Roy Horn of 'Siegfried & Roy' fame dies
May 9, 2020
Magician Roy Horn, who was one half of the German duo Siegfried and Roy has died after contracting COVID-19, his spokesman told Germany's DPA news agency.
Horn died on Friday in Las Vegas from complications related to the Covid-19 illness caused by the novel coronavirus, spokesman Dave Kirvin said.
The 75-year-old was born in Nordenham, near the German city of Bremen.
As an animal tamer, he became famous for his appearances with white tigers and lions alongside his partner Siegfried Fischbacher.
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The pair's magic show was a fixture in the United States' gambling capital of Las Vegas.
Longtime residency
They had performed for more than a decade at the Mirage casino when Horn's career was effectively ended in October 2003, when a tiger attacked him during a performance, causing the magician severe injuries.
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Horn never completely recovered from the massive blood loss and a stroke he suffered. He also had a brain operation after the accident.
Horn discovered his love for exotic animals as a child in Germany, and especially for a cheetah named Chico at Bremen's zoo.
He met Fischbacher while working as a steward on a cruise ship, and the duo worked together on magic tricks and animal stunts.
In 1967 the duo went to Las Vegas. Almost two decades later they inked a million-dollar deal to perform at the Mirage Hotel.
"Roy was a fighter his whole life including during these final days," Fischbacher said in a statement. He thanked the staff that worked to treat Horn.
mm/stb (DPA, ARD)