Author: H. A. Ripley
Alternate names: Austin Ripley; H.A. Ripley; H A Ripley; H. A Ripley; Harold Austin Ripley
Born: 25 July 1896
Died: 11 April 1974
Bio: Full name Harold Austin Ripley.
Harold Austin “Rip” Ripley is best known for his daily column in the Chicago Tribune called "Minute Mysteries," featuring Professor Fordney. The series was syndicated in more than 100 newspapers and collected into several popular books.
Ripley also developed a feature for *Look* magazine called "Photo Crime," in which readers could attempt to solve cases with detective Hannibal Cobb based on clues in one or more photographs and a few short paragraphs of description.
 
He was born in the District of Columbia. His parents were George Howard Ripley and Julia C. Waters.
"Rip" was married twice. He was briefly married in the early 1920s to character actress Mabel Ida Albertson. He met his his second wife, Leone M. Johannes, while they were both working at the Chicago Tribune. They were married in December 1933. They moved to Dunn, Wisconsin, in 1938, where they remained until Rip's death in 1974.