Roy Horn of Famed Siegfried & Roy Passes Away due to Covid-19
Roy Horn, who levitated tigers, made elephants disappear, turned himself into a python and mesmerized Las Vegas audiences for decades as half of the famed illusionist team Siegfried & Roy, died on Friday in Las Vegas. He was 75.
The cause was complications of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to his publicist, Dave Kirvin. Mr. Horn, who lived in Las Vegas, tested positive for the virus last week and died at Mountain View Hospital, Mr. Kirvin said.
The German-born Mr. Horn and Siegfried Fischbacher’s long-running production, one of the most successful in Las Vegas history, ended on Oct. 3, 2003, when Mr. Horn, on his 59th birthday, was mauled by a 400-pound white tiger that lunged at his throat and dragged him offstage before a stunned capacity crowd of 1,500 at MGM’s Mirage hotel and casino.
An aide yanked the tiger’s tail, leapt on its back and tried to pry open its jaws. Another sprayed it with a fire extinguisher until it let go. But Mr. Horn’s windpipe had been crushed, and an artery carrying oxygen to his brain was damaged. He suffered a stroke and partial paralysis on his left side, underwent two operations at University Medical Center in Las Vegas and was placed on life support.
After weeks in critical condition, however, Mr. Horn began a long recovery, with rehabilitation at the U.C.L.A. Medical Center in Los Angeles. In 2004, he returned to his home in Las Vegas, and within months he was walking again with assistance. There was even talk of a comeback, but medical experts and entertainment moguls considered it highly unlikely.
In February 2009, Siegfried and Roy made one final appearance with a tiger, a benefit performance for the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. They officially retired from show business in 2010.
“The world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend,” Siegfried said in a statement on Friday. “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.”
In addition to Siegfried Fischbacher, Roy Horn is survived by a brother, Werner Horn.