Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy Dead: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Roy Horn of the Siegfried & Roy magician duo died on Friday, May 8, at the age of 75 from COVID-19. The German performer, whose full name was Roy Uwe Ludwig Horn, contracted the virus a few weeks ago but was said to be “responding well” to treatment. His publicist confirmed that the performer died at Mountain View Hospital in Las Vegas, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Roy was born on October 3, 1944, in Nordenham, Germany. He worked as a waiter on a cruise liner in 1957, where met Siegfried, who was working as a steward. Siegfried was also performing magic tricks for the guests, and Roy became his assistant. They began performing as a duo and soon started incorporating exotic animals. They performed all across Europe in theaters and nightclubs before moving their show to Las Vegas.

Here’s what you need to know about Roy Horn’s death:

1. Roy Tested Positive for COVID-19 in April But Was Said to Be ‘Responding Well’ to Treatment

Roy’s publicist shared his initial positive diagnosis with fans on April 29, telling ABC News: “We can confirm that Roy Horn has tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 and is currently responding well to treatment. Most importantly, Siegfried & Roy send positive wishes to everyone impacted by the pandemic. We will have no further comment on Roy’s recovery at this time and ask everyone to respect his right to privacy.”

Earlier in April, Siegfried & Roy reached out to their fans about the pandemic. ABC 20/20 posted their statement to their fans, which said: “We know the real magic in all of us caring, cheering, loving, and thanking one another will return everyone to good health and happiness. We can’t wait until it is possible for all of us to hug each other safely again.”

2. Roy’s Partner of Many Decades Released a Touching Tribute About the Death of His ‘Best Friend’

Siegfried Fischbacher, the other half of the magician duo, released a statement about his partner’s death, which reads:

Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend. From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world. There could be no Siegfried without Roy, and no Roy without Siegfried.

Roy was a fighter his whole life including during these final days. I give my heartfelt appreciation to the team of doctors, nurses and staff at Mountain View Hospital who worked heroically against this insidious virus that ultimately took Roy’s life.

The two were very close, and after the show ended in 2003, they lived together at their sprawling Little Bavaria estate in Las Vegas.

3. Many Have Posted Tributes & Expressed Sorrow at the Passing of the Performer

Since the news broke on Friday of Roy’s death, many have taken to social media to post their sadness at the news and share tributes to the performer.

One person said:

The tweet reads: “My heart broke a little more with the loss of Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy. May his memory be a blessing and I hope he knows how much he was loved. So very sad.”

Another person shared:

Kate Bennett’s tweet reads: “So sad to hear that Roy Horn has died. I was a journalist in Las Vegas for ten years — he and Siegfried were two of my very favorite people. This is one of my favorite photos with them, taken at their Jungle Palace house.”

One person posted:

They wrote: “RIP Roy Horn… Vegas LEGEND.”

4. Siegfried & Roy Were a Magician Duo Known for Their Acts Involving Exotic Animals

The German duo was famous worldwide, especially for their performances from 1990 until 2003 at the Mirage Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. They initially met on a ship in 1950 and performed together ever since. The two were inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999.

When the show initially started at the Mirage in 1990, Kenneth Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment, said that: “It was probably the most expensive show in the history of the world at the time it was built. Over $30 million in 1990.”

5. Roy Was Attacked Onstage During a Performance by Their Tiger Mantecore

The duo is perhaps most famously known for an onstage attack on October 3, 2003. On Roy’s 59th birthday, he was attacked during their performance by their tiger, Mantecore. The attack happened in the middle of the performance and left Roy with a crushed windpipe and a damaged artery that carried blood to his brain. The Hollywood Reporter shared that after that incident, Roy was partially paralyzed and had difficulty walking and talking.

This attack was the end of Siegfried & Roy’s performing career. Roy maintained since the attack that the tiger wasn’t being aggressive, he was instead responding to Roy getting dizzy on stage from high blood pressure. The injuries occurred when Mantecore tried to drag Roy to the paramedics. Mantecore died in 2014 and Roy posted that the tiger had saved his life:

Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy Tests Positive for Coronavirus