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

by Neal Thompson

  and Vitagraph, 12.1, 13.1

  and yellow journalism

  Hell (Norway), 11.1, 17.1, 17.2

  Hellinger, Mark

  Hellman, Geoffrey

  Herald and Examiner

  Hershfield, Harry

  Hilliard, Harriet, 16.1, 17.1

  Hi-Mount (Palm Beach, Fla.), 21.1, 23.1, 23.2, epi.1

  Hiroshima (Japan)

  Hitler, Adolf, 16.1, 19.1

  Hix, John, 12.1, 17.1, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3

  Hogan’s Alley cartoon, 2.1, 5.1

  Holmes, Burton, 14.1, 14.2, 15.1, 15.2, 19.1

  Hong Kong

  Hoover, Herbert, 12.1, 13.1, 18.1, 18.2, 19.1

  Huber, Jack

  Hudson Motor Car Company

  Hughes, Ed

  hunger, 9.1, 16.1

  Hyde, James W.

  Hyland, Robert, 13.1, 17.1, 18.1, 18.2, epi.1

  Hyman, Dick, 10.1, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 14.1, 17.1

  Incas, 10.1, 10.2

  India, 8.1, 8.2, 14.1

  International Oddities

  Iran, 15.1, 16.1

  Iraq, prf.1, prf.2, 15.1, 15.2

  Islam, 8.1, 14.1, 15.1, 17.1

  Japan, 8.1, 9.1, 14.1, 20.1, 22.1, 22.2

  jazz

  Jeffries, Jim, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3

  Jerusalem

  Johnson, Jack, 4.1, 4.2

  Juliaca (Peru)

  Jung, Harry

  Jung, Ming, 19.1, 19.2, 20.1, 21.1, 21.2, 21.3, 23.1, 23.2, 24.1, epi.1

  Kahanamoku, Duke, 7.1, 8.1, 22.1

  Keeler, O. B.

  Kelly, Brad, 20.1, 20.2, 23.1

  Kelly, Jim

  Kikuyu people, 14.1, 16.1

  King Features, 12.1, 12.2, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 17.1

  complaints from Ripley

  Connolly at, 12.1, 12.2

  Doug Ripley at, 17.1, 23.1

  party for Believe It or Not

  Pearlroth at, 19.1, epi.1

  Ripley’s cartoons, 12.1, 12.2, 17.1, 17.2, 19.1, 20.1, 22.1

  after Ripley’s death

  Ripley’s hiring at

  Simpson at

  Kolb, Emery, 18.1, 18.2

  Kongee, Leo, 15.1, 16.1

  Kukan: The Battle Cry of China (film), 20.1, 20.2

  Kyne, Peter B., 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 12.1

  Laconia (RMS), 8.1, 8.2

  language, 11.1, 11.2, 16.1

  La Paz (Bolivia)

  Laswell, Maynard

  Laurello, Martin, 15.1, 19.1

  Lawrence, Kay, 19.1, nts.1

  Leamy, Hugh

  Lee, Linda, 19.1, 20.1

  Lefferts, George

  Lenin, Vladimir

  Leviathan (SS)

  Library of Entertainment and Knowledge, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3

  LIFE magazine, 2.1, 3.1, 19.1, epi.1

  Li Ling-Ai, 22.1, 23.1

  biography

  on Doug Ripley

  first meeting with Ripley

  gifts from Ripley, 23.1, 23.2

  in Hawaii, 22.1, 22.2

  on Mon Lei, 21.1, 21.2

  on President Cleveland, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3

  relationship with Ripley

  as Ripley heir

  after Ripley’s death

  and Ripley’s death, 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4

  and Ripley’s health, 20.1, 24.1, 24.2

  on Ripley’s views on China, 22.1, 23.1

  on television show

  Lim, Poon, 20.1, 23.1

  Lindbergh, Charles, 11.1, 13.1, 20.1

  London, Jack, 4.1, 4.2

  Louisville Courier-Journal

  lying, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4

  Lynd, J. Norman

  MacArthur, Douglas

  Macfadden, Bernarr, 7.1, 7.2, 11.1, 12.1, 17.1

  Makovsky, Konstantin

  Mallory, Molla

  Mamaroneck (N.Y.)

