Robert Merlini

Robert Merlini (born Robert Robbins; 1926–1964) was an Australian illusionist, stage performer, and television personality. He was the first Australian magician to appear on television and a prominent collector of magic-related books and memorabilia. Born in Sydney on August 21, 1926, to Herbert Robbins and Mary Anne Elizabeth (Polly) Robbins, he began his career at age 14 as the youngest magician to perform at the Tivoli Theatre in Sydney.

Using the stage name "Robert Merlini," he studied under The Great Levante (Leslie George Cole), a renowned Australian magician. During World War II, Robbins entertained troops in Japan with English performer Gracie Fields and her troupe. He corresponded with Oscar Oswald, a magic dealer and editor of *Magical Digest*. Merlini amassed a collection of over 900 books, pamphlets, posters, and serials related to magic, spanning from 1799 to 1962. This collection, now known as the Robbins Collection of Stage Magic, was built partly from materials acquired from The Great Levante.

Merlini made history in 1957 as the first hypnotist to perform live on Australian television. He appeared on programs such as *Cafe Continental*, *Review 61*, and *In Melbourne Tonight* with Graham Kennedy. In his personal life, he was married to Margaret Robbins, with whom he had three children: Denise, David, and Graham. Merlini died on January 8, 1964, at the age of 37.