Born June 13, 1939, in Rosenheim, Germany, Fischbacher was the son of Martin and Maria Fischbacher.
At the age of 8, Fischbacher became fascinated with magic after buying a book on the subject while out shopping with his mother. Nine years later, he left Germany to become a dishwasher and bartender at a small hotel in Italy, which led him to become a steward on a cruise ship in 1957. There he first met Roy Horn, who was a cabin boy with a love of animals. The pair began a lifelong friendship, that was at times a romantic relationship – although they generally avoided discussing their private lives.
Following the cruise ship, the two started performing together and for years were booked at nightclubs across Germany and Switzerland. But it wasn’t until a charity benefit in Monte Carlo in 1966 that the duo impressed Princess Grace of Monaco, giving their career a boost. As their act became more extravagant, their popularity grew and the two were booked into nightclubs throughout Europe.
They would then make their Las Vegas debut at the Tropicana in 1967. Twelve years later, they moved on to headliner status at the Stardust and Frontier, where the marquee billed them as “Superstars of Magic.” That narrative proved to be true, as their long-running production at MGM’s Mirage Resort and Casino was one of the most lavish and successful in Vegas history.
The duo illusionists, who incorporated their signature white tigers and lions into their act, astonished millions with their extraordinary magic tricks and paved the way for a new style of entertainment in Las Vegas, which amazed audiences over four decades. Their unique performances blended Fischbacher’s illusions with Horn’s talent to train and communicate with exotic animals.
For many years, the duo’s name was synonymous with Las Vegas entertainment. Their success came as they dazzled audiences with their grand illusions and flashy costumes, coupled with dramatic lighting effects, music, dancers, smoke machines, lasers and their rare white cats. These fascinating shows would elevate them to some of Vegas’ biggest stars, becoming the most popular show for more than 10 years. From 1990 to 2003, the duo headlined at the Mirage Resort and Casino in a theater built just for them.
Off the stage, Fischbacher and Horn were very active in wildlife conservation efforts and played a major role in developing international breeding programs to preserve the exceedingly rare white tigers and lions. The entertainers are the namesakes of Siegfried and Roy’s White Lion exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo, which was started after they donated lion cubs to the zoo in the 1990s. The Cincinnati Zoo became the only zoo in the U.S. with a pride of Timbavati lions and was the only place where the lions were bred at the time.
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