Jubilee Post News & Views
Special Desk
The world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend (Roy Horn), said Siegfried Fischbacher the companion of Horn, who died after being infected with coronavirus.
Roy Horn, one member of the magic duo Siegfried and Roy, died at the age of 75 after contracting coronavirus. The duo, Roy and the German citizen, Siegfried Fischbacher, were known for engaging white tigers and other such animals in their act.
The magicians first worked in Las Vegas in 1967, and in 1990 began a run at the Mirage Hotel that lasted nearly 14 years. Horn was forced to stop performing in 2003 after a white tiger attacked him during one of their shows.
The world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend, Fischbacher said in a statement. From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world, he said.
The German-born pair met while working on a cruise ship – Horn as a steward and Siegfried as a magician. They were reportedly fired for bringing a live cheetah on to the ship, but soon afterwards they began performing together for another cruise liner based in New York.
Siegfried and Roy also became famous for breaking records for the longest-running act. Their shows combined magic tricks with circus thrills.
In 1989 their act moved to the Mirage Hotel – then the largest theatre in the city. The Mirage continues to host an animal attraction known as the Secret Garden of Siegfried and Roy.
