He was not the only “Wizard of the North, South, East and West”, that form of the hackneyed title also being used by James Eagle. His main claim to fame was as a singer of comic songs, and he seems to have been the manager of some small troupes of singers and musicians who enjoyed some success in the Melbourne – Ballarat – Bendigo region.

First seen around May 1858 at M’Cowan’s Concert Hall in Bourke-street East, Melbourne, Miller was not named as the “Wizard”, but appeared on the list of other performers. The advertising proclaimed “The Wizard of all Wizards has arrived …. first appeal to an Australian public …. has a display which will do him no discredit. His experiments consist of new and novel delusions, such as have never been witnessed in these Colonies.”  If those experiments were limited to the venerable Gun Trick and the Inexhaustible Bottle, the only two tricks which can be identified in his repertoire, his audiences may well have disagreed with the “new and novel” claim.  As the more famous Professor John Henry Anderson was, at the same time, touring in Australia (1858-1859) the inclusion of these tricks seem to be capitalising on Anderson’s publicity.

In June 1858, advertising also included this invitation: “An Evening’s Amusement at Home – The Art of Legerdemain taught, and apparatus found, by the Professor, at moderate terms. Address care of Mr M’Cowan”.  It was not until January 1859 (1) that the Wizard is connected to Miller’s name: “Joe Miller, wizard and comic singer, would on this occasion make his first appearance in a new character”.   That new character was the long-distance runner, Miller having accepted a bet to run seven miles in an hour. He resigned the challenge after four miles.

The Miller performers seem to have been regulars at concert halls in Ballarat and Bendigo, and were still appearing there in September 1862, where the advertisements now acknowledged “Joe Miller as the Wizard of the North, South, East, and West – Professor Anderson’s Great Gun Trick and other Novelties.”