Newcastle's Super Hubert on keeping his magic alive after more than 40 years

Super Hubert has entertained people in the Hunter region for more than 40 years. (Supplied: Super Hubert)

The lights go up and a man appears on stage wearing a black tuxedo.

Everything seems normal, except his top hat, gloves and the fly of his pants are on fire.

Reacting quickly, he somehow swallows the flames and disappears into a phone booth.

Thirty seconds later, he pops out wearing a blue and red, star-spangled, lycra suit.

In the Hunter region, audiences have been watching Super Hubert perform his off-beat magic show at children’s parties, Newcastle Knights games, and on television for more than 40 years.

At 78 years of age, the self-proclaimed “skinniest magician in Australia” is still entertaining crowds.

Homemade phone box where it all began

In 1978, Hubert Nossiter bought a small furniture factory in Teralba, Lake Macquarie.

It was here he created his first big illusion.

“That was the start of Super Hubert,” he said.

“I came up with the idea of doing classy magic in a top hat and tails, then say I needed some superpower for the next trick.

“I would enter the phone booth, which I knocked up in a day at the factory, and quick change into the skinniest superman you had ever seen.”

After being signed by an agent in 1982, Super Hubert broke onto the Sydney club circuit with his iconic phone booth illusion.

He would perform up to four times a week and became a warm-up act for performers like Marcia Hines and Barry Crocker.

Super Hubert’s act became so popular, that he changed his name by deed poll and eventually sold his furniture business to perform full-time.

He even toured around Australia with Young Talent Time, performing his 11-minute segment in front of crowds of 25,000 people.

“I made everyone laugh, and that’s what it was all about,” he said.

“My magic wasn’t clever, but it’s how I used it.”

Over the years, his shows evolved from pulling doves out of his top hat, to include bigger, daredevil acts.

It was after purchasing a 1977 Toyota Crown that Super Hubert got the idea for his most iconic stunt at Newcastle Showground.

“I would climb out of the passenger window and onto the roof of the car, holding onto this structure I built myself as someone drove 100 kilometres per hour,” he said.

“I only realise later in life how lucky I was I didn’t fall off.”

Keeping the magic alive today

Today, Super Hubert can be spotted behind the wheel of his branded super car performing at schools, parties, and pubs across the Hunter region.

“Kids still laugh at the same little tricks I’ve been doing for 40 years,” he said.

“My magic doesn’t die, that’s the beauty of what I’ve done.”

He may not eat fire or swing off cars these days, but the legacy of Super Hubert is still thriving today.

If you grew up in Newcastle in the ’80s and ’90s, you know who he is.

And there’s no end in sight for this quirky magician and his “yippee!” catch cry.

“I think I’ll just drop or something. It would be very hard to just give up,” he said.

“You can’t retire, because like your magic shows, you get better at it the longer you do it.”

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