Siegfried and Roy

Siegfried Fischbacher -- half of the famous Siegfried & Roy magic act -- has died just 2 days after announcing he had cancer ... and 8 months after his professional partner, Roy Horn.

Siegfried died Wednesday night at his home in Las Vegas from pancreatic cancer. His sister says he "fell asleep gently and peacefully."

The longtime magician had just announced his terminal diagnosis, and though he'd undergone a lengthy surgery to remove a malignant tumor ... the cancer had already spread. Siegfried was reportedly released from the hospital at his own request to spend his final days at home.

Vegas, of course, is where Siegfried & Roy made names for themselves ... with their popular act best known for featuring white tigers and lions. The duo performed together for 4 decades, best known for their run at The Mirage from 1990 until 2003 ... which was hailed the most visited show on the Strip.

Their act ended after Roy suffered a career-ending injury when a tiger named Montecore attacked him on stage, leaving him partially paralyzed.

Roy died last May at the age of 75 from complications of COVID-19. Siegfried said at the time, "The world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend."

Both men were from Germany -- they met while working on a cruise ship in 1957 -- and began a 50-year journey together in the entertainment biz. Siegfried once said ... "We did what we did out of love, not for success or money. We had a deep respect for each other. We literally raised each other: I created Roy and Roy created Siegfried."

Siegfried was 81.

Mantecore -- the white tiger that mauled Roy Horn ... has died after an illness.

The 380-pound tiger severely injured Horn on a Las Vegas stage back in 2003, leaving him partially paralyzed. Siegfried & Roy claimed then and continues to maintain it was NOT an attack. Instead, they say, Roy was having a mini-stroke and Mantecore saved his life by dragging him offstage.

Roy says of the tiger, "We spent many hours together and he never failed to bring me great joy and wonderment. It was my great honor to be beside him at the end. He is now playing with his siblings in white tiger heaven."

Legendary Vegas showmen Siegfried & Roy are lookin' every bit like a couple of retirees these days ... lounging in Hawaii.

10 years after Roy was mauled on stage by one of their famed white tigers ... the duo checked into a beach resort. Sieg combed the beach ... while Roy cruised the hotel grounds in a wheelchair.

Siegfried is 74 and Roy is 69. They look ok.

Roy Horn from Siegfried & Roy is LIVID over video footage currently being shopped to media outlets -- depicting the Vegas icon sexually assaulting his caretakers -- and now, he's threatening legal action if the tapes aren't turned over.

TMZ broke the story ... some disturbing video of Roy -- who's been going through rehab since a tiger mauled him in 2003 -- surfaced recently, showing Roy groping his caretakers against their will. The video is now being shopped around to the highest bidder.

We've seen the 2010 footage -- and it shows several instances of inappropriate behavior ... including Roy forcibly kissing a caretaker, grabbing two caretakers' penises, tweaking one's nipples ... and more.

Now, Roy's legal team is on the offensive -- firing off a cease and desist letter to the caretaker allegedly behind the tape deal, demanding the footage be turned over STAT.

According to the letter, the caretaker in question signed confidentiality agreements with Roy before his employment, and those agreements prohibit any kind of surreptitious video recording. It's interesting, because we're told Roy was the one who wanted the cameras because he thought people were stealing from him.

Roy claims the agreements also prohibit sharing such recordings with the media.

A graphic video showing Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy groping employees, grabbing their junk and squeezing their nipples is being shopped ... TMZ has learned.

We have seen the video, and it's extremely disturbing. Roy -- who was mauled by a tiger in 2003 -- has been going through rehab to strengthen his left side. But the physical therapists tell us, Roy's right side is "extremely strong," and the video clearly shows Roy sexually assaulting the male therapists.

The video -- shot in 2010 -- shows the following:

-- As a caretaker helps Roy to the bathroom, Horn shoves his hand into the man's butt crack in an aggressive manner

-- On another trip to the bathroom, Roy thrusts his rear end into the male caretaker's crotch

-- In two clips, Roy grabs the genitals of two male caretakers

-- Roy goes under the shirt of one caretaker and appears to tweak his nipples. The caretaker appears to writhe in pain

-- It appears Roy gets frustrated with one of the caretakers and violently whips him with an oxygen tube

-- Roy manhandles one of the caretakers and forcibly kisses him on the mouth

The 3 male caretakers in the video tell TMZ they are all straight and have families. They have sued Roy in Nevada court for the alleged sexual assaults.

The caretakers also tell us they went to the cops recently to file a crime report but were told the 1-year criminal statute of limitations had run out.

8 years ago, a white tiger bit the hell out of Roy ... but last night, Roy took a bite out of a white tiger.

One night before the 8th anniversary of the infamous tiger mauling ... Roy and his special friend Siegfried celebrated Roy's 67th birthday at the Mirage in Vegas on Sunday ... by diving in to a special white tiger birthday cake.