Siegfried Fischbacher, an illusionist known for working with exotic cats as one half of Siegfried & Roy, has died from pancreatic cancer, according to his publicist Dave Kirvin. He was 81.
Fischbacher's longtime professional partner and friend, Roy Horn, died in May from complications caused by Covid-19 at the age of 75.
The pair rose from war-torn Germany to become world-renowned stars of stage, film and television by combining their spectacular illusions with rare animals.
For Fischbacher, it all began with a child's curiosity.
Born in Rosenheim, Germany, on June 13, 1939, he was drawn as an 8-year-old to a magic book he saw in a shop.