Roy Horn, half of the famed Las Vegas magic and entertainment duo Siegfried & Roy, has died of complications related to coronavirus, partner Siegfried Fischbacher said in a statement Friday. He was 75.
Last month Horn tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, a spokesperson for the duo said. He was being treated at a Las Vegas hospital.
“Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend,” Fischbacher 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.”
Horn tested positive for the coronavirus in late April. The pair have entertained in Las Vegas for decades and are best known for their work with lions and tigers.
Horn was born in wartime Germany as “bombs were exploding all around” his mother, according to the pair’s website.
The duo met more than 60 ago when they worked on a cruise ship, Horn as a steward and Siegfriend as a magician, according to the statement. Horn ended helping with the act.
“Roy was a fighter his whole life including during these final days,” Fischbacher said. “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.”
