Wizard Wednesday: Siegfried and Roy

Wizard Wednesday has arrived once more. With the greatest flair and overwhelming panache, Siegfried and Roy spread enchantment throughout the world. Together as undeniable superstars, they established precedents for what a grand theatrical magic show could be. This original photograph of the duo circa 1968 tells a story of the pair’s life before their later rise to international stardom. When they first teamed up, it was Siegfried who was the magician and Roy the assistant. So naturally, this photograph is inscribed simply “Siegfried and Partner.” As Roy’s undeniable presence onstage grew, the act became a true duo who shared billing for the rest of their career. To know the details of this photograph is to have a melancholic smile with knowledge of their future greatness they are unaware of.  It is the same smile magic lovers of the future will have when looking at early photographs of some of the young magicians reading this now, years before they fully discover themselves.