P.T. Barnum was the founder of the renowned Barnum & Bailey circus and noted American showman, entrepreneur and businessman. He began his career at a newspaper, then subsequently moved on to various business ventures, and finally became a politician.
‘[P.T. Barnum was the] greatest American impresario, a canny businessman who was just a little luckier, more energetic and more imaginative than his competitors. As a result, he wound up the most influential progenitor of much that is spectacular, vulgar, cheerfully phony and just plain fun about American popular culture’ The Times