Variety:
Roy Uwe Ludwig Horn, whose collaboration with Siegfried Fischbacher created the well-known animal training and magic duo Siegfried & Roy, died of complications from COVID-19 Friday in Las Vegas. He was 75.
Horn had revealed on April 28 that he had tested positive for coronavirus.
“Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend,” Siegfried said in a statement, “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.
“Roy was a fighter his whole life including during these final days. 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.”
Born in Nordenham, Germany, Horn had a lifelong love of animals and adopted a cheetah, Chico, at an early age.
He met magician Siegfried while working as a steward on a cruise ship. Horn asked Siegfried if he could make a cheetah disappear, not knowing that Horn had smuggled his pet cheetah on board. Siegfried said, “In magic, anything is possible,” though they were then reportedly fired from the ship.