  Mandy, James

  Manila (Philippines)

  Manning, John J.

  Mao Zedong, 23.1, 24.1, 24.2

  Marco Polo

  Marineland (Fla.)

  Mariposa (SS), 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4

  Markoff, Gypsy

  Masakichi, Hananuma

  Massey, Ilona

  McClure, H. H.

  McCormack, John

  McDonald, Bill

  McGraw, John, 5.1, 5.2

  McIntyre, O. O., 17.1, 17.2

  McMillin, George, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3

  McNamee, Graham

  Mencken, H. L., 11.1, 11.2

  Meyer, Edward

  Miller, Clyde

  Missouri (USS)

  Missouri Valley College

  Mon Lei, 21.1, 22.1, 23.1, epi.1

  monogamy

  Moore, Thomas

  Mori, Toshia, 19.1, 19.2

  Morris, Mary

  movies. See Films; specific movies

  Mukden (China)

  Munsey, Frank A., 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 11.1, 16.1

  museums, epi.1, epi.2

  Muslims. See Islam

  Nairobi (Kenya), 14.1, 14.2

  National Aeronautic Association

  National Air Races

  national anthem

  National Broadcasting Company

  (NBC), 13.1, 14.1, 14.2, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 20.1, 22.1, 23.1

  Nehi Corporation, 18.1, 20.1

  Nelson, Ozzie, 16.1, 17.1

  New Deal, 16.1, 16.2, 22.1

  newspapers, 1.1, 2.1, 11.1

  See also specific papers

  New York American, 7.1, 12.1, 12.2, 13.1, 13.2

  New York Athletic Club, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.1, 11.1, 12.1, 14.1, 15.1

  New York Daily Mirror

  New Yorker magazine, 12.1, 12.2, 18.1, epi.1

  New York Evening Post, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 12.1

  New York Herald, 9.1, 9.2

  New York Journal-American

  New York Sun, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 11.1

  New York Times

  New York World

  New York Yankees

  Oakie. See Ross, Ruth

  oddities, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 11.1, 11.2, 13.1, 13.2, 15.1, 16.1, 18.1

  Odditorium, prf.1, 15.1, 15.2, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, ata1.1

  Office of War Information (U.S.)

  Ohnick, Marion, 14.1, 17.1

  Older, Fremont

  Old Glory

  Olympic Games (1920; Antwerp)

  O’Meara, Frances, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 14.1, 20.1, 24.1

  O’Neal, Emmet

  Onuki, Haru. See Ohnick, Marion

  outcasts and underdogs, 11.1, 11.2

  Overdurff, Harry

  Palance, Jack

  Pall Mall

  Panama, 10.1, 18.1

  Paricutin volcano

  Parsons, Louella, 20.1, 20.2

  Pattison, Jim

  Payne, Phil

  Pearl Harbor, 22.1, 23.1

  Pearlroth, Norbert

  biography

  death

  first meeting with Ripley

  lack of credit from Ripley, 11.1, 11.2

  love of learning, 9.1, 11.1, 13.1

  loyalty to Ripley, 11.1, 16.1, 19.1

  at N.Y. Public Library, 11.1, 13.1, 16.1, epi.1, epi.2

  offer from Evening Post

  personal life, 13.1, 19.1

  as Ripley heir

  on Ripley’s death

  and Ripley’s “lies”

  as supplier of information to Ripley, 10.1, 10.2, 11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2

  Pegler, Westbrook

  personality

  Peru, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4

  pets, 17.1, 19.1, 19.2, 20.1, 23.1

  Physical Culture magazine

  Pinter, Rudolph

  Pizarro, Francisco, 10.1, 10.2

  Platt, William

  President Cleveland (SS), 22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 23.1

