Ricky Jay, magician and actor, RIP
Ricky Jay, master sleight-of-hand magician, actor and author, died on Saturday (11/24) at his home in Los Angeles. He was 72. His skill with card tricks and other up-close magic made him a regular on talk shows before David Mamet cast him in 1987’s House of Games, his first of many films with the writer-director that also launched a very successful acting career. He played a cameraman in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights and narrated Magnolia, was one of the bad guys in 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, memorably played card sharp Eddie Sawyer on the first season of Deadwood, and more.
He was also an author, having written 11 books, and co-founded visual effects consulting company Deceptive Practices that, among other things, designed the Lt. Dan’s wheelchair in Forrest Gump that made Gary Sinise appear to be a double amputee. He performed his first NYC shows in 10 years back in 2016. Ricky, who appeared in the first season of Deadwood, was not attached to appear in the new movie that is filming now.
Rest in peace, Ricky, you were one of a kind. Watch a few clips of Ricky working his magic, below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl_B47wG-kQ
