Barnum
“The Prince of Humbug gives you a musical tour of his life!”
Synopsis
Barnum the musical traces Phineas Taylor Barnum's career from 1835 to 1881 when he joined James A. Bailey to form the circus which was called The Greatest Show on Earth. Barnum is a defender of "the noble art of humbug" with a philosophy, and has a free wheeling ambition to make a fortune. He buys the oldest woman in the world, named Joyce Heath, as a sideshow attraction. Barnum builds a museum of curiosities supported by his wife Charity, who would like him to settle down.
Top Cast
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Michael Crawford
Phineas Taylor Barnum
Eileen Battye
Charity 'Chairy' Barnum
Michael Heath
The Ringmaster
Christina Collier
Jenny Lind
Sharon Benson
Joice Heth
Paul Miller
Tom Thumb
Peter Barbour
Ensemble
Sue Barbour
Ensemble
Michael Cantwell
Ensemble
Perry Davey
Ensemble
James Francis Johnston
Ensemble
Graham Fawcett
Ensemble
Richard Gauntlett
Ensemble
Paul Goddard
Ensemble
Alan Heap
Ensemble
Amanda Newman
Ensemble
Joanne Robley-Dixon
Ensemble
Nadine Shenton
Ensemble
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Terry Hughes
- Screenplay & Story
- Mark Bramble, Cy Coleman, Michael Stewart
- Original Title
- Barnum
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 53m
- Production Studios
- BBC
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Terry Hughes
Mark Bramble, Cy Coleman, Michael Stewart
John Sillitto
Harold Fielding
Department Leadership Roster
Harold Fielding
Producer
Theoni V. Aldredge
Costume Design
John Sillitto
Editor
Terry Hughes
Director
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Barnum.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Barnum.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Barnum
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Barnum about?
Barnum the musical traces Phineas Taylor Barnum's career from 1835 to 1881 when he joined James A. Bailey to form the circus which was called The Greatest Show on Earth. Barnum is a defender of "the noble art of humbug" with a philosophy, and has a free wheeling ambition to make a fortune. He buys the oldest woman in the world, named Joyce Heath, as a sideshow attraction. Barnum builds a museum of curiosities supported by his wife Charity, who would like him to settle down.
Who directed Barnum?
Barnum was directed by Terry Hughes.
Who stars in Barnum?
The principal cast of Barnum includes Michael Crawford, Eileen Battye, Michael Heath, Christina Collier, Sharon Benson.
When was Barnum released and how long is it?
Barnum was released in 1986 with a total runtime of 1h 53m.