  Princess Matoika (USS)

  Prohibition, 8.1, 8.2, 10.1, 11.1, 14.1, 15.1, 19.1

  Pryor, Samuel

  publicity, 13.1, 13.2, 15.1

  Pulitz
er, Joseph

  Pushnik, Frieda, 15.1, 16.1, nts.1

  Pyle, C. C., 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 17.1, 18.1

  radio, 11.1, 17.1

  religion, 8.1, 14.1, 15.1, 16.1, 24.1

  Rhythm, Romance, and Ripley

  Rickenbacker, Eddie, 20.1, 24.1

  Rigby, Alec

  Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey

  Circus

  Ripley, Douglas, 1.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 9.1, 9.2, 24.1, ata1.1

  at Believe It or Not, Inc., 13.1, 17.1, epi.1

  on BION Island, 17.1, 23.1, epi.1

  on Connolly

  discomfort in brother’s world

  marriage

  nomadic life, 9.1, 13.1

  and Odditorium, 18.1, 18.2

  power struggle with Doug Storer, epi.1, epi.2

  tensions with brother

  Ripley, Douglas, Jr.

  Ripley, Ethel. See Davis, Ethel Ripley

  Ripley, Isaac Davis, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 7.1

  Ripley, Lillie Belle, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 7.1, 23.1

  Ripley, Rebecca, epi.1, ata1.1

  Ripley, Robert, epi.1, ata1.1

  Ripley, Robert L.

  appearance, 1.1, 2.1, 6.1, 12.1, 13.1, 13.2, 14.1, 17.1, 19.1, 19.2, 19.3

  art classes

  athletics, 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, 7.1, 9.1, 11.1, 19.1, nts.1

  auction of possessions

  on bachelorhood

  birth, 1.1, nts.1

  as cartoonist, prf.1, prf.2, prf.3, prf.4, 3.1, 3.2, 6.1, 17.1, 20.1

  charities, 16.1, 18.1, 20.1

  childhood, 1.1, 3.1, 5.1

  competitors, 17.1, 18.1, 18.2

  curiosity, 11.1, 14.1

  death and funeral, 24.1, nts.1

  despondency and erratic behavior, 9.1, 23.1, 23.2, 23.3, 23.4, 23.5, 24.1

  drinking, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 11.1, 12.1, 12.2, 13.1, 13.2, 14.1, 15.1, 19.1, 23.1

  early drawings, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1

  eccentricities

  films, 13.1, 18.1

  finances, 9.1, 11.1, 12.1, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 18.1, 22.1

  health, 7.1, 12.1, 19.1, 20.1, 21.1, 23.1, 23.2, 24.1, 24.2

  in high school, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2

  housekeeping

  lectures, 11.1, 13.1

  legacy, 23.1, 24.1, epi.1

  love life, 10.1, 10.2, 14.1, 17.1, 19.1, 23.1, 24.1

  mail

  Mamaroneck mansion, 16.1, 17.1, 17.2, 18.1, 19.1

  name, 1.1, 5.1

  New York apartment, 19.1, 19.2, 20.1, 20.2, 22.1, epi.1

  at New York Athletic Club, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 11.1, 12.1, 14.1, 15.1

  original Believe It or Not cartoon

  Palm Beach mansion, 21.1, 23.1, 23.2, epi.1

  parties, 19.1, 19.2, 19.3, 20.1, 21.1

  popularity, 16.1, 17.1, ata1.1

  as radio performer, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 16.1, 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 18.1, 18.2, 20.1, 22.1, 22.2

  relationship with Ross, 14.1, 17.1, 17.2, 19.1

  and Roberts (Beatrice), 7.1, 7.2, 9.1, 17.1

  as sports cartoonist, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1

  stutter, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 12.1, 17.1

  television show, 23.1, 23.2, epi.1

  unusual records concept, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3

  will, 21.1, 21.2, epi.1

  as world traveler, prf.1, 5.1, 5.2, 8.1, 10.1, 13.1, 14.1, 18.1

  during World War I

  as writer

  Ripley Entertainment, Inc., epi.1, ata1.1

  Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium (N.Y.)

