P.T. BARNUM
Name: Phineas Taylor Barnum
Born: 5 July 1810
Died: 7 April 1891
Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 - April 7, 1891) was an American showman who
is best remembered for his entertaining hoaxes and for founding the circus that
eventually became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Barnum never
flinched from his stated goal "to put money in his own coffers." He was a
businessman above all else, his profession was pure entertainment, and he was
perhaps the first "show business" millionaire. He never said "There's a sucker
born every minute" as is famously ascribed, but his rebuttal to his critics was
often "I am a showman by profession...and all the gilding shall make nothing
else of me." Although famous for his brazen self-promotion and blatant
puffery, he understood his times and profited from them brilliantly.
Name: Phineas Taylor Barnum
Born: 5 July 1810
Died: 7 April 1891
Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 - April 7, 1891) was an American showman who
is best remembered for his entertaining hoaxes and for founding the circus that
eventually became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Barnum never
flinched from his stated goal "to put money in his own coffers." He was a
businessman above all else, his profession was pure entertainment, and he was
perhaps the first "show business" millionaire. He never said "There's a sucker
born every minute" as is famously ascribed, but his rebuttal to his critics was
often "I am a showman by profession...and all the gilding shall make nothing
else of me." Although famous for his brazen self-promotion and blatant
puffery, he understood his times and profited from them brilliantly.