The Secret Life of Siegfried and Roy: How the Tiger Kings Tamed Las Vegas [Hardcover]

Jim Mydlach (Author), Jimmy Lavery (Author), Louis Mydlach (Author), Henrietta Tiefenthaler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2008

The Secret Life of Siegfried and Roy reveals the touching, little-known story of how two youngsters founded a friendship, a franchise, and a tempestuous on-and-off love affair that would last a lifetime.

On October 3, 2003, animal lover Roy Horn was savagely attacked on stage by his 600-pound white tiger, Montecore. Beating back death after he literally died on the operating table, dark-haired Roy fought for survival. Suddenly the show was over, or was it?

In the spotlight as never before, the mauling triggered the relentless press investigation into the secret world of these Las Vegas icons. For the first time ever, the authors detail Roy's traumatic recovery and the agonies of rehabilitating the partially paralyzed performer.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this light biography of Siegfried and Roy, the authors note that the entertainers kept their intimate lives private, leaving little for would-be biographers to reveal. Jim Mydlach, the duo's security officer for 25 years, his son Louis Mydlach, Roy's bodyguard after the tiger mauling in 2003, and Jim Lavery, longtime show consultant, pad their account with collateral material—the rise of the big Vegas hotels, Siegfried and Roy's various homes, parks and animal purchases, the vogue for white wild animals, the construction of a dolphin attraction at the Mirage and Liberace's sexual proclivities. Occasionally, they include actual Siegfried and Roy gossip, but it's in a coy, wink-wink voice: Insiders say beefcakes, not cupcakes, trigger their sexual appetites. While the authors try for a balanced narrative, it comes to light at the end that two of the authors have significant problems with their subjects. Louis sued Siegfried over his treatment of Roy, and Lavery sued Roy after he manipulated Lavery's lifelong girlfriend into ditching him. This isn't a comprehensive study of the work of Siegfried and Roy, but fans will still have fun with it. (June)
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 247 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Books; First Edition edition (June 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597775606
• ISBN-13: 978-1597775601
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #640,372 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A poor excuse for an unauthorized biography, April 26, 2008

By 

Ginny (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Life of Siegfried and Roy: How the Tiger Kings Tamed Las Vegas (Hardcover)

I never expect much from the "unauthorized biography" genre, but this has got to be the worst book I have ever read. Full of factual errors, chronological errors, and even grammatical errors, this "tell all" expose is really nothing more than a paraphrase of Siegfried and Roy's autobiography "Mastering the Imnpossible," with some quotes from tabloid publications thrown in for salacious value. In addition to being laughably poorly written, the book smacks of a greed and revenge motivated smear campaign on the part of two dismissed ex-employees and an ex-romantic interest. If you want good reading about Siegfried and Roy, you won't find it here. Save your time and money!

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating...And A Bit Creepy, May 5, 2008

By 

tides24 "tides24" (West Seneca, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Secret Life of Siegfried and Roy: How the Tiger Kings Tamed Las Vegas (Hardcover)

I was lucky enough to see Siegfried and Roy's show at the Mirage, from a seat right in front of the stage. It was totally awesome, one of the most memorable shows I've ever seen. Curious about the duo, I purchased this book. Well...The first thing that must be said, is that it was written by former employees, who would seem to have an axe to grind. The second thing that must be said, is that former employees know where all the bodies are buried; in this case, literally. So how much of this book is true? Hard to say. What can be said is that it is almost as fascinating as their show. Lots of "dirt" about lots of people, everyone from Steve Wynn to Liberace. Eccentric behavior in full measure (and beyond). And what really did happen the night Montecore attacked Roy? It's all a bit creepy at times, but it's sure a page-turner. Take it to the beach, this summer.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars TRASH by Disgruntled Employees!, April 25, 2008

By 

Marco "Marco" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Life of Siegfried and Roy: How the Tiger Kings Tamed Las Vegas (Hardcover)

What a piece of poorly written trash written by disgruntled employees! Don't waste your money buying this book or your time reading it.