Siegfried & Roy, everyone knows the name. This dynamic duo became the most popular performers in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada. They earned a reputation that was known worldwide.
Both Roy and Siegfried spent their early years in war torn Germany. They both suffered great hardships in their youth, their were shortages of food, clothing and shelter.
Siegfried Fischbacher was born on June 13, 1939, in Rosenheim, Germany.
Roy Horn was born on October 3, 1944, in Nordenham, Germany.
As a youth Roy gain a great love and fascination for animals. Roy's mother had two good friends, Emil and Paula, Emil was the founder of the Bremen Zoo. After learning of Roy's interest in animals, Emil gave young Roy complete access to the zoo and it's library. At age ten Roy was spending every day at the zoo and absorbing everything in it's library.
Siegfried, had very different interest. When he was eight years old, young Siegfried saw a book in a shop window, it was a book on magic. Siegfried decided he had it, however the book was selling for five marks, a small fortune at that time. He ran home and told his mother, who explained that five marks could not be spared Disappointed, Siegfried left the house and walked along the sidewalks in gloom. Amazing things happen when fate take a hand. AS he walked along he looked down, and there laying on the sidewalk was a five mark note. Siegfried rushed to the book store and bought the book. As soon as he got home he began studying it and practicing magic.
In 1956 at age seventeen Siegfried left home, and found a job as a dishwasher small hotel in Lago di Garda, Italy. After a few months at the hotel, he got a job aboard a cruise ship, the TS Bremen. While working on the ship he would show crew members a few magic tricks. One day the captain was watching with curiosity, The captain was quite impressed and asked Siegfried to start entertaining the passengers. Siegfried had begun his professional career.
Once Roy and Siegfried met, the combination of magic and exotic animals was inevitable. Siegfried designed and built illusions and Roy raised and trained their animals.
Their act received great attention and soon they found themselves as Las Vegas headliners, the top of their profession. And then;
On October 3, 2003 at the hight of their career while performing on stage at the Mirage Hotel and Casino, a seven year-old 380 pound, white tiger named Mantecore suddenly attacked Roy Horn. Roy had been bitten on the neck and was bleeding profusely. He was rushed to the University Medical Center in critical condition. Horn had suffered severe blood lost and was partially paralyzed. Their stage show was closed, and an era of Las Vegas Entertainment ended.
Through years of painful rehabilitation, Roy was able to walked own his in 2006. The performers made several stage appearances after the accident, but retired from the stage in April of 2010.
Roy Uwe Horn passed away May 8, 2020 of complications from the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic.
Siegfried Fischbacher passed away January 13, 2021 of pancreatic cancer
Siegfried & Roy website: http://siegfriedandroy.com |