  “Ripley’s Ramble ’Round the World,” 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 9.1, 10.1

  Ripley, the Modern Marco Polo (Considine)

  Roberts, Beatrice, 7.1, 7.2, 9.1, 17.1

  Rockefeller, Nelson, 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 20.4

  Rogers, Will, prf.1, 7.1, 15.1, 17.1

  Rolfe, B. A., 16.1, 18.1, 18.2, 19.1, 19.2, 20.1

  Roman Catholicism

  Roosevelt, Eleanor

  Roosevelt, Franklin, 15.1, 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 22.1

  Ross, Ruth (Oakie), 18.1, 20.1

  at BION Island, 17.1, 17.2

  in Caribbean, 18.1, 18.2

  in China, 14.1, 14.2

  death, 19.1, 19.2, 20.1, 23.1, 24.1

  in Fiji

  health

  on Mariposa, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3

  marriage, 17.1, 19.1

  relationship with Ripley, 14.1, 17.1, 17.2, 19.1

  in Singapore

  Roth, Herb, 6.1, 24.1

  Roth, Mark

  Roth, Murray

  Rothstein, Edward

  Royal, John

  Royal Geographic Society of London

  Runyon, Damon, 5.1, 6.1

  Russia

  Ruth, Babe, 6.1, 17.1, 17.2, 18.1

  St. Denis, Walter, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 9.1, epi.1

  St. John, Robert

  St. Patrick

  Saklatvala, Phiroz D.

  San Francisco (Calif.), 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 8.1

  San Francisco Bulletin, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 5.1, 14.1, nts.1

  San Francisco Chronicle

  San Francisco earthquake, 2.1, 9.1

  San Francisco Examiner, 3.1, 12.1

  Santa Claus (Ind.)

  Santa Rosa (Calif.), 1.1, 2.1, 9.1, 14.1, 15.1, 23.1, 23.2, 24.1, epi.1

  Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 5.1, 11.1, 12.1, 24.1

  Schulz, Charles F.

  Schuster, Max, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 16.1, 16.2, 20.1, 24.1

  Scramble

  Screen Oddities cartoon

  Seabeck, Almuth, 19.1, 19.2, 19.3, 19.4, 19.5, 19.6, 20.1, 20.2

  See All the Americas with Bob Ripley

  See America First with Bob Ripley, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3

  See Ram Lai

  Segar, Elzie

  Shanghai (China), 14.1, 22.1, 23.1

  sharks

  Shasta Daisy

  Shean, Al

  Sheridan, Ann

  Shor, Bernard (Toots)

  shrunken heads, 10.1, 15.1, 18.1, 19.1

  Siberia

  sideshow freaks, 11.1, 15.1, 16.1, 18.1

  Simon, Richard

  Simon & Schuster, 12.1, 12.2, 13.1

  Simpson, Joe, prf.1, prf.2, prf.3, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4, 15.5, 16.1, 16.2, 17.1

  Sinclair, Upton

  Sing, Jessie Tai

  Singapore

  Singlee, 15.1, 16.1

  slang

  Sloan, Alfred P., Jr.

  Smith, Harry B., 4.1, 4.2, 23.1

  Smith, Kate

  Smith-Dayton, Helena

  Smythe, Betty

  snakes, 18.1, 19.1

  socialism

  South America, 10.1, 14.1, 20.1

  Soviet Union, 15.1, 16.1, 20.1

  Spellman, Francis Cardinal

  Spirit of St. Louis, 11.1, 11.2

  Standard Brands, 16.1, 16.2

  “Star-Spangled Banner, The”

  State Department (U.S.)

