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IMDbPro

P.T. Barnum

  • TV Movie
  • 19991999
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 2h 18m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
188
YOUR RATING
P.T. Barnum (1999)
BiographyDrama
The story of the great American showman and promoter.The story of the great American showman and promoter.The story of the great American showman and promoter.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
188
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Simon Wincer
  • Writer
    • Lionel Chetwynd
  • Stars
    • Beau Bridges
    • Jordan Bridges
    • Cynthia Dale
  • Director
    • Simon Wincer
  • Writer
    • Lionel Chetwynd
  • Stars
    • Beau Bridges
    • Jordan Bridges
    • Cynthia Dale
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 9User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
      • 1 win & 9 nominations total

    Photos

    P.T. Barnum (1999)
    P.T. Barnum (1999)
    P.T. Barnum (1999)
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    Top cast

    Edit
    Beau Bridges
    Beau Bridges
    • P.T. Barnum
    Jordan Bridges
    Jordan Bridges
    • Young P.T. Barnum
    Cynthia Dale
    Cynthia Dale
    • Charity
    Natalie Radford
    Natalie Radford
    • Young Charity
    George Hamilton
    George Hamilton
    • Francis Olmsted
    Henry Czerny
    Henry Czerny
    • Greenwood
    Charles Martin Smith
    Charles Martin Smith
    • Beach
    Josh Ryan Evans
    Josh Ryan Evans
    • (General) Tom Thumb
    R.H. Thomson
    R.H. Thomson
    • James Anthony Bailey
    Art Kitching
    Art Kitching
    • Samuel Hurd
    Stephanie Morgenstern
    Stephanie Morgenstern
    • Nancy (Fish)
    Serge Houde
    Serge Houde
    • John Genin
    Isabelle Cyr
    Isabelle Cyr
    • Caroline (Barnum)
    Bruce Dinsmore
    Bruce Dinsmore
    • David Thompson
    Victoria Sanchez
    Victoria Sanchez
    • Helen (Barnum)
    Michèle-Barbara Pelletier
    Michèle-Barbara Pelletier
    • Pauline
    • (as Michelle Barbara Pelletier)
    Alain Goulem
    Alain Goulem
    • Nathan Seely
    Howard Ryshpan
    Howard Ryshpan
    • James Heath
    • Director
      • Simon Wincer
    • Writer
      • Lionel Chetwynd
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      P.T. Barnum was portrayed at different ages by Beau Bridges and his son Jordan Bridges.
    • Goofs
      This movie shows P.T. Barnum naming Jumbo. In fact, when Barnum bought Jumbo that was already his name. Keepers at the London Zoo (Jumbo's owners before Barnum) named him Jumbo, a derivation of an African word for elephant. The publicity Barnum brought to Jumbo eventually coined the word "jumbo" as meaning large.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 52nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2000)

    User reviews9

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Inspirational miniseries
    Although I cannot argue with the former comment about this miniseries a bit boring, I feel it's also misleading. Certainly, it needn't have been 4 hours long, but if you look past that, and watch it as the costume drama it is, you'd probably enjoy it. The sets are magnificent, and the acting isn't as bad as the former comment suggested.

    But what is stunning is Barnum himself, and all the things that we take for granted, that he started or invented - like Madison Square Garden, the permanent circus, the terms "rain check", "grandstanding", and "press conference" (as well as the very notion of a press conference), but also modern advertising - including full page ads, creating a demand, and infotainment. That's the real strength of the miniseries - Barnum's optimistic view of the world and his ideas of marketing and showmanship.

    So, if you're interested in how show business started to be a legitimate business, you should see it, even if you shouldn't place it at the top of you "to watch"-list.
    helpful•4
    1
    • l_guldbrandsson
    • Oct 20, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 12, 1999 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La vida de P.T. Barnum
    • Filming locations
      • Brockville, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • A+E Networks
      • Hallmark Entertainment
      • Les Productions La Fête Inc.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 18 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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