Siegfried Fischbacher, Magician of Siegfried & Roy, Dies at 81

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times




Siegfried Fischbacher, half of the German-born magician team Siegfried & Roy that captivated Las Vegas audiences with performances alongside big cats, elephants and other exotic animals, died on Wednesday night at his home in Las Vegas. He was 81.

The cause was pancreatic cancer, according to his publicist, Dave Kirvin. His longtime partner in the production, Roy Horn, died in May at 75 of complications of Covid-19.

For a time, the team’s name was all but synonymous with Las Vegas’s show business industry, with performances that combined smoke machines and white tigers, lasers and elephants, sequined costumes, snakes and illusions of metamorphosis.

The pair stopped their decades-long show in October 2003, after Mr. Horn was mauled by a 400-pound white tiger that dragged him offstage during a packed show at MGM’s Mirage hotel and casino. The attack left Mr. Horn with lasting damage to his body, and after he spent years recovering, the team made a final appearance with a tiger in February 2009, at a benefit performance for the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. They retired from show business in 2010.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/14/theater/siegfried-fischbacher-dead.html

[hlthe2b]

1. Never comfortable with their animal act, but it is the end of an era, for sure.

pancreatic cancer sucks. May we find better treatments soon.

[Zorro]

2. Saw their act in Las Vegas about 30 years ago

Last edited Thu Jan 14, 2021, 01:31 PM - Edit history (1)

They made an elephant "disappear" from the stage. Incredible.

RIP to an amazing showman.

[MurrayDelph]

3. Saw them twice in Vegas

(Both times because my traveling companion wanted to see them).

Their "big" illusion had the following sequence
1. Fancy motorcycle is brought onto stage on top of unassembled giant box of mystery.
2. Box is assembled with motorcycle inside.
3. Roy, wearing motorcycle partners, puts on an opaque helmet and walks all the way around the giant box of mystery, tapping it to show the box is solid
4. Siegfried them also puts on an opaque helmet and walks all the way around the giant box of mystery, tapping it to show the box is solid
5. Box is hosted into the air.
6. Sides are dropped to show Siegfried und Roy sitting on motorcycle.


On the plus side, he was an excellent quick-change artist.

[PlanetBev]

4. So sorry to hear this.

My best friend of 35 years died of pancreatic cancer last September. It’s still feels raw. I’ve been reading that this type of cancer is on the rise, but they’re not sure why.

💐🕯