WAXIPEDIA

                               The Weird & Wacky

                    CHARLIE BROWN

Back in the height of hitchhiking (ie. 1970s) the famous Ripley's Believe It or Not Comic featured a 

popular guy named Charlie Brown. Charlie was missing BOTH his legs and an arm, yet managed to hitchhike across most of the world. This eccentric, exciting, San Francisco native had to be located within the Halls of his local Ripley's Odditorium so the Stubergh-Keller Wax Studios in Niagara Falls was commissioned to create a life life sculpture of him. Here are the original measurement sheets for Charlie, sitting photos and pictures of him making special appearances at the Ripley's Museum (along with a copy of the original cartoon). Years later the figure was moved to the Ripley's Museum in Hollywood where it remained until that museums most recent renovation where, from what I've been told, it was wheeled to a dumpster and sent on it's last journey.

***** As a special little side note, if you Google 'Charlie Brown Ripley's" or "Charlie Brown Hitchhiker" nothing on this cool guy pops up, so these might be the only pictures (because the ones I have are all originals) of this man who was such an inspiring example of 'will over limitations', which is TRULY something to Believe! *****

As of this moment, this wonderfully crafted head sits on a shelf, collecting dust no longer inspiring people with his story. Eventually, I pray, he will be taken into the home of a kind collector and saved from the dumpster that so many a wax relic has been relegated to. It is my dream that one day many of these figures will remake their public debut and be allowed to gain the appreciation that this great art deserves!

( These items of Ripley's Believe It or Not! legend, Charlie Brown, are but some of many items from the 'STUBERGH-KELLER WAX STUDIO NIAGARA FALLS COLLECTION' and can be found, along with thousands of others, within the ever growing 'WAXIPEDIA ARCHIVES'.

Dedicated to preserving the history of Wax Arts, and the unique stories of all those involved in it's development, WAXIPEDIA strives to become the ultimate source of information on the subject of wax museums.  Anyone interested in donating items for preservation are invited to contact me at timothywrandall@gmail.com. Donated items will be cataloged, digitally scanned, photographed, and restored.  All donated items will be credited to their specific donors, will be preserved and made available to future generations of artists, designers, historians and fans).