Magic History: Watch Siegfried & Roy’s First Television Appearance

 Long before the white tigers, enormous Las Vegas productions and international fame, Siegfried & Roy were two young entertainers building an act that would eventually change the scale of magic in Las Vegas.

This remarkable vintage footage, titled Siegfried & Roy’s First TV Appearance, gives magic fans a chance to see the legendary duo near the beginning of that journey.

Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn originally met while working aboard the German luxury liner TS Bremen. Siegfried was already performing magic for passengers, while Roy eventually became involved in the act.

Roy then proposed an idea that would help define their careers: incorporating an exotic animal into Siegfried's magic.

Roy had a cheetah named Chico, and the animal was added to the act. The response helped convince the pair that they had discovered something different. Siegfried would later explain that in show business it wasn't enough simply to be good—you had to be different.

That philosophy would eventually become one of the defining characteristics of Siegfried & Roy.

An Early Look at Two Future Las Vegas Legends

Historical accounts identify a 1968 French television appearance connected with the Lido in Paris as their first appearance on French television.

Watching footage from this early period is fascinating because viewers can see elements of the performers they would eventually become.

The theatrical presentation, costumes, choreography, magic and use of animals were already helping distinguish Siegfried & Roy from traditional magic acts.

But their biggest accomplishments were still ahead of them.

After performing throughout Europe, the duo made their way to Las Vegas. In 1967 they appeared at the Tropicana's Folies Bergère, and their presence on the Strip continued to grow during the following decades.

Eventually, Siegfried & Roy became synonymous with Las Vegas spectacle.

Their productions combined large-scale illusions, elaborate scenery, dancers and exotic animals in a way few magic acts had attempted on such a scale.

From Early Television to The Mirage

Perhaps the greatest chapter of their career began in 1990 when Siegfried & Roy opened their production at The Mirage.

The show became one of the signature attractions of the Las Vegas Strip and continued until 2003.

It's remarkable to compare that massive production with footage like this.

Every legendary career has a beginning.

Before the custom theater, before the white tigers became internationally famous and before their names were permanently associated with Las Vegas entertainment, there were performances like this one.

For students and fans of magic history, early footage is especially valuable because it allows us to see that evolution rather than simply reading about it.

You can see two performers developing the style, image and ideas that would eventually make Siegfried & Roy two of the most recognizable magicians in the world.

Watch the Historic Performance

Take a trip back to the early days of Siegfried & Roy and watch this fascinating piece of magic history.