Getty Siegfried Fischbacher (L) and Roy Horn of the illusionist duo Siegfried & Roy on March 31, 2007.
Roy Horn of the famous duo Siegfried and Roy has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The 75-year-old magician is responding well to treatment. It’s unclear at this time if he is in the hospital or recovering at home. Roy lives in Las Vegas on a large estate that he shares with Siegfried.
The news was reported by Horn’s publicist in a statement to ABC News, which reads: “We can confirm that Roy Horn has tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 and is currently responding well to treatment. Most importantly, Siegfried & Roy send positive wishes to everyone impacted by the pandemic. We will have no further comment on Roy’s recovery at this time and ask everyone to respect his right to privacy.”
Fans have been posting their well-wishes on Siegfried and Roy’s Facebook page after the news of Roy’s positive coronavirus test was shared. One person said: “Mr. Roy, you’ve always been a fighter, I hope you’ll recover, you’re in my prayers, stay strong and continue being the fighter you’ve always been. Please recover.” Another said: “Sending my thoughts and prayers for Mr. Roy as he battles Covid 19. We love you and pray you are well soon.”
The duo previously reached out to their fans during the coronavirus pandemic. On April 17, ABC posted a message from Siegfried and Roy, which reads:
Everyone in the United States and around the World impacted by this health crisis remain in our prayers. We know the real magic in all of us caring, cheering, loving, and thanking one another will return everyone to good health and happiness. We can’t wait until it is possible for all of us to hug each other safely again. Love to all, Siegfried & Roy.
Siegfried & Roy Are a German Magician Duo Known for Their Acts Involving Exotic Animals
The German duo performed at the Mirage Resort and Casino in Las Vegas from 1990 until 2003. Until that point, they had been performing together already for decades, since meeting on a ship in the 1950s. When their show opened in 1990, Kenneth Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment, said that: “It was probably the most expensive show in the history of the world at the time it was built. Over $30 million in 1990.”
The two were inducted in the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. However, their show came to an abrupt end in 2003 following an onstage tiger attack on Roy.
Roy Was Attacked by Their Tiger During a Performance Onstage on October 3, 2003
On Roy’s 59th birthday, October 3, 2003, he was attacked by their tiger, Mantecore, during their performance. The attack, which occurred onstage, left the magician with a crushed windpipe and a damaged artery that carried blood to his brain. Since then, the Hollywood Reporter says he’s been left partially paralyzed and has difficulty walking and talking.
The famous attack ended Roy’s career, but he says the tiger wasn’t attacking him; it was trying to help him and drag him to paramedics after Roy got dizzy on stage due to his high blood pressure. After Mantecore died in 2014, Roy posted a touching tribute to the tiger who he said was his “life-saver”:
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