Wayne Newton weighed in on the death of Roy Horn in a heartfelt Instagram post on Friday. The magician and one-half of the Siegfried and Roy stage act passed away at the age of 95 from complications due to COVID-19. Like Siegfried and Roy, Newton was a staple of Las Vegas‘ performance circuit, earning him the nickname ‘Mr. Las Vegas.’
“I send my condolences to Sigfried, Bernie and all of Roy’s family,” Newton wrote in the caption. “Having known Roy from the time he and Sigfried first came to Las Vegas, words cannot express what he has meant to not only our city, but to those around the world. He worked tirelessly to bring happiness and joy to so many people. Rest In Peace, my dear friend. You will be missed but never forgotten.”
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Horn’s longtime partner, Siegfried Fischbacher, confirmed news of Horn’s passing to TMZ. “Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend. 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,” Fischbacher said. “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.”
Horn’s publicist confirmed he’d been diagnosed with coronavirus in early May and was “responding well to treatment.” He added “We will have no further comment on Roy’s recovery at this time and ask everyone to respect his right to privacy,” according to ABC News.
Horn and Fischbacher were both born in Germany, where they began performing as a duo before emigrating to the U.S. In 1990, they launched the famous Siegfried and Roy at the Mirage Resort and Casino show, which involved the big cats they’re show became synonymous with.
The duo ended up retiring their act back in 2003 after Roy was attacked by a 7-year-old white tiger. The following year the pair launched a short-lived television series, Father of the Pride, which failed to find an audience. They continued performing after their initial retirement, which they made permanent back in April of 2010.
