“Siegfried & Roy: The Original Tiger Kings” Leads July 2023 Premieres Presenting Their Groundbreaking Legacy of Big Cat Magic and Revealing the Secrets They Kept

REELZ today announced its July 2023 premieres are led by new original documentary special Siegfried & Roy: The Original Tiger Kings about the legacy of illusion built by the famed master magicians before tragedy toppled their tiger empire. The iconic duo blended dazzling magic with an endless parade of tigers and other exotic animals onstage mere feet from captivated audiences. But behind the legacy and wildly lucrative brand there were lies spun to protect the illusion empire including early attacks by the big cats kept hidden from the press, the origins of the famous white tigers and the circumstances and aftermath surrounding the fateful attack that caused career ending injuries to Roy. Sharing his experience as former stagehand for Siegfried and Roy is Charles Flannery who was attacked by a tiger at the magicians’ sprawling compound while Big Cat Rescue CEO and Tiger King star Carole Baskin shares what she thinks about the Siegfried and Roy empire and veteran Las Vegas reporter Norm Clarke discusses how the big cat act transformed the town and redefined live entertainment. July 2023 premieres also include new episodes of hit documentary series On Patrol: Live Friday and Saturday nights @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT.

“Our July premieres are led by a riveting story about one of the most famous and grand entertainment spectacles ever in the Siegfried and Roy magic show,” said Steve Cheskin, REELZ SVP of Programming. “The master magicians helped kick off tiger mania across the world and their magic wowed millions but the real stories intertwined with their groundbreaking legacy raise interesting questions for our viewers to consider.”

July 2023 premieres kick off with live action in primetime with new episodes of On Patrol: Live on Fridays and Saturdays @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT. On Patrol: Live follows live news-gathering protocols as its cameras document for viewers in real time the work of police officers on patrol from diverse departments across the country. Host and executive producer Dan Abrams, alongside Sgt. Sean “Sticks” Larkin (ret.) and Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson provide minute-by-minute live analysis and context, offering unique insight into the experiences of men and women of law enforcement appearing on the show. Before every new episode of On Patrol: Live is a new episode of On Patrol: First Shift every Friday and Saturday night @ 8PM ET/ 5PM PT featuring Abrams, Larkin, and Wilson who provide updates of past stories covered by the show and present a look forward to the coming live episode.

An exciting and unpredictable live show was also a massive part of the draw for master illusionists Siegfried and Roy. The duo headlined their Las Vegas show for a staggering 23 years and 5,750 live shows becoming the highest-paid entertainers in Las Vegas history selling more than a billion dollars worth of tickets to awestruck audiences. Siegfried & Roy: The Original Tiger Kings on Sunday, July 9 @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT presents the story of the iconic duo from their early shows in small showrooms with small cats to their five-year $57 million contract to perform at The Mirage hotel and casino for 48 weeks of the year and the fallout after Roy was mauled on stage. Helping to tell the story of Siegfried and Roy is tiger expert Terry Gilley, world renowned illusionist Rick Thomas and longtime Las Vegas reporter Steve Friess.

Below is July 2023 programming listed by premiere date and time. Full synopses for every show follow this list.

Friday, July 7

*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift @ 8PM ET/ 5PM PT

*NEW* On Patrol: Live @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT

Saturday, July 8

*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift @ 8PM ET/ 5PM PT

*NEW* On Patrol: Live @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT

Sunday, July 9

*NEW* Siegfried & Roy: The Original Tiger Kings @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT

Friday, July 14

*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift @ 8PM ET/ 5PM PT

*NEW* On Patrol: Live @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT

Saturday, July 15

*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift @ 8PM ET/ 5PM PT

*NEW* On Patrol: Live @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT

Friday, July 21

*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift @ 8PM ET/ 5PM PT

*NEW* On Patrol: Live @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT

Saturday, July 22

*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift @ 8PM ET/ 5PM PT

*NEW* On Patrol: Live @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT

Friday, July 28

*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift @ 8PM ET/ 5PM PT

*NEW* On Patrol: Live @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT

Saturday, July 29

*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift @ 8PM ET/ 5PM PT

*NEW* On Patrol: Live @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT

On Patrol: First Shift new episodes on Fridays and Saturdays @ 8PM ET/ 5PM PT. Dan Abrams, Sean “Sticks” Larkin and Curtis Wilson provide updates of past stories covered by the show and present a look forward to the coming live episode. On Patrol: First Shift is produced by Half Moon Pictures for REELZ.

