Another magician who came seemingly out of nowhere, performed with varied success for a couple of years, and then vanished into obscurity again, is William O’Brien. His most notable attribute was the number of different titles he managed to adopt during the years 1864-1865.

From April 2, 1864, “The Mysterious Wizard of the Sea, Professor O’Brien” was announced to appear in the large hall of the School of Arts (the Pitt Street establishment) in Sydney, “when he will give the Sydney public a treat in the art of Legerdemain never enjoyed in these colonies before, without the aid of any drug or chemical, or any mechanical contrivance.” Quite why he was the ‘Wizard of the Sea’ is never explained.

Only scheduled for three shows, his first performance had to be postponed due to the gas fittings being out of order, and there is no confirmation that any performances took place at all, other than a later claim made in his advertising.

The Mysterious Wizard is next seen in Queensland, once again as the Wizard of the Sea, but this time under a once-only stage name of Professor Byron. He advertised two shows at the Ipswich School of Arts on October 14 and 15. His unique phrase “without the aid of any chemical or mechanical process” becomes helpful in tying together his various identities.

The Brisbane Courier of October 31 announced two shows at the Forester’s Arms in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, on October 31 and November 1.  On this occasion, the wizard is named as Professor O’Brien, the Irish Wizard, and mention is made that he had ‘recently given several of his celebrated entertainments at the School of Arts, Sydney.’ The Courier of November 1 reported that the show did not succeed, possibly because he was unfamiliar to Brisbane audiences, but that his clever tricks combined simplicity with great skill, and that Mr. O’Brien ‘is certainly not a novice in his profession.’

Further shows, at the Volunteer Armoury, were given  under the patronage of a Colonel O’Connell, M.L.C. on November 4 and 5, to improved audiences. The Courier of November 8 advertised a request for O’Brien to call at Fairfax’s Printing Office, which might be taken as shorthand for ‘please pay your printing bill.’

Nothing more can be found of O’Brien until May 1865, when he opened at the Mechanics’ Institute in Hobart, in direct competition with another elusive magician, Professor Ion, at the Theatre Royal. Now, however, O’Brien was calling himself “Professor Leon”; but his identity is confirmed by his reference to ‘chemical or mechanical process’ and one advertisement (June 7) in which he is called Professor W.O.B. Leon – the initials matching his real name, William O’Brien.

His first night was June 5, when both magicians were disappointed by the bad weather, and O’Brien performed a few tricks before giving passes to his limited audience, for another evening. The Mercury declared both performers to be talented, but their exhibitions ‘failures’.

Moving to the north of Tasmania, Professor Leon prefaced his arrival with a puff piece in the Cornwall Chronicle (June 24) which referred to ‘numerous flattering notices by the press in the other colonies’ and ‘the press of Hobart Town also speaks highly of Professor Leon’s wonderful abilities as an incomprehensible wizard.’ None of those notices can be discovered. Even so, Leon opened at the Theatre Royal, Launceston, on June 26 with a crowded audience in the pit but fewer in the circle. According to the Chronicle, he performed a variety of surprising tricks with half-crowns, handkerchiefs, rings, ribbons, inexhaustible hats, cooking a plain-pudding in a hat, and “extracted a quart-pot full of fine wholesome-looking eggs out of a plain black bag, trimmed with red binding … during the process he frequently beat the bag across his arm, threw it on the floor, and searched for the eggs by tramping on it with his feet, and still he brought forth the eggs by one, two and even three at a time after all this rough usage.” In another feat he took some copper penny ‘tokens’ and slapped them with his hand, turning each penny into a bright half-crown; but when returned to its owner, the coin turned back into a bad penny. The Professor also distributed a number of watch chains and brooches, in the common “gift show” style.

Despite his apparent talent, Leon/O’Brien was making little headway in business, and the Chronicle reported on July 22 that his abilities had not been highly appreciated in Launceston, though he had then made a tour through the principal northern towns (of Tasmania) where he was said to have been more successful.

Professor Leon moved up into Victoria, and if he was touring the gold-digging areas, it might be expected that his advertising was done more by word-of-mouth than in the press. For August 5, 1865 he was billed to appear at the Mechanics’ Institute, Castlemaine, for the benefit of the Benevolent Asylum as “Professor Leon, the Wizard of all Wizards”. Alas, yet again poor attendance deprived Mr. Leon of any money for the charity. The Mount Alexander Mail (August 7) said that Leon did not surround himself with the usual paraphernalia of wizards, and his appliances, such as they were, might be termed “rude”; detracting from his appeal, though leading to the opinion that he was expert at his craft.

Finally on August 7, the Professor had a good house, and kept up the attention of his audience for a full two and a half hours, announcing a further performance at the Cumberland Hotel on the following evening.

For August 12, Professor Leon moved across to the Bendigo Lyceum, where his luck well and truly ran out.

“THE WIZARD AT FAULT - The performances of Professor Leon at the Lyceum Theatre, were brought to a close on Saturday night by a denouement which in all probability was not anticipated by the audience, nor relished by the Professor. After astonishing the crowd with his feats of magic, astounding them with his dexterity in legerdemain, and amusing them with other tricks, the curtain dropped on the magician, who was more astounded than any of his audience by the appearance of Detective O'Neil - his debut on the theatrical stage - who clapped the Professor on the back, and under the less ferocious but more truthful and homely name of O'Brien, arrested the soi disant Professor Leon on a warrant for the desertion of his wife and children in Hobart Town. The detective officer's trick was so deftly performed, that the clever but unfortunate Professor of legerdemain had no chance of showing his heels, and was safely lodged in Market Square lock-up.”

Finally identified by court reports as William O’Brien, the professor made promises to make proper provision for his wife and family, and the case was remanded for seven days on bail of £25, pending the arrival of his wife from Tasmania.  It was noted in the press that he had been “displaying his legerdemain accomplishments throughout the various mining townships", so clearly he had a more extensive career than we can discover.
Unfortunately, no further record can be found of O’Brien, whose commonplace name, removed from any fancier title, makes him difficult to track. Perhaps he returned to Hobart to support his family; or perhaps he threw up the magic game in disgust and turned to more profitable pursuits.