German-American illusionist, half of “Siegfried & Roy,” a duo of magicians and entertainers, who became known for their appearances with white lions and white tigers. From 1990 until Horn’s career-ending injury in 2003, the duo performed at the Mirage Resort and Casino, which was regarded as the most visited show in Las Vegas, Nevada. From August 2004 to May 2005, Siegfried Fischbacher and Horn were executive producers of the animated sitcom Father of the Pride. During a period of their careers, the two were romantically involved.
Roy was mauled and dragged off-stage by one of his beloved white tigers during his performance in Las Vegas on his 59th birthday, 3 October 2003. With a severe injury to his neck causing extensive loss of blood, the performer was hospitalized in serious condition. This horrific incident was the first time he had been hurt by one of the many animals he had raised and trained. Siegfried, his partner for over 40 years, announced the cancellation of the act. The pair had been performing together since the late ‘50s, grossing well over $500 million and performing over 5,700 times at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, in spite of being told 30 years before that a magic act would never work in Las Vegas.
Roy was born in war-torn Germany, the youngest of four boys. During a bomb attack, his mother Johanna rode her bike to the safety of her sister’s house to give him birth. His father, having survived a POW camp, was not the same after coming home, and he began drinking steadily. Roy’s parents divorced at the end of the war. His mother remarried and his step-father was also an alcoholic. Home was hell.
Roy’s only friend was his dog, Hexe, who came to him just after the war and is attributed with instilling in Roy a life-long love of, and respect for, animals. Roy claimed that he owed Hexe his life when the dog summoned help for Roy who, as a boy, fell into a swamp and began sinking. In 1958, at 13, he ran away and was hired as a page boy on a cruise ship, the MS Berlin (Nancy in San Diego writes that it was possibly the Bremen), that traveled from Germany to New York, and, while on board, he met 18-year old Siegfried. They bonded from the time they met, and once in New York, they left the ship to develop an act for small night clubs.
They experienced a breakthrough when they were invited to perform for Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, and, in 1967 they began performing in the Follies Bergere Revue in Las Vegas with an appreciable salary. The MGM hotel opened in 1974, giving them a five-year contract. In the ’80s, they played at the Mirage, a big hit with their sensational act and, since 1990 they performed in a theater bearing their name at the Mirage six times a week, 44 weeks per year. In 2001, they signed a lifetime contract with the hotel. Roy incorporated big cats into their act, lions, tigers, a magnificent snow leopard, making their show a sensational experience for their fans.
On their $10 million estate outside of Vegas, Siegfried and Roy successfully raised their beautiful white tigers and lions. The big cats had the run of the house, running free on the grounds and swimming in the pool along with Roy and Siegfried. Roy’s mother lived with them, managing the household and keeping their schedule running smoothly. Horn was quoted as saying about his animals, “The first voice they hear is mine, the first touch they feel is mine, the first human face they see is mine. They just think I’m a strange tiger who walks on two legs.” He prided himself on knowing his animals, saying, “I always try to think as they think. We can always solve our arguments in an understanding way because I respect them and they respect me.”
He finally left the rehab center on 21 July 2004 to continue building up his strength at home. In August 2004, their act became the basis for the short-lived television series Father of the Pride. Fischbacher and Horn retired from show business on 23 April 2010.
On 28 April 2020, Horn’s publicist said he “tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 and is currently responding well to treatment”. However, his condition deteriorated and he died at the age of 75 on 8 May at Mountain View Hospital in Las Vegas due to complications from the disease.
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