On Patrol: Live new episodes on Fridays and Saturdays @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT. On Patrol: Live follows live news-gathering protocols as its more than 50 cameras document for viewers in real time the everyday work of police officers on patrol. Series host and Executive Producer Dan Abrams, alongside Sgt. Sean “Sticks” Larkin (ret.) and Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson, provide minute-by-minute live analysis and context, offering viewers unique insight into the experiences of the men and women of law enforcement appearing on the show. On Patrol: Live also engages the community by inviting them into the series. “Citizen Ride-Alongs” give local residents, within the communities of the departments appearing on the show, a first-hand perspective as they ride along with officers followed by On Patrol: Live cameras on live nights; “Citizens On-Set” invites community members into the studio as guests where they can share their Ride-Along experiences and observations and comment on the night’s live activities. Both features offer a unique opportunity for viewers and members of the community to gain unprecedented access to law enforcement – from routine calls and high-stakes incidents to tracking down fugitives of justice and recovering missing children. The live show content is complemented by public-service segments dedicated to tracking down America’s worst and most wanted criminals as well as finding missing children through weekly “Missing” segments that air in conjunction with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Black and Missing Foundation (BAMFI). During these segments, series hosts Dan Abrams, Sean “Sticks” Larkin, and Curtis Wilson call on the viewing public and OPL’s broad social media footprint, known as #OPNation, to reach out to NCMEC’s and BAMFI’s special hotlines, should they have any information related to the missing persons. The segments are also shared via the show’s platforms on Twitter (@OfficialOPLive), Instagram (@officialoplive) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ReelzOfficialOPLive/). On Patrol: Live is produced by Half Moon Pictures for REELZ. Executive Producers are Dan Cesareo, John Zito, Lucilla D’Agostino, Paul Gordon, Joe Venafro and Dan Abrams.

Siegfried & Roy: The Original Tiger Kings premieres on Sunday, July 9 @ 9PM ET/ 6PM PT. Las Vegas is a glamorous playground for spectacle and seeing the impossible and none signified that more than groundbreaking illusionists Siegfried and Roy. Renowned for blending magic with their astonishing killer-cat interactions their act set a new high bar for live show entertainment resulting in millions of tickets sold and billions of dollars made. But life in the ultra-exotic world of Siegfried and Roy may not have always been what it seemed as the magicians lived by the art of illusion off stage as well as painstakingly crafting myths about their relationships with their tigers and even with each other. Then after building that empire based on smoke, mirrors, and giant cats Siegfried and Roy’s longstanding world of illusions was destroyed by one fateful onstage encounter with a rogue tiger in front of a sold-out audience. That horrific attack shocked the world, unleashed a torrent of wild conspiracy theories, and forever redefined their legacy. Siegfried & Roy: The Original Tiger Kings is produced by AMS Pictures.

About REELZ – REAL LIVES. REAL STORIES. REAL CELEBRITIES.®

REELZ is a leading independent television network that is home to the hit original series On Patrol: Live that follows law enforcement officers live from a diverse mix of police departments and sheriff offices across America. REELZ original programming is focused on real people in revealing stories ranging from the critically acclaimed and award-winning The Kennedys to Autopsy: The Last Hours of… and the network is also home to true crime stories and law enforcement action including Gangsters: America’s Most Wanted, Mobsters, COPS, COPS Reloaded and Jail that take place in real communities across America.