Siegfried and Roy - Lebenschronologie / Lifeline

• June 13, 1939 
  Siegfried Fischbacher is born in Rosenheim, Bavaria, Germany.

• October 3, 1944
  Roy Uwe Ludwig Horn is born in Blexen/Nordenham, Northern Germany, at his aunt's house during an Allied bombing raid.

• 1947
  Siegfried buys his first book on magic at the village bookstore after he finds five marks in the gutter.

• Also in his early years, Siegfried attends his first magic show in Munich, Germany, to watch the German illusionist Kalanag.

• 1951
  Roy's dog Hexe saves his life after he becomes trapped in a bog while playing in the countryside. Hexe, a half-wolf, attracts the attention of farmers, who pull Roy to safety.

• 1953
  Siegfried finishes school and works at a carpet factory. His first attempt at magic, performing for a goat farmers' club, is a hilarious disaster when he can't make a goat disappear.

• 1955
  Seeking escape from postwar poverty and depression, Roy begins to frequent the zoo in Bremen, Germany, where he gains regular access through a close family friend. He befriends a 2-year-old cheetah named Chico, the initial inspiration for his love of exotic cats.

• 1956
  Siegfried finds work at a resort in Lago di Garda, Italy, starting as a dishwasher. He moves up to bartending and begins performing small, informal magic shows.

• 1957
  Roy leaves school and finds a job as a bellboy in first class on the ocean liner TS Bremen, which sails between Bremerhaven, Germany, and New York.
• 1959
  Siegfried signs on as a steward on the TS Bremen. He is eventually promoted to ship entertainer. He befriends Roy, who is now a steward who has a cabin across the hall, and asks him to help set up the show. Roy, seeking a way to get the zoo-liberated cheetah Chico on board the ship, asks, "If you can make a rabbit and doves appear and disappear, could you do the same thing with a cheetah?" Roy becomes Siegfried's assistant.

• 1964
  Siegfried and Roy leave the ship to perform 4 weeks at the Astoria Theatre in Bremen, Germany. During the next few years they refine their act in small clubs and stageless venues throughout Europe, for example in Berlin the Eden Saloon, Titania Palast, Urania Palast and the Berliner Funkturm. An engagement at the famous Hansa Theater in Hamburg, Germany, leads about mid 1966 to other work in Switzerland (Geneva, Moulin Rouge; Lausanne Cabaret Tabaris). They officially adopt the name Siegfried & Roy for their act. The engagement in Lausanne leads to an invitation to the famous Gala des Rois in Monte Carlo, which becomes a great success. After the gala they are invited to act in Nice in the well reputated Hotel Négresco and the Passaboga in Madrid. After a visit in Paris and negociations with Lido and Folies Bergère officials they decide to go to Las Vegas for 3 months.

• 1967
  Siegfried & Roy arrive in Las Vegas with Chico, a second cheetah, Simba, and flamingos. They debut at the Tropicana as a 12-minute specialty act in "Folies Bergère" and perform for 3 months.
• They return to Paris for 3 years to perform at the Lido.

• 1970
  They begin a three-month engagement at the Casino Royal in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They acquire a jaguar, Jahmal, but find another home for it, because the animal is unmanageable. Siegfried & Roy return to Las Vegas for a three-year run in the Stardust's "Lido," this time with a 15-minute spot. They acquire a female Siberian tiger named Sahra for their act.

• 1972
  They are presented the Entertainment Award "Production of the year".

• 1973
  Siegfried & Roy go back to Puerto Rico for a yearlong engagement at the Americana Hotel with Sahra; a Sumatran tiger, Radscha; a black panther, Sabu; and a leopard, Sasha. They are again presented the "Production of the year" Award.

• Famed producer Donn Arden informs Siegfried & Roy of negotiations with the under-construction MGM Grand for a stage spectacular.

• Winter 1974
  Siegfried & Roy return to Las Vegas where they appear in the MGM Grand's "Hallelujah Hollywood" with a 20-minutes-act. They add an African lion, Leo, as a tribute to the MGM studio mascot and again receive the "Production of the year" Award.

• 1975    Article: Siegfried and Roy: The tiger and I

• 1976
  Siegfried & Roy receive Magicians of the Year award from the Academy of Magical Arts in Los Angeles and for the 5th time in a row the "Production of the year" Award.

• 1977
  Siegfried & Roy meet their future manager, Bernie Yuman, whom they call their "five-star general."

• 1978
  Feb. 17 is declared Las Vegas Siegfried & Roy Day. They agree to leave the MGM revue to prop up the struggling "Lido de Paris" as the 33-minute closing act, and receive star billing as The Superstars of Magic. Negotiating through the 27-year-old Yuman, Siegfried & Roy become the highest-paid specialty act in the history of Las Vegas. They add two new friends and personal assistants to the show: showgirl Lynette Chappell and performer Tony Mitchell.
  

• July, 1
  On the night of the Stardust premiere, Siegfried is bitten on his hand and arm by the African lion, who is not adjusted to the new venue. He receives 38 stitches backstage and performs the second show. Afterward, Cary Grant comes back to congratulate him.

• 1980    Article: Fantasy!

• 1981
  Circus impresarios father and son Irvin and Kenneth Feld take the duo beyond a specialty act with "Beyond Belief," a full-length showcase of 1 hour 40 minutes at the Frontier that becomes the first ongoing magic show in Las Vegas. It racks up 3,500 performances for more than 3 million showgoers.

