Ripley Entertainment has purchased a memorable movie prop: the faux rhino that gives birth, sort of, to Jim Carrey’s character in “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.”
In the 1995 film, Carrey’s pet detective character hides inside a fake rhinocerous to spy on unscrupulous types in a safari setting. The rhino’s cooling system — well, a fan — breaks, and it gets hot in there, forcing Ventura to worm his way out through the backside of the animal just as enthralled tourists are traveling by. The scene is punctuated by Carrey’s trademark physical comedy skills and elastic facial expressions.
“At Ripley’s, we’re always looking for pieces that make people double-take,” John Corcoran, director of exhibits for Ripley’s Believe It or Not! World Entertainment, said in a news release. “This unforgettable prop is a bold piece of Hollywood history that perfectly embodies the spirit of Believe It or Not!”
The full-size prop is more than 10 feet long. It features a working interior with a chair, dashboard and fan, which Ripley notes is functional now.
The purchase price was almost $60,000, sold by Propstore Auctions. It previously was part of the Planet Hollywood collection. Some parts of the figure had been replaced due to age-related deterioration, the auction house said. Some of its moving parts are now fixed.
“The latex butt skin sheet was replaced, likely due to the original being torn for filming; grates in the nostrils that had gone missing since filming were replaced; and sympathetic paint touch-up work performed around the body,” the auction house description said. Propstore’s pre-auction estimate anticipated the rhino would sell for between $4,000 and $6,000.
Ripley’s Crazy Golf opens, puts new spins on putting
Ripley Entertainment, based in Orlando, says the piece will eventually be placed in one of its attractions. The company operates 26 “odditorium” locations worldwide, including on Orlando’s International Drive, as well as in Panama City Beach, St. Augustine, San Francisco, Cancun, Amsterdam and beyond.
Ripley buys gold toilet / flushable art piece for $12.1 million