Siegfried & Roy memorabilia a hot commodity

Kirk Baird

Friday, Oct. 10, 2003 | 11:22 a.m.

Siegfried & Roy are no longer performing, but the act continues to be a hot ticket.

Especially on eBay.

With the duo's show at The Mirage officially canceled, Siegfried & Roy merchandise has become a hot commodity at the online auction house.

As one seller put it: "Here's a chance to own a little piece of history and memories."

A recent search on eBay for "siegfried and roy" turned up 112 products, from autographed posters and "Gift for the Ages" show guides to coffee mugs and stuffed white tigers.

There was even a videotaped copy of Larry King's CNN interview on Wednesday night with Siegfried.

Said one opportunistic hawker of a Siegfried & Roy collector book: "Rumor has it there will never be another 'Siegfried and Roy' show EVER!!! There will be 100s of upset fans -- all that will be left are the memories and the collectibles ... don't miss out on the last of these historical books!!!!"

Even seemingly insignificant Siegfried & Roy souvenirs from Las Vegas have become collectors items.

Showbiz magazine, for example, is given away to guests at many local hotels. Nevertheless, bidding for a Sept. 30, 2001, issue that features Roy on the cover with one of the white tigers had begun at $4.95 and was up to $28.88 on Thursday.

"The article talks about Roy's demeanor backstage at The Mirage and the duo's efforts to help victims of the 9-11 tragedy in NYC," wrote the seller. "The photos are beautiful. See a tiger cub bite Roy's leg and an incredible photo of a barefoot Roy showing off his muscles. There's also a story on Siegfried & Roy visiting Frank Marino, the star of 'La Cage.' "

Another Showbiz magazine from the same seller had 17 bids so far.

The issue from Sept. 29, 2002, features a head shot of Roy with the caption: "Simply Roy: Reflections of a Magician."

The seller writes: "The article ... talks about Roy and how the stage is his life and his life is the stage. It discusses how Roy's work ethic makes him perform even under difficult circumstances. It also discusses Roy's passion for the preservation of exotic felines and goes through a typical day in Roy's life. It is a very revealing and intimate look."

The bidding for that issue of what was once a free magazine had risen to $67.88 with four days remaining for bids.

Some of the more interesting items include a video copy of Siegfried & Roy's short-lived animated series "Masters of the Impossible," a CD import (no word if the two are singing on the disc), a souvenir program from the duo's show at the Frontier and a collage of clippings from the performers' career.