Ricky Jay
Acting
Biography
Ricky Jay (born Richard Jay Potash) was an actor, magician, cardsharp, and film consultant. Ricky's love and deep study of card tricks and deception gained him worldwide fame and respect, and he was often called in to consult for movies and TV shows where deception was a key element of the story. Ricky was an exceptional close-up magician and playing-card handler, but he also acted in movies such as Boogie Nights, Tomorrow Never Dies, and Magnolia, as well as TV shows like the X-Files, HBO's Deadwood, and David Mamet's The Unit, always playing intense characters who seemed to know everything but only handed out information in riddles and suggestions.
Born: June 26, 1946
Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Known For
The X-Files
The exploits of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who investigate X-Files: marginalized, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder believes in the existence of aliens and the paranormal while Scully, a skeptic, is assigned to make scientific analyses of Mulder's discoveries that debunk Mulder's work and thus return him to mainstream cases.
The Prestige
A mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy -- full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences.
Deadwood
The story of the early days of Deadwood, South Dakota; woven around actual historic events with most of the main characters based on real people. Deadwood starts as a gold mining camp and gradually turns from a lawless wild-west community into an organized wild-west civilized town. The story focuses on the real-life characters Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen.
The Simpsons
Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to guest star. The show has also made name for itself in its fearless satirical take on politics, media and American life in general.
Hustlers, Hoaxsters, Pranksters, Jokesters and Ricky Jay
A documentary about the life and work of sleight-of-hand artist Ricky Jay, with appearances by Ricky Jay, David Mamet and Steve Martin.
Doug Henning's World of Magic
Doug Henning's World of Magic was the first of seven annual prime-time television specials starring magician Doug Henning, which aired live on NBC Friday, December 26, 1975. Bill Cosby was the show's special guest, along with Gene Kelly (who introduced the special) and musical guest Lori Lieberman.
Magnolia
On one random day in the San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous lost son, a police officer in love, a boy genius, an ex-boy genius, a game show host and an estranged daughter will each become part of a dazzling multiplicity of plots, but one story.
Boogie Nights
Set in 1977, back when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, idealistic porn producer Jack Horner aspires to elevate his craft to an art form. Horner discovers Eddie Adams, a hot young talent working as a busboy in a nightclub, and welcomes him into the extended family of movie-makers, misfits and hangers-on that are always around. Adams' rise from nobody to a celebrity adult entertainer is meteoric, and soon the whole world seems to know his porn alter ego, "Dirk Diggler". Now, when disco and drugs are in vogue, fashion is in flux and the party never seems to stop, Adams' dreams of turning sex into stardom are about to collide with cold, hard reality.
That Moment: Magnolia Diary
A very in-depth documentary that follows the very over-worked director Paul Thomas Anderson through a gruelling 80+ days of shooting for the film Magnolia (1999), containing behind-the-scenes footage and interviews.
The Paul Daniels Magic Show
A British magic show and variety show that aired on BBC1 from 9 June 1979 to 18 June 1994. Daniels' assistant throughout the series was Debbie McGee, whom he married in 1988. At its peak in the 1980s, the show regularly attracted viewing figures of 15 million and was sold to 43 countries.
Filmography
as Uncle Josh
as T.H. Vignetti
as Thoracic Surgeon
as Narrator (voice)
as Man in Warehouse
as Narrator (voice)
as Marty Brown
as Gil Bellamy
as Himself
as Self
as Milton
as Himself
as Detective
as Self - Party Guest
as Eddie Sawyer
as Himself
as Don 'Pinky' Pincus
as Dawson's Auctioneer
as Jack
as Self
as Burt Ramsey / Narrator
as Vic Weems
as Henry Gupta
as George Lang
as Kurt Longjohn
as The Hat
as The Amazing Maleeni / Herman Pinchbeck / Albert Pinchbeck
as Kerns
as Ratty Inventor
as Aaron
as Ricky Jay (voice)
as Mr. Silver
as George
as Self
as Self / Patron
as Self