Ricky Jay

Acting

Ricky Jay

Born — Died

1946-06-26 — 2018-11-24

Place of birth

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Known for

Acting

Credits

55 titles

Richard Jay Potash (June 26, 1946 – November 24, 2018) was an American 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.

Known for

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson poster
7.6

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon poster
5.8

After Jay Leno's second retirement from the program, Jimmy Fallon stepped in as his permanent replacement. After 42 years in Los Angeles the program was brought back to New York.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

2014

The Simpsons poster
8.0

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.

The Simpsons

1989

The Mike Douglas Show poster
5.8

The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.

The Mike Douglas Show

1961

Saturday Night Live poster
6.9

A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.

Saturday Night Live

1975

The X-Files poster
8.4

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 X-Files

1993

Film credits

2010s · 4 titles

2000s · 14 titles

The Prestige poster
8.2

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.

The Prestige

2006

The Brothers Bloom poster
6.6

The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they've decided to take on one last job – showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world.

The Brothers Bloom

2009

State and Main poster
6.3

The residents of a small Vermont town don't know what hit them when a beleaguered Hollywood film crew brings a chaotic shoot to their quaint village.

State and Main

2000

The Great Buck Howard poster
6.0

When a law school dropout answers an advertisement to be a personal assistant he unknowingly signs on to work for a belligerent has-been magician struggling to resurrect his career. This leads to a journey across the country staging the comeback of a lifetime.

The Great Buck Howard

2008

Heist poster
6.3

Joe Moore has a job he loves. He's a thief. His job goes sour when he gets caught on security camera tape. His fence, Bergman, reneges on the money he's owed, and his wife may be betraying him with the fence's young lieutenant. Moore and his partner, Bobby Blane, and their utility man, Pinky Pincus, find themselves broke, betrayed, and blackmailed. Moore is forced to commit his crew to do one last big job.

Heist

2001

Heartbreakers poster
6.1

Max and Page are a brilliant mother/daughter con team who have their grift down to a fine science. Max targets wealthy, willing men and marries them. Page then seduces them, and Max catches her husband in the act. Then it's off to palimony city and the next easy mark.

Heartbreakers

2001

Last Days poster
5.6

The life and struggles of a notorious rock musician seeping into a pit of loneliness whose everyday life involves friends and family seeking financial aid and favors, inspired by rock music legend Kurt Cobain and his final hours.

Last Days

2005

Redbelt poster
6.4

Martial artist Mike Terry lives by a strict code of no competitions, for he feels that such contests weaken fighters. After saving a famous action star from a brutal attack, Mike takes a job in the film industry. He soon finds his personal beliefs and integrity on the line as circumstances force him to participate in a prize fight.

Redbelt

2008

Ricky Jay Plays Poker poster
5.9

This is the companion video to Ricky Jay's selection of poker tunes entitled "Ricky Jay plays poker." It features John C. Riley and other famous people, sitting around a table headed by the incomparable Mr. Jay, discussing poker, sleight of hand, and proposition bets.

Ricky Jay Plays Poker

2007

That Moment: Magnolia Diary poster
7.7

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.

That Moment: Magnolia Diary

2000

Incident at Loch Ness poster
5.8

When renowned director Werner Herzog and fellow filmmaker Zak Penn set off to explore the legend of Scotland's Loch Ness monster, they uncover much more than they bargained for. Unexplained sightings of the creature and chaos among the crew create an uneasy feeling that things aren't what they seem.

Incident at Loch Ness

2004

David Mamet on 'House of Games' poster
NR

A documentary that is made up of video footage shot during the making of the film. It includes interview segments with Mamet and Crouse, and then footage from the set and shoot are place

David Mamet on 'House of Games'

2005

David Mamet on House of Games poster
NR

A documentary filmed on location and behind the scenes during the making of David Mamet's 1987 film HOUSE OF GAMES

David Mamet on House of Games

2007

The Making of Last Days poster
NR

Behind-the-scenes documentary of Gus Van Sant's "Last Days."

The Making of Last Days

2004

1990s · 12 titles

Boogie Nights poster
7.6

In 1977, an idealistic porn producer and his promising protege try to catch up with the end of an era before their never-ending party collides with cold, hard reality.

Boogie Nights

1997

Tomorrow Never Dies poster
6.4

A deranged media mogul is staging international incidents to pit the world's superpowers against each other. Now James Bond must take on this evil mastermind in an adrenaline-charged battle to end his reign of terror and prevent global pandemonium.

Tomorrow Never Dies

1997

Magnolia poster
7.7

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.

Magnolia

1999

Mystery Men poster
5.9

When Champion City's hero Captain Amazing is kidnapped by the recently paroled supervillain Casanova Frankenstein, a trio of average, everyday superheroes -- Mr. Furious, the Shoveler and the Blue Raja -- assemble a new super team to save him.

Mystery Men

1999

The Spanish Prisoner poster
6.8

An inventor of a secret process suddenly finds himself alone as both his friends and the corporation he works for turn against him.

The Spanish Prisoner

1997

Homicide poster
6.3

While investigating the ruthless murder of an elderly woman, a Jewish police detective unravels a bizarre conspiracy involving a Zionist organization.

Homicide

1991

The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky poster
6.0

A young ranger in the Montana wilderness discovers the great forces of nature while learning the importance of honor, trust and integrity. Legendary veteran ranger Bill Bell educates the young man and guides him toward manhood. The year is 1919-a time when being a ranger meant more than operating expensive equipment. Forest fires were fought with guts and courage, not chemicals and airplanes. Bill Bell was