Francis (Pat) Quinn (1914–2010), showman and hypnotist, was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. His father's career as a theatre manager inspired him to work in showbusiness. Quinn first became interested in hypnotism after reading George du Maurier's 1894 novel Trilby. In the 1930s he worked in radio as a breakfast announcer and hosted his own show at night, The Film Fan Show. Following the Second World War he worked in the sideshow of a travelling fair, acting as a spruiker for the show. He developed his 'Great Fanquin' stage act in 1949 – hypnotising people from the audience – which was an instant success. During the 1950s and 1960s he performed sell-out shows in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, and also toured to Hawaii, Canada, USA and South Africa.