• 1982
  Siegfried & Roy work with the commissioner of Indian wildlife to acquire two white tiger cubs from the Cincinnati Zoo. Each from different litters, Roy names the male cub Neva and the female cub Shasadee. Roy also is allowed to take a third, completely white, female cub he names Sitarra. Eventually, Neva and Sitarra become Roy's first breeding pair of white tigers.

• 1985
  Siegfried & Roy perform for the Magician's Benefit for U.S.A. for Africa.

• 1986
  The first Nevada offspring are born to white tigers Sitarra and Neva. Siegfried & Roy meet the Pope in Rome. Article: Vanity Fair 2/1986

• June 1987
  Kidnapping of the 10-month-old white tigers Siegroy and Vegas in New York on route to Germany. After some hours the tigers are found.

• June 9, 1987
  Siegfried & Roy and the tigers arrive at Phantasialand, a theme park near Cologne. The tigers are presented to the owner of the park and will live in a habitat, copied from the one in Las Vegas. Article: Tigers arrive in park at last

• June 1987
  In Rosenheim a giant birthday party is given to Siegfried with about 6,000 participants. The mayor presents Siegfried the "Town Key".

• October 3, 1988
  Siegfried & Roy are sworn in as United States citizens, along with their assistant, Lynette Chappell, in Las Vegas.

• October 1988
  After a seven-year run at the Frontier, Siegfried & Roy sign a $57.5 million deal with casino developer Steve Wynn and decide to bide their time with a 38-week run in a custom venue in the Ginza District of Tokyo, while The Mirage is under construction. The act is a great success attracting 1.5 million visitors.

• September 1989
  Siegfried & Roy play three and a half weeks at Radio City Music Hall.

• February 1, 1990
  Siegfried & Roy debut at The Mirage in a 1,500-seat custom venue. The Broadway-meets-rock-concert spectacle designed by John Napier of "Cats" and "Les Miserables" fame also sets a then-record Las Vegas ticket price of $60.80.

• June 1991
  They participate in the 25th anniversary of "Phantasialand", Germany. Article: House and Garden May 1991

• 1992
  Siegfried & Roy receive the Magicians of the Decade Award from the Academy of Magical Arts in Los Angeles. World premiere of their autobiography "Masters of the Impossible" in Berlin. Article: BMW Magazin April 1992

• 1993 
  "Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the Impossible," a Saturday morning cartoon, premieres on television.  Article: Magic Magazine 1993

• 1995
  Siegfried & Roy introduce the first white lions to the United States. Article: A loud roar on the Vegas scene

• 1996
  The entertainers celebrate their 15,000th Las Vegas performance. The entertainers are inducted into the Las Vegas Gaming Hall of Fame. The white lioness, Prosperity, is born.

• May 1997
  Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden opens at The Mirage. Article: Opening of the Secret Garden

• December 1997
  Siegfried & Roy participate in a fundraising for Siegfried's sister's project for neglected children. Article: Setting the Stage: S&R put magic on map in Vegas

• 1998
  Production begins on Siegfried & Roy's Imax 3-D biography "The Magic Box." Article: Wild Kingdom

• 1999
  Prosperity is named the U.S. Senate's mascot.

• September 1999
  Siegfried & Roy are awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Article: Walk of Fame Ceremony

• October 1999
  "The Magic Box" premieres nationally in more than 160 Imax venues, but doesn't show in Las Vegas. Articles: Vanity Fair 8/1999;   Larry King Interview 9/1999;  Lions and tigers and magic!! Oh my! 10/1999;   Interview Beat Box Betty 9/1999;

• February 2000
  Siegfried & Roy are honored as Magicians of the Century by the International Magicians Society. Articles: Siegfried & Roy: A new knee and a new award 2/2000;  Siegfried & Roy: Masters of the Impossible 8/ 2000

• February 2001
  Siegfried & Roy celebrate a "lifetime contract" with The Mirage, which guarantees them at least another four years, more if they choose. Articles: Signed for Life;  Sports illustrated Spring 2001;  Goldene Henne 9/2001

• 2002   Cameo appearance in the fictional documentary "Showboy". Article: Showboy

• August 2002
  Siegfried & Roy are attending Leni Riefenstahl's 100th Birthday in Germany.

• August 2002
  They visit Siegfried's sister, who is a franciscan nun, in Romania. Sister Dolores (i.e. Margot) works in an orphanage. Videos: Romania Video long version;   Romania Video short version

• September 2002
  Siegfried & Roy are Grand Marshalls at the Steuben Parade in New York. Articles: Steubenparade; Casa Vogue Summer 2002

• January 2003
  Annoucing the winners of the name giving contest for the tigers born Oct. 2002

• February 13, 2003
  Siegfried & Roy at the opening night of the musical "Mamma Mia!" Video

• June 13, 2003 
  Siegfried's birthday party at the Mirage.

• July 2003
  Siegfried & Roy with protegé Darren Romeo in Bush Gardens, Tampa. Several videos

• September 11, 2003
  Siegfried and Roy in Havanna. Article: Siegfried und Roy Promisichtung

• October 1, 2003
  Siegfried & Roy meet the German Star Search winner Ingo Oschmann. Article: Ingo reports on meeting

• October 2, 2003
  Roy is celebrating into his 59th birthday at the Mirage.

• October 3, 2003
  During a sold-out 7:30 p.m. performance at The Mirage, Roy is critically mauled by a 7-year-old white tiger named Montecore. Roy is rushed to University Medical Center.

• October 4, 2003
  The Mirage announces the show is indefinitely canceled, closing after 5,750 performances. The show's employees are told to start pursuing other career options.