Siegfried Fischbacher, of the Siegfried & Roy illusionist duo, dies at 81

Siegfried Fischbacher, the world-known illusionist who worked alongside stage partner Roy Horn, has died.

 
 

He was 81. Fischbacher died of pancreatic cancer on Wednesday at his home in Las Vegas, according to a statement from his representative. Fischbacher’s long-time show business partner, Roy Horn, died last year of complications from COVID-19 at a Las Vegas hospital. He was 75.

 
 

The German native found fame as part of Siegfried & Roy, which combined illusions and rare animals in shows at The Mirage in Las Vegas. The $30-million production regularly sold out the then-largest theater in Las Vegas history, with the pair performing six shows a week, 44 weeks per year. Their run ended in 2003 after Horn’s spine was severed in an incident on stage with a 380-pound white tiger named Mantecore.

 
 

Siegfried & Roy gained international recognition for helping to save rare white tigers and white lions from extinction, and their $10 million compound was home to dozens of rare animals over the years.  A street on the Las Vegas strip was named after them last year, shortly after Horn’s death.

 
 


 
 

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

 
 


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