Robert L. Ripley Horoscope

Robert LeRoy Ripley (February 22, 1890 – May 27, 1949) was an American cartoonist, entrepreneur, and amateur anthropologist, best known for creating the "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" newspaper panel series, which featured bizarre facts, oddities, and human achievements.

Born in Santa Rosa, California, he started as a sports illustrator and became a global sensation, spawning books, radio shows, and museums. His work emphasized the extraordinary in everyday life, though he often exaggerated his own backstory.

Robert L. Ripley (1890–1949), an American cartoonist, explorer, reporter, adventurer, and collector, who traveled to 201 countries in 35 years seeking the odd, the unusual, and the unexplained.

After his father’s early death, he dropped out of high school to help support his family. A potential career as a baseball player ended because of an arm injury he sustained while trying out for the major leagues, and so he turned to his other main talent, drawing cartoons. Beginning at age 16, he held jobs as a sports cartoonist with several San Francisco newspapers, and he moved to New York City in 1913. There he drew cartoons for the New York Globe, and he originated his first “Believe It or Not!” cartoon for that paper’s issue of December 19, 1918; this cartoon portrayed nine oddities from the world of athletics.

Yearwise Biography

• 1890: Born on February 22 in Santa Rosa, California, to William and Lillian Ripley, a poor family; younger brother Douglas died at age 3.
• 1906: Survived the San Francisco earthquake, which shaped his fascination with disasters and oddities.
• 1906: At age 16, began working as a cartoonist for the Santa Rosa newspaper.
• 1912: Moved to San Francisco, drew sports cartoons for the Bulletin.
• 1913: Relocated to New York City, worked for the New York Globe as a sports cartoonist.
• 1918: On a slow news day in December, drew his first "Believe It or Not!" cartoon, featuring nine odd sports facts, marking the series' origin.
• 1919: Married 14-year-old actress Beatrice Roberts on September 18 (divorced 1930).
• 1922: Embarked on his first world trip, publishing travel journals that inspired exotic oddities in his cartoons.
• 1923: Moved "Believe It or Not!" to the New York Evening Post; hired researcher Norbert Pearlroth to verify facts.
• 1929: Syndicated nationally by William Randolph Hearst's King Features on February 3, appearing in nearly 300 newspapers; published first book, Believe It or Not!, a bestseller.
• 1930: Debuted radio show Ripley's Odditorium on NBC, boosting fame during the Great Depression; earned $500,000 annually by late 1930s.
• 1931: Drew a cartoon noting America had no national anthem, prompting Congress to adopt "The Star-Spangled Banner" on March 3.
• 1933: Released first short film series; opened first Odditorium at the Chicago World's Fair.
• 1939: Opened New York Odditorium on Broadway, attracting millions with global curiosities.
• 1948: Debuted TV show Believe It or Not! on NBC, his 13th episode aired May 24.
• 1949: Collapsed during a TV broadcast on May 24 from a heart attack; died on May 27 in New York City at age 59.

Family

• Parents: William Michael Ripley (carpenter) and Lillian Armstrong.
• Wife: Beatrice Roberts (married 1919–1930).
• Children: None.

Health

• Generally robust but heavy smoker and drinker; died of a massive heart attack.

Wealth

• Amassed millions from syndication, books, radio, and Odditoriums; lived extravagantly with art collections.

Honors

• Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1960); featured in animated cartoons and biographies.

Robert Ripley received an average of 3,000 letters a day for over 20 years. That’s over a million letters a year!