Igor Kio (Hirschfeld) - biography

Igor Kio (b. March 13, 1944 - d. Moscow, August 30, 2006) was a Russian illusionist with the Russian Circus Association. A member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, he won numerous awards including People's Artist of the Russian Federation and an Oscar from Belgium.

Igor was born into a family of circus performers, to another noted Russian magician Emil Kio. Taught from birth, he began appearing in front of audiences at the age of 5. By the age of 15, he was working professionally as a magician.

In addition to his work with the state circus company, he often performed on television, including an annual New Years Day program in the 1980s.

He was married briefly to Galina Brezhneva, the daughter of Leonid Brezhnev, a union which lasted only 9 days.