Fan Expo Dallas: What we learned from Ripley’s Believe It or Not

While Fan Expo Dallas was a place for all things comic and pop culture, one booth seemed to stand out from the crowd: Ripley’s Believe It or Not. From pop culture to oddities, it had a little something for everyone.

Are you a fan of things that are unusual, odd, or interesting? Do curated collections of memorabilia thrill you because of where they came from and what they were a part of in history? Then Ripley’s Believe It or Not is definitely your kind of place.

At Fan Expo Dallas, attendees were treated to a special collection of curated items that ranged from classic movie props to unique items of historical significance, and of course the downright odd. Not only did we see a giant hairball that people can add their own hair to (by about 11:00 a.m. on the third day of the convention, more than 400 people had added a bit of their own hair to the piece), but there was even an authentic vampire killing kit and Harrison Ford’s whip from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, used in the scene where Indy saves his father in the castle.

Perhaps what makes Ripley’s Believe It or Not so special is its history and ability to find things that not many people can find. According to Suzanne Smagala, the Public Relations Manager, the history of Ripley’s is one that dates back 100 years. In fact, the very first cartoon for Ripley’s Believe It or Not was published on Dec. 19, 1918, which is what they use to date the company as a whole.

While Robert Ripley was originally a cartoonist for newspapers (which was a completely different type of work in the early part of the 1900s), all it took was a slow news day for a new tradition to emerge. With not much news to report, he found himself “rifling through his drawers” and finding a number of unique sports oddities, such as “a man who ran across the country backwards.” Taking these one-of-a-kind stories, Ripley compiled all of these unusual anecdotes into one piece and submitted it. And the story was published.

That initial submission was so well-received and people wanted more. It was perhaps the first time that people were given what we might call weird news, and essentially he helped to create the genre. Considering that this was at a time before the internet, it would not have been as easy to see these unusual events, so Ripley began traveling the world. Since there have always been people who doubt what they hear, he would bring things back with him as well.

It is his original travels that actually kickstarted the collection that has developed over the years. While the collection includes the things that people might expect (and that Ripley’s is known for), such as shrunken heads and animal oddities, there are also things beyond the weird and odd. That includes pieces of movie memorabilia, which is authenticated in a number of ways, whether at auction or if someone from a set gives a letter authenticating a piece directly.

Michael J. Fox’s Mattel Hoverboard from Back to the Future Part II. Part of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not collection. Image courtesy of Ripley’s Entertainment.

Among the items that are not only part of the larger collection, but were actually at Fan Expo Dallas for attendees to admire, are one of the original lightsabers that Mark Hamill used as Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back, as well as the blaster that Han Solo used in Return of the Jedi. As an homage to Back to the Future, the booth even had a hoverboard that was actually used by Michael J. Fox on the set of Back to the Future Part II.

Of course, the movie memorabilia at the convention was surrounded by some unique items as well, including a “tortoise pierced by a hippo tusk” who lived for 15 years after being stabbed and an authentic vampire killing kit. And yes, there is a story to those vampire kits.

According to Smagala, it was sold in the 1800s to “gullible tourists” and included everything one might have needed to take on a vampire, including holy water, stakes, and a cross. In the overall collection, there are about 40 different vampire killing kits, with each one being unique, whether that means that they also contain a gun with silver bullets or have differences in the box or carvings.

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Vampire Killing Kit at Fan Expo Dallas. Photo taken by Kimberley Spinney

And if you are wondering how Ripley’s gets all of these unique and odd items, it seems that there are a variety of ways this happens. Not only do they have buyers who go out looking for these interesting finds, but the team also looks to auctions for unique and rare pieces. Additionally, people will send in things that they have or make that they think are weird and want to add to the Ripley’s collection.

If you happen to be a fan of what Ripley’s does, but perhaps can’t get to one of the locations, then have no fear, as Ripley’s Believe It or Not is actually making its television comeback. On June 9, the series is returning with a new host, Bruce Campbell, for its fourth iteration. (The series began in the 1940s with Robert Ripley himself, then in the 1980s Jack Palance was the host, followed by Dean Cain in the early 2000s.) And the show will travel the world, introducing fascinating and unique stories, much like they have in the past.

With a 20,000 square foot warehouse at its disposal, housing nearly 25,000 different oddities, the Ripley’s Believe It or Not series did not need a soundstage for Campbell to host the show from. Instead, when audiences tune in, they will see the actual Ripley’s warehouse behind the host, as he introduces the next unique find or story. Honestly, how cool is that?

The Ripley’s Hairball at Fan Expo Dallas. Photo taken by Kimberley Spinney

There is something quite special about what Ripley’s does for the world. With a vast collection that includes any number of genres, including movie memorabilia, it feels like the kind of experience that is truly unforgettable. After all, how many people can say that they got to both see and hold an authentic lightsaber that was used by Mark Hamill and added their hair to a massive human hairball?