|
NSA Charter Member; "Founding Father of the NSA"; Owner/Operator, Steel Pier, Atlantic City; Owner/Operator, New
Jersey State Fair; Owner/Operator, George Hamid Booking Agency which provided grandstand shows at fairs. Toured Hamid-Morton
Circus with partner Col. Bob Morton from 1932 until Col. Morton's death in 1957. He then bought Morton's shares and continued
to tour until 1971 when control was passed on to his son, George A. Hamid, Jr. The circus is now called Hamid Circus, Inc.
and is run by his grandson, James M. Hamid, Sr., and his great-grandson, James M. Hamid, Jr.
George Hamid, Sr. came to America in the early part of the 20th century as a young tumbler with his uncle's Arabian Acrobatic
Troupe traveling with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Learning to read and write English from legendary sharpshooter, Annie
Oakley, George also showed an early acumen for business. As he progressed from his teens and into his twenties, he started
his own act and branched out into owning small circuses and shows, eventually becoming the largest booker of talent in the
fair business. During one period of his life his holdings included the world-famous Steel Pier, the New Jersey State Fair,
Greensboro (NC) Agricultural Fair, Hamid-Morton Circus, White City (MA) Amusement Park, 6 motion picture theaters and along
with his son, George, Jr., was one of the original partners in the Miami Dolphins professional football team.
George was elected posthumously into the Circus Hall of Fame, the Atlantic City Hall of Fame and the Amusement Business
Hall of Fame.
|
