The Great Nicola

The Great Nicola (William Mozart Nicol) (1880-1946) ­­began his career in magic performing at the Omaha Exposition in 1900. His father, John McNicol, known as Nicoli, who was a master magician showed he and his older brother Charles the numerous ways to create a show that would leave there audiences wanting more. After the close of the Exposition, he packed up his trunks and toured Europe, first at the French Exposition in Paris, and then he was onto the United Kingdom. He returned to the United States working the Lyceum Circuit. 

His first tour around the world was in 1910 that lasted three years. Among the countries on the tour included China, India, Egypt, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and South America.

He continued to perform up until 1939 when the ship that had all of his equipment hit a mine and sunk off the shore of Singapore. He returned to the United States, rebuilt his show for smaller theaters, clubs, and he performed for the USO.

            

* Older brother Charles Nicol (1871 – 1958) performed under the name of Von Arx, "The Great Chalbert", and Chasan.

Here the examples of Nicola's promotion with the use of cards:

        Another idea Nicola had was a promotion to see how many times someone could write his name on a postcard. The runner up for the contest is seen below:

Below, is an early example of Nicoli's card:

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