Siegfried: Tiger confused, tried to protect Roy

Thursday, Oct. 9, 2003 | 9:50 a.m.

The white tiger that critically injured Roy Horn did not attack him -- it was just confused and accidentally injured him while trying to protect him, Horn's partner, Siegfried Fischbacher and the duo's longtime manager said Wednesday night.

Fischbacher and Bernie Yuman gave that explanation to Larry King during a live national broadcast on CNN's "Larry King Live."

Fischbacher said the 7-year-old white tiger named Montecore had grabbed Horn on the sleeve about 45 minutes into their 7:30 p.m. performance at the Mirage on Friday. Horn had ordered it to let go, and when it did, Horn tripped and fell, Fischbacher told King.

When the tiger moved toward Horn, "of course, at that moment, I ran" toward them," Fischbacher said. "I realize -- I thought, 'Roy's in danger.' I run. Also my animal helper who was on the side and watching careful. And we run and we try to separate (the tiger from Horn.) And, I realize that the tiger took -- and the tiger took Roy by the neck and he pulled him backstage."

Fischbacher said Horn did hit the tiger with a microphone, once the tiger was on top of him.

"He tipped him in the nose, which" is something Horn often did as part of his cues to the tiger, Fischbacher said.

"This is nothing," Fischbacher said. "It happens a lot. It's just a little reminder. 'Come on now,' you know?"

Fischbacher said that the tiger grabbed Horn by the neck because it was just confused and trying to protect Horn. Tigers move cubs around by the scruff of the neck, Fischbacher and Yuman pointed out.

"I say it was an accident," Fischbacher said. "I think (the tiger) wanted to protect (Roy). He took Roy backstage behind the curtain, and Roy said, 'Don't harm the tiger.' "

Yuman said: "This was not an attack, this was not a mauling, this was (the tiger) taking his friend to safety."

Audience members previously had said, however, that the tiger had refused to comply with one of Horn's orders and that the cat lunged at Horn and appeared aggressive, especially after Horn smacked the cat on the head with a microphone several times.

Fischbacher said that when people rushed toward the tiger to try to help Horn, that made the animal more confused and more protective of Horn, so he wouldn't let him go. A carpenter had to spray the tiger in the face with fire extinguisher fumes, the carbon dioxide forcing the animal to back off.

Horn suffered a "huge loss of blood," Yuman said. "It was nip-and-tuck, really, for the first few minutes. He was clinging to life by a thread."

Fischbacher and Yuman said they believe Horn knows that the tiger did not mean to hurt him and that's why even in the ambulance, which arrived four minutes after the attack, Horn insisted no harm should come to the cat.

After two surgeries and a stroke, Horn remains in critical condition, University Medical Center Cheryl Persinger said on Wednesday.

Asked if Horn recognized him, Fischbacher said: "Of course, I know (he recognizes me), he squeezed my hand (indicating) yes."

Fischbacher said Horn gave him a thumbs-up signal earlier Wednesday.

Mirage officials say the show has been closed and are assisting the show's 267 workers in finding new jobs.

When King asked Fischbacher about the future of the show, Fischbacher said, "I couldn't do it alone. I am the magician and he is the magic."

The Mirage's Siegfried & Roy marquee remains alight at night.

"There'll be a Siegfried & Roy as long as Roy is alive," Yuman said, but whether Horn is able to perform again is not known.

King showed film clips of previous interviews with the duo and parts of their performances. Horn, in one interview, said Siegfried and Roy would never retire.

"Siegfried and I would never retire," he said in the previous interview. "We are always creating. You have to prove something in life."

"I miss the stage," Fischbacher said after the clips. "I miss the audience."

Yuman said: "Most of all, we miss Roy."