Character guide

Old Grizzly Adams

major

Also known as Grizzly Adams, Old Adams, Adams

A famous bear tamer and showman, featured in Barnum's reminiscences.

Monsieur Mangin

major

Also known as Mangin

A French humbug who claimed to be a great magician and impostor.

Apollonius Tyanaeus

supporting

Also known as young Apollonius, Apollonius, the mighty Apollonius

An ancient philosopher and miracle worker, discussed as a historical humbug.

Joanna Southcott

supporting

Also known as Joanna, Sanderson, Sharp, Poor Joanna

A religious prophetess who claimed to be the woman clothed with the sun.

Tom Simmons

supporting

Also known as Alderman, Alderman Tom Simmons

A gullible alderman who fell for a humbug about a petrified man.

Count of St. Germain

supporting

Also known as Count de St. Germain, St. Germain

A mysterious adventurer and alchemist who claimed to be centuries old.

Monsignore Cristoforo Rischio

supporting

Also known as Cristoforo, Cristoforo Rischio

An Italian adventurer who posed as a nobleman and swindled people.

Count Alessandro di Cagliostro

supporting

Also known as Cagliostro, Count Cagliostro

A notorious Italian occultist and impostor, involved in the Diamond Necklace affair.

Mr. Barnum

major

Also known as Barnum

The author and showman, narrating his experiences with humbugs.

Matthias

supporting

Also known as Master Matthias

A religious impostor who claimed to be a prophet and led a cult.

John Law

supporting

Also known as Law

A Scottish economist who created the Mississippi Company bubble.

Dr. Benjamin Brandreth

supporting

Also known as Brandreth, Dr. Brandreth

A patent medicine seller known for his vegetable pills.

Messrs. Boehmer

supporting

Also known as Boehmer, Bassange, Messrs. Boehmer & Bassange

Jewelers involved in the Diamond Necklace affair that swindled Cardinal de Rohan.

Mr. Adams

minor

Also known as Adams, old Adams

A showman and partner of Grizzly Adams in exhibiting animals.

Paine

minor

Also known as Mr. Paine

A man who attempted to humbug Barnum with a fake mermaid.

Monsieur Gosling

minor

Also known as Gosling, the great Gosling

A French humbug who performed fake feats of strength and magic.

Robert Matthews

supporting

Also known as Matthews

A religious impostor who claimed to be Matthias the prophet.

Pierson

minor

Also known as Elijah Pierson, the unhappy Pierson

A follower of Matthias who was murdered by the prophet.

Mr. Rolleum

minor

Also known as Rolleum, Mr. Peter Rolleum

A showman who exhibited a fake petrified man.

Louis de Rohan

supporting

Also known as de Rohan

Cardinal de Rohan, duped in the Diamond Necklace affair.

George W. Gage

minor

Also known as George

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid with Barnum.

Jeanne de St. Remi

supporting

Also known as Jeanne

Countess de Lamotte, a key conspirator in the Diamond Necklace affair.

Riza Bey

minor

A Turkish adventurer who claimed to be a prince and swindled people.

Colorado Jewett

minor

Also known as Jewett

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid with Barnum.

Cornelius Agrippa

minor

Also known as Agrippa

A Renaissance magician and occult writer, cited as a historical humbug.

The Davenports

minor

Spiritualist mediums who performed fake spirit manifestations.

Mr. Locke

minor

Also known as Locke

A man who attempted to humbug Barnum with a fake letter.

Prince de Conti

minor

Also known as de Conti

A French prince who quarreled with John Law over shares.

Henry B. Allen

minor

Also known as Allen, Harry, Mr. B.

A young man who helped Barnum with a humbug about a petrified man.

Kirby

minor

Also known as Mr. Kirby

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid with Barnum.

Princess Cariboo

minor

Also known as the Princess Cariboo

A woman who posed as a foreign princess and was exhibited by Barnum.

Mr. Addison

minor

Also known as Addison, the cold-blooded Addison

A merciless showman who exhibited a fake mermaid.

Monsignore Créso

minor

Also known as Créso

An Italian adventurer who posed as a nobleman and swindled people.

Warren

minor

A man who helped Barnum with a humbug about a petrified man.

Pease

minor

Also known as Mr. Pease

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid with Barnum.

Sir John Herschel

minor

Also known as Herschel

An astronomer whose name was used in the Great Moon Hoax.

Marie Antoinette

minor

Also known as the amiable Marie Antoinette

Queen of France, involved in the Diamond Necklace affair.

Monsieur Barnum

minor

A French showman who imitated Barnum's humbugs.

Monsieur Guillaudeu

minor

A French showman who exhibited a fake mermaid.

Hans Von Vleet

minor

Also known as von Vleet, Hans, Von Vleet

A Dutch showman who exhibited a fake mermaid.

Sir John Blunt

minor

Also known as Blunt, John, the speculative Blunt

A director of the South Sea Company, involved in the bubble.

Doctor Roback

minor

Also known as Roback

A quack doctor who sold fake medicines.

Villette de Rétaux

minor

Also known as Villette

A forger involved in the Diamond Necklace affair.

Mr. Wells

minor

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid with Barnum.

Genin

minor

Also known as the Genin

A hatter who made a fortune from a humbug about a hat.

Ben Bolt

minor

A character in a song, used as a humbug by Barnum.

Folger

minor

Also known as Mr. Folger, poor Folger

A man who was swindled by a humbug about a petrified man.

Dr. Newton

minor

Also known as Newton, the learned Dr. Newton

A quack doctor who claimed to cure diseases with electricity.

Virgil

minor

Also known as poor Virgil

A medieval magician, cited as a historical humbug.

Madame Campan

minor

Also known as Madame

A lady-in-waiting to Marie Antoinette, involved in the Diamond Necklace affair.

James C. Adams

minor

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid with Barnum.

Cuvier

minor

A naturalist who debunked the fake mermaid.

Mr. Croesus

minor

Also known as Croesus

A wealthy man who was swindled by a humbug.

Doctor Brandreth

minor

Also known as Brandreth

A patent medicine seller, similar to Dr. Benjamin Brandreth.

Dexter

minor

Also known as Mr. Dexter

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid with Barnum.

Mr. Theodore Tilton

minor

Also known as Mr. Tilton

A man who was involved in a humbug about a spiritualist.

Mr. Bennett

minor

Also known as Bennett

A newspaper editor who was humbugged by Barnum.

Mr. Leonard Gosling

minor

Also known as Mr. Gosling

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid.

Mrs. Conant

minor

Also known as Mrs. H., Mrs. J. H. Conant

A spiritualist medium who performed fake manifestations.

J. V. Mansfield

minor

Also known as Mansfield

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid.

Andrew Jackson Davis

minor

Also known as Andrew Jackson, Jackson, the said Davis

A spiritualist who claimed to have visions and heal people.

B. Brittan

minor

Also known as S. B. Brittan, Brittan

A spiritualist writer and lecturer.

Mr. W. Howard

minor

Also known as Mr. Howard

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid.

Old Colonel P.

minor

Also known as Colonel, Colonel P.

A man who was swindled by a humbug about a petrified man.

Faust

minor

A legendary magician, cited as a historical humbug.

Master Joe

minor

Also known as Joe, the cunning Joseph

A young man who helped Barnum with a humbug.

Mr. Mills

minor

Also known as Mills

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid.

Abraham Thornton

minor

Also known as Thornton

A man tried for murder, who used a legal humbug to escape.

The Cretans

minor

Ancient people known for lying, cited as a historical humbug.

The Cabiri

minor

Ancient mystery cult deities, cited as a historical humbug.

Daniel Webster

minor

Also known as Webster, the prophet Daniel, Daniel

A statesman and orator, mentioned in a humbug context.

Mr. Jewett

minor

Also known as Jewett, the distinguished Mr. Jewett

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid.

Charles Talbot

minor

Also known as Charlie Talbot

A young man who was swindled by a humbug.

Mr. Foster

minor

Also known as Foster

A showman who exhibited a fake mermaid.

Ira Davenport

minor

Also known as Ira

One of the Davenport brothers, spiritualist mediums.

Mr. Greeley

minor

Also known as Greeley

A newspaper editor who was humbugged by Barnum.

The Peter Funks

minor

Also known as the Funks

A group of showmen who exhibited fake animals.

Morande

minor

A French adventurer and blackmailer, involved in the Diamond Necklace affair.

Gay d'Oliva

minor

Also known as Miss Gay d'Oliva

A woman who impersonated Marie Antoinette in the Diamond Necklace affair.

Pyrrhus

minor

Also known as the Romans

An ancient king who fought the Romans, cited as a historical humbug.

Jo Smith

minor

Also known as Joseph

Founder of Mormonism, cited as a religious humbug.