- This page was last modified on 14 June 2025, at 23:54. Suggest an edit.
Siegfried & Roy facts for kids
|
Siegfried & Roy
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Roy Horn (left) and Siegfried Fischbacher with their white lion
|
|
| Nationality |
|
| Other names | Masters of the Impossible SARMOTI |
| Occupation | Magicians Entertainers Performers |
| Known for | Stage acts involving big cats |
| Siegfried Fischbacher | |
| Born | June 13, 1939 Rosenheim, Gau Munich-Upper Bavaria, German Reich |
| Died | January 13, 2021 (aged 81) Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Roy Horn | |
| Birth name | Uwe Ludwig Horn |
| Born | October 3, 1944 Nordenham, Gau Weser-Ems, Greater German Reich |
| Died | May 8, 2020 (aged 75) Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
Siegfried Fischbacher (born June 13, 1939 – died January 13, 2021) and Roy Horn (born October 3, 1944 – died May 8, 2020) were famous German-American magicians and entertainers. They were best known for their amazing shows with white lions and white tigers in Las Vegas, Nevada. Both were born and grew up in Germany. Later, they moved to the United States and became U.S. citizens.
Contents
Early Lives of Siegfried and Roy
Siegfried and Roy both grew up in Germany. They later moved to the United States. There, they became naturalized citizens, meaning they officially became citizens of the U.S.
Siegfried's Childhood and Magic
Siegfried Tyron Fischbacher was born in Rosenheim, Germany, on June 13, 1939. His parents were Martin and Maria Fischbacher. His mother stayed at home, and his father was a painter. Siegfried's father was a prisoner of war during World War II.
As a child, Siegfried bought a magic book. He started practicing magic tricks and illusions. In 1956, he moved to Italy and began working at a hotel.
Later, Siegfried found work as a magician on a ship called the TS Bremen. He used the stage name Delmare. While performing on the ship, he met Roy Horn. Siegfried asked Roy to help him during a show. They were both fired from the ship for bringing a live cheetah on board! However, a cruise line from New York saw them. They then started performing together as a duo.
Roy's Childhood and Animals
Roy, whose birth name was Uwe Ludwig Horn, was born on October 3, 1944, in Nordenham, Germany. This was during a time of many bomb attacks. His father died in World War II. After the war, his mother remarried and worked in a factory. Roy had three brothers: Manfred, Alfred, and Werner.
Roy loved animals from a very young age. He took care of his childhood dog, Hexe, which means "witch." A friend of Roy's mother was married to Emil, who founded the Bremen Zoo. This gave Roy a special chance to be around exotic animals from the age of 10. Roy left school when he was 13. He worked as a waiter on the cruise ship Bremen, where he met Siegfried. This is where his amazing performance career began.
Their Amazing Career Together
The owner of the Astoria Theatre in Bremen saw Siegfried and Roy's act on a Caribbean cruise ship. She invited them to perform at her nightclub. This started their career on the European nightclub circuit. They began to perform with tigers, which became their signature act.
In 1967, a talent scout named Tony Azzie discovered them performing in Paris. He asked them to come to Las Vegas. They also spent some time in Puerto Rico.
In 1981, Ken Feld created the Beyond Belief show with them at the New Frontier Hotel and Casino. A new version of the show went on a world tour in 1988.
The 2003 Tiger Incident
On October 3, 2003, during a show at The Mirage hotel, a seven-year-old white tiger named Mantecore attacked Roy Horn. This incident caused serious injuries to Roy. It permanently affected his ability to move, walk, and speak. Roy also had a stroke.
Life After the Incident and Retirement
In August 2004, their act became the basis for an animated TV series called Father of the Pride. The show was almost canceled, but Siegfried and Roy encouraged NBC to continue production. This happened after Roy's health improved following the incident with Mantecore. By March 2006, Roy was able to talk and walk with Siegfried's help. He appeared on a TV show called The Insider to talk about his daily recovery.
In February 2009, Siegfried and Roy performed one last time with a tiger for a special event. This performance was to benefit the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute. It was filmed for the ABC television program 20/20.
On April 23, 2010, Siegfried and Roy officially retired from show business. Their longtime manager, Bernie Yuman, said, "This is farewell. This is the dot at the end of the sentence."
Mantecore, the tiger involved in the 2003 incident, passed away on March 19, 2014, after a short illness. He was 17 years old.
In June 2016, a director named Philipp Stölzl announced that Siegfried and Roy would help make a movie about their lives. After Roy's death in 2020, this movie project likely did not happen.
Roy's Illness and Death
On April 28, 2020, Roy Horn's publicist announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19. He was responding well to treatment at first. However, his condition worsened, and he passed away on May 8, 2020, at the age of 75. He died at Mountain View Hospital in Las Vegas due to complications from the illness. Siegfried Fischbacher said that "the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend."
Roy was cremated, and Siegfried said he would keep his ashes in an urn.
Siegfried's Death
On January 12, 2021, Siegfried Fischbacher announced that he had terminal pancreatic cancer. He died the very next day in Las Vegas from the disease. He was 81 years old.
Film and TV Appearances
Siegfried and Roy also appeared in several films and television shows:
- Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the Impossible (1996)
- Vegas Vacation (1997)
- Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box (1999)
- Ocean's Eleven (2001) as Boxing Spectator
- Showboy (2002)
Television Shows
- Father of the Pride (2004–2005, TV series)
- Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Returns (March 6, 2009)
See also
In Spanish: Siegfried & Roy para niños