  Stenvig, Lorentz

  Sternberger, Marcel

  Storer, Doug, 16.1, 16.2, 17.1, 18.1, epi.1

  Amazing But True brand

  and Arizona memorial, 22.1, 23.1

  biography

  at BION Island, 19.1, 19.2

  early impressions of Ripley, 16.1, 16.2

  first meeting with Ripley

  at Hi-Mount, 21.1, 23.1, 23.2

  increased responsibilities, 18.1, 20.1

  loan from Ripley

  as manager of radio shows, 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4, 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4, 20.1, 20.2, 20.3

  power struggle with Doug Ripley, epi.1, epi.2

  radio gimmick

  and Ripley’s death

  and Ripley’s erratic behavior, 23.1, 23.2, 23.3

  and Ripley’s health, 23.1, 24.1, 24.2

  Ripley’s request to broadcast from Cuba

  and Ripley’s trip to Asia, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3, 22.4, 22.5

  Storer, Hazel, 19.1, 19.2, 19.3, 19.4, 20.1, 21.1, 22.1, 2
2.2, 22.3, 22.4, 22.5, 23.1, 24.1, 24.2, epi.1

  Strange as It Seems cartoon, 12.1, 17.1

  Strelitz, Whupsie

  surf riding

  Suva (Fiji)

  syndication, 5.1, 11.1, 11.2, 12.1

  tabloids

  Taft, Robert

  Tagliavini, Ferruccio

  Tapscott, Robert

  Taylor, Joe

  Terraplane Program

  Terry, Paul, 6.1, 6.2, 24.1

  Thailand

  300 Club (N.Y.)

  Titanic

  Toots Shor’s (N.Y.)

  Tower of Babel

  Transatlantic cartoon transmission

  Trask, J. H., 14.1, 14.2

  True Story magazine, 12.1, 17.1

  Truth or Consequences, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3

  Tunney, Gene, 17.1, 18.1, 24.1

  University of North Carolina

  Villard, Henry

  Villard, Oswald

  Vitagraph Company, 12.1, 13.1, 14.1, 14.2

  War Department (U.S.)

  Warner Bros., 13.1, 13.2, 13.3

  War of the Worlds, The (Wells)

  Welles, Orson

  Welsh, Freddie

  Westchester County (N.Y.)

  White, Jim

  Why We Do It (Wolff)

  Widdicombe, Roy

  Wieda, George, 20.1, 21.1

  Williams, Betty Lou, 15.1, 16.1, nts.1

  Willicombe, Joe, 21.1, 21.2, 21.3

  Winchell, Walter, 9.1, 11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 13.1, 13.2, 16.1, 18.1, 20.1, 20.2

  Windsor, Duke of, 18.1, 24.1

  Wisse, Liese, 22.1, 23.1, 24.1, epi.1

  citizenship

  at King Features party

  on Mon Lei, 21.1, 21.2, 21.3

  on President Cleveland, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3

  and Ripley’s death

  at Ripley’s funeral

  as Ripley’s secretary

  women, 7.1, 7.2, 9.1, 14.1, 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 19.1, 23.1, nts.1

  Wong, Anna May, 19.1, 20.1, 21.1

  World’s Fair (Chicago), 15.1, 15.2, 16.1

  World’s Fair (N.Y.), 18.1, 18.2, 18.3

  World’s Fair (San Francisco). See Golden Gate International Exposition

  World War I

  World War II, 19.1, 20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 20.4, 21.1, 21.2

  wrestling

  yellow journalism

  Young, John

  Yucatán Peninsula

  Zambreno, Frank

  Ziegfeld Follies

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Neal Thompson (www.nealthompson.com) is a veteran journalist and author of three previous books: Light This Candle: The Life & Times of Alan Shepard, America’s First Spaceman; Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR; and Hurricane Season: A Coach, His Team, and Their Triumph in the Time of Katrina. Thompson and his books have been featured on NPR, ESPN, the History Channel, Fox, and TNT, and his stories have appeared in Outside, Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and the Washington Post Magazine. He lives in Seattle with his wife and two skateboarding sons.