Podcast Summary: Ripley's Believe It Or Not – 1 Minute Episodes (362) "First Love"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harolds Old Time Radio
Episode Title: Ripley’s Believe It Or Not - 1 Minute Episodes (362) First Love
Release Date: November 26, 2025

Episode Overview

This bite-sized episode from Harold's Old Time Radio features a classic "Ripley’s Believe It Or Not" segment focused on extraordinary tales of devotion and the enduring nature of first love. Using the renowned radio show's original format, this episode presents peculiar true stories that fascinate and surprise, giving listeners a glimpse into both animal loyalty and human affairs of the heart.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Remarkable Canine Loyalty (00:30 - 00:55)

• Jip the German Police Dog:
  • The episode opens with the amazing story of Jip, a German police dog owned by Herbert Neff in Knoxville, Tennessee.
  • After running away from home, Jip returns every Christmas for nine years to spend the holiday with the Neff family.
  • Insight: The story highlights the deep, mysterious bonds animals can form with humans and the enduring pull of home, even for a wandering soul.
  • Quote:

    "Jip, a German police dog owned by Herbert Neff of Knoxville, Tennessee, ran away from home, but returned to spend Christmas with the Neffs for nine successive years. Believe it or not."
    (Speaker B, 00:35)

2. The Power & Persistence of First Love (00:56 - 01:33)

• Elizabeth Alexander’s Lifelong Devotion:
  • The narrator tells the remarkable life story of Elizabeth Alexander of Houghton Liskerne, England.
  • Widowed at age 18 in 1718 when her first husband, Robert Carr, died, Elizabeth lived for another 72 years, marrying twice more (once to Philip Bendlows and then Dr. William Alexander).
  • Despite two subsequent marriages and a long life, she requested to be buried beside her first love, Robert Carr.
  • Insight: This tale underscores not only the endurance of memory and feeling over decades, but the idea that "first love" leaves a lasting imprint, outliving life's many changes.
  • Quote:

    "In spite of this, when she died, her body was, at her request, laid beside the mortal remains of her first love, Robert Carr. Believe it or not."
    (Speaker B, 01:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On animal loyalty:

  "Jip, a German police dog ... returned to spend Christmas with the Neffs for nine successive years. Believe it or not."
  (00:35)

• On first love’s enduring pull:

  "In spite of this, when she died, her body was, at her request, laid beside the mortal remains of her first love, Robert Carr."
  (01:25)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:30 – 00:55: Jip the police dog's nine-year Christmas pilgrimage
• 00:56 – 01:33: Elizabeth Alexander’s marriages and final resting wish

Tone & Style

The episode retains the signature matter-of-fact, slightly mysterious, and alluring storytelling style of the "Ripley’s Believe It Or Not" tradition. Each story is delivered succinctly and without editorializing, letting the facts speak for themselves and inviting disbelief and wonder.

For listeners who appreciate unusual slices of history and tales of loyalty—both animal and human—this "Ripley’s Believe It Or Not" episode delivers short but potent reminders that truth really can be stranger than fiction.