Thomson "Tommy" Bartlett (July 11, 1914 – September 6, 1998) was an American showman and entertainment mogul from Wisconsin.
[1] Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Bartlett began his career in entertainment by becoming a broadcaster at radio station WISN at the young age of 13.
[1][2] He continued here until the outbreak of World War II, when he learned to fly and subsequently became a flight instructor for the United States Army Air Corps.
[1] The "Tommy Bartlett Water Ski & Jumping Boat Thrill Show", as it was first called, was highly successful.
[2] Bartlett agreed to the request, keeping one arm of the show at Wisconsin Dells for daily performances on Lake Delton, while four additional road groups continued touring in cities across the United States.
[1] Through his show, Bartlett has been credited both with popularizing water skiing from a smalltime hobby to a major sport, and with the establishment of Wisconsin Dells as a tourist mecca.