Performer Roy Horn Out of Hospital

Dec. 24, 2003 — -- Las Vegas showman Roy Horn is home from the hospital, slowly recovering from the on-stage accident that was initially blamed on a tiger attack, Siegfried Fischbacher told Barbara Walters during an interview for 20/20.

"He's moving. He's giving me signs. He's writing," Fischbacher told ABCNEWS. "He's thinking perfectly."

Horn was released from the U.C.L.A. medical center Dec. 22 and returned to Las Vegas where he last performed his long-running stage show.

Illusionist Fischbacher and animal specialist Horn were both survivors of Hitler's Germany and of alcoholic fathers. Together, they forged a family that grew to include 63 tigers, 16 lions and an assortment of other exotic creatures.

They had a perfectly timed show until the night of Oct. 3 when Horn was dragged from the stage by their 7-year-old tiger, Montecore. Fischbacher insists the tiger is not to blame, describing what occurred as an animal helping his master.

"He fell on stage and Montecore sees that," Fischbacher told ABCNEWS. "Gently he carried Roy on stage behind the curtain … And that was it. And then he was lost too, because it is dark."

Fischbacher said his professional partner initially fell after suffering a minor stroke caused by a bad reaction to new blood pressure medication. He is certain that if the animal wanted to attack Horn the results would have been disastrous.

"I would be not here because when I walk there and want to separate [them], he would attack me too," said Fischbacher. "He would, and the audience would be crazy panic, it would be worse than the sinking of the Titanic."

Show Began With Cheetah on a Cruise Ship

For 44 years audiences were dazzled by the magic and theatrics of Siegfried and Roy, who first met on a cruise ship and decided to combine efforts on stage.

Fischbacher, a steward who performed magic tricks, invited cabin boy Horn to assist during his magic show. "What a great performance I gave. And he was not very impressed!" said Fischbacher. "And he said 'now tell me — what you just did with the rabbit could you do the same thing with a cheetah?'"