Was watching an episode of The Munsters, and Herman described something as being “wizard”. Is this where George got it from?
the expression is also in the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang song
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 15 - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Finale)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yyX1bjGamY go to 0:41
It’s much older than that, I think. A “Boy’s own Adventure” term. e.g. “I’ve got a wizard idea to sneak into the tuck shop when matron is in the east wing!” LOL It’s quite different to the modern usage e.g. “She is a wizard on the guitar”, or “She is a guitar wizard”. The old use would be “She is a wizard guitar player”.
JK Rowling was no doubt aware of this, when she named “Wizard Wheezes”, being a play on the multiple meanings of “Wizard” and Harry Potter’s origins in Boy’s Own tropes.
RAF pilots would also use the term in WW2 (possibly WW1 too) e.g. “He’s a wizard pilot, that chap!”
EDIT: It was used in 1954’s ‘Lord of the Flies’. I can confirm that at least.
http://blogs.fruitportschools.net/dkennedy/files/2008/09/microsoft-word-british-english-in.pdf