The illusionist Roy Horn, who became one of the biggest acts in Las Vegas history as half of the duo Siegfried & Roy, has died as a result of Covid-19 complications. Horn, was who 75, passed away in the city on Friday.
Paying tribute, his partner Siegfried Fischbacher said in a statement: "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."
Famed for their live show involving lions and tigers, Siegfried & Roy headlined at Las Vegas hotel The Mirage for more than 13 years, with The Hollywood Reporter calculating that their act grossed $45m a year.
On October 3, 2003, Horn - celebrating his 59th birthday - was mauled by a tiger onstage and suffered a stroke. He lost the use of his left side and Siegfried & Roy ceased to perform, bar at a charity event for a Las Vegas hospital in 2009. Horn refused to blame the tiger and claimed he had suffered the stroke onstage and then stumbled. He contended that the tiger had saved his life by dragging him to safety.
"He instinctively saw that I needed help, and he helped me," he told People magazine in 2004.
Born Uwe Ludwig Horn in Nordenham, Germany, Horn was fascinated with animals since childhood. As a teenager he met compatriot Fischbacher - an aspiring magician - when they were working on a luxury liner. They performed a show on the ship - reportedly using a cheetah Horn had smuggled onboard - and Siegfried & Roy was born. The duo went on to become a big European act before debuting in the US in 1981.
