Search results
Phineas Taylor Barnum ( / ˈbɑːrnəm /; July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman and politician remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus [1] with James Anthony Bailey .
Jun 18, 2024 · P.T. Barnum (born July 5, 1810, Bethel, Connecticut, U.S.—died April 7, 1891, Bridgeport, Connecticut) was an American showman who employed sensational forms of presentation and publicity to popularize such amusements as the public museum, the musical concert, and the three-ring circus.
- American showman P.T. Barnum employed outrageous stunts, repetitive advertising, and exaggerated publicity to excite international attention for su...
- Before starting the Barnum & Bailey Circus, P.T. Barnum took over the American Museum in New York City in 1842. Over the next two decades, he attra...
- P.T. Barnum did not invent the modern circus, but, in partnership with the retiring, efficient James A. Bailey, he did give it its gigantic size, i...
The musical The Greatest Showman portrays Barnum as a hero, but he started his career by buying and displaying an elderly black woman as a fraud. Learn how Barnum used her for his own profit and fame, and how he lied about her origins and death.
Apr 2, 2014 · P.T. Barnum was a successful American promoter who founded what became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1871.
- Barnum was an entrepreneur from an early age. Barnum’s knack for moneymaking first manifested during his youth in Bethel, Connecticut. The future showman sold snacks and homemade cherry rum during local gatherings, and by age 12, he had made enough money to purchase his own livestock.
- He first rose to prominence by engineering a famous hoax. In 1835, Barnum launched his career in entertainment by purchasing Joice Heth, a blind slave touted as the 161-year-old former nurse of George Washington.
- Barnum didn’t go into the circus business until relatively late in life. Barnum is best known for his traveling three-ring circuses, but he didn’t make his first forays under the big top until he was 60 years old.
- He helped popularize opera in the United States. Despite his association with sideshow acts like the Nova Scotia Giantess and Zip the Pinhead, Barnum was also responsible for introducing many Americans to high culture.
Jul 19, 2019 · The Spectacular P. T. Barnum. The great showman taught us to love hyperbole, fake news, and a good hoax. A century and a half later, the show has escaped the tent. By James Parker. August...
Apr 13, 2023 · P.T. Barnum’s impact reaches deep into our American heritage and the story of his vast contributions are preserved in his Bridgeport museum. Conceived and constructed by P.T., The Barnum Museum has proudly served an international audience since 1893, and is one of our country’s great national treasures.
