Siegfried And Roy Open Up, Wave Goodbye
Five years following the bizarre tiger attack that nearly left Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy dead, Horn, alongside longtime friend and "partner" in magic, Siegfried Fischbacher took the stage again a final show to benefit the Ruvo Institute in Las Vegas.
The performance raised more than $10 million for the institute, of which Fischbacher said, "I'm at a part of my life now where I think I can give something back. And this country and Las Vegas was so good to me for 45 years, and I think that was a perfect reason to do it."
After all, their act was the biggest show in Vegas, earning $57 million annually during their peak.
Roy almost didn't live to see his final performance back in October 2003, when Montecore the lion locked his jaws around the magician's neck and dragged him off stage in a move that is seen as more of an act of assistance rather than aggression. Doctors spent 3 hours bringing the flatlined Roy back to life.
In the following 5 years Roy defied the odds, learning to walk and talk again, despite some paralysis on his left side. Although the duo performed with their beloved tigers on Saturday, Roy does admit that his current state prevents him from keeping up with the big cats, saying, "There's a little bit of a setback now, because of my condition. I'm not quick like I used to be," but "My doctor has told me that within one year I will be able to do everything I want to do."
As a result, the lions and tigers have been removed from their 100 acre compound nicknamed Little Bavaria.
Opening up to 20/20 co-anchor Elizabeth Vargas for Friday's Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Returns, Siegfried said, "Now I realize … boy, we had an unbelievable career, and we did that all together, and now I'm so grateful for it."
[Image via WENN.]
enough of them already, retire guys
am i first? my life is complete
I would like verification that Roy is alive and not some Disneyfied wax statue. I know the man was messed up, but why did his face melt? He looks like he should be in a wax museum.
This picture reminds me of Rev. Jim Jones sitting on his throne and wearing the sunglasses. Kool-aid anyone?
S and R have always been major contributers to lots and lots of Las Vegas charities. They never make a big deal about it though.
Where did they take all of the animals?
Yeah, times are tough, one of the tiger's was seen eating a box of "Roy Helper".
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The tiger dragged him off stage because it somehow knew something was wrong withthe guy, right? Something like a heart attack or a stroke? I don't quite remember.
They quit when they were at their peak. How could they ever top the October 2003 final performance.
Good bye! Thanks for the great shows you did have!
My dad stayed across the street from the Mirage when he was in Vegas, and he said there was this 5 story poster of these two clowns outside his window.
Re: April** –
Clowns? CLOWNS?! If S&R are clowns then that makes you a fucking 3 ring circus of 1 legged drunks. Can you do what they do? HA! What a dork.
I like these guys, they`re cool. They didn`t kill that tiger after the attack like most people would do, like most people do when any animal acts like an animal! I mean a dog attacks someone, you read the next day "and they had to put him to sleep". But a human butchers people like OJ Simpson, the black community celebrates when he is aquitted and he plays golf until he commits another crime, then he gets free room and board, or Scott Peterson killing his pregnant wife and he gets free room and board and female fans.
Why are they wearing sunglasses? Did the tiger attack make them blind?
Re: AbrahamLinc – #14 very true, and like another poster said they did so much but never made a big deal about it. thet also never made a big deal of the fact that they were gay, I just wished I could have seen these guys in 1 of their shows..
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COPY-PASTE ALERT!!!! COPY - PASTE ALERT!!!! COPY - PASTE ALERT!!!!
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Guess you are too busy to research for new stories or to write or rewrite old ones… this is a past recycled story douche!
tigers should be in the wild, not doing stupid shows.