Roy Horn, known for entertaining millions as part of the popular Vegas act Siegfried and Roy, has died at the age of 75, his publicist said in a statement.
"Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend," said Horn’s longtime partner Siegfried Fischbacher. "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."
Siegfried and Roy ended their run together in 2003 after Horn was attacked on stage by one of the white tigers used in the duo’s act.
It was initially reported by Horn’s publicist that he was responding well to coronavirus treatment and sent warm wishes to anyone else who had also been stricken.
Horn was born as Uwe Ludwig Horn on Oct. 3, 1944, in Nordeham, Germany.
A family friend was the founder of Bremen Zoo and gave Roy access to exotic animals when he was 10.
He met Siegfried while working on a ship and the two began performing on cruise ships. After that, they began performing in nightclubs across Europe.
Their first Las Vegas show was at New Frontier Hotel & Casino and was produced by Ken Feld of Irvin & Kenneth Feld Productions. It began in 1981 and lasted several years.
The pair moved to The Mirage in 1990. After the attack, they only made one other appearance on stage in 2009. The pair officially retired from show business in 2010.