, Paul “Big Mouth”
-Marvello “Fingerless Pianist”
-Mayfield, William “Doc” “Lifting Weights With Tongue & Eyelids”
-Miller, James Marion A. “Calico Jim”
-Morrell, Prof. & Mrs.”Jack-Knife King & Queen”
-Mortensen, Mort “Piano Wonder”
-Nielsen, Rasmus “Lifts Anvil With Pierced Chest”
-O’Dell, Larry “Count Fro-Zo Growing Man”
-Omi, The Great “Tattooed”
-Ortiz, Demetrio “Backwards Feet”
-Ossified Harry -Plumhoff, Arthur “Human Pincushion” -Price, Edna “Sword and Neon Swallower” -Pushnik, Freda “Half-Girl” -Rankin, D.D. “Champion Whittler” -Rivers, C.L. & Blanche “Liquid Air”
-Romano, Charles “Contortionist”
-Russell, Francois “Strong Man”
-Saylor, John “Gurner”
-Seyah, Albert “Contortionist”
-Schmidt, Agnes “Rubber-Skinned”
-Siciliano, Michael “Chain-Swallower”
-Singlee “Fireproof Fakir”
-Smith, Melvin “Twisto”
-Stone, John R. “The Miracle Man-Human or Robot?”
-Swami See Ram Li “Fireproof”
-Thorpe, Clarence “Blindfolded Cartoonist”
-Tritchler, Walter “Bottle-Player”
-Tryarto “Ambidextrous Artist”
-Von Lynd, Elma “Born With 3 Legs”
-Whisant, Joan “Armless Guitarist”
-Williams, Betty Lou “4 Legs, 3 Arms”
-Williams, John “Alligator-Skinned”
-Williams, Leopold “Leopard-Skinned Man”
-Willard, Clarence
-Whittaker, Paul “The Eye-Popper”
-Zaharee, James W. “Microscopic Writer”
- A Partial List of Exhibits:
Competitors: John Hix’s “Strange As It Seems” (Sideshow at New York World’s Fair 1939)
The Current Ripley’s Museums: IN NORTH AMERICA Hollywood, CA San Francisco, CA Key West, FL Orlando, FL Panama City Beach, FL St. Augustine, FL Baltimore, MD Ocean City, MD Branson, MO Atlantic City, NJ New York City, NY Newport, OR Myrtle Beach, SC Gatlinburg, TN Grand Prairie, TX San Antonio, TX Alamo Plaza, TX Williamsburg, VA Jackson Hole, WY Cavendish, CANADA Niagara Falls, CANADA Guadalajara, MEXICO Mexico City, MEXICO Puerto de Veracruz, MEXICO RIPLEY’S WORLD CLASS AQUARIUMS: EDUCATION, CONSERVATION & AMAZING FUN! Our aquariums in Myrtle Beach, SC, Gatlinburg, TN, and Toronto, CA,
These venues educate and entertain millions of visitors each year!
SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS NEW Traveling Science Exhibit! San Diego Air & Space Museum, GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS ATTRACTIONS Hollywood, CA San Antonio, TX Gatlinburg, TN Niagara Falls, CANADA
BRANDS Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, Ripley’s Aquariums, Guinness World Records Museums, Ripley’s 3D Moving Theaters, Ripley’s Haunted Adventures, Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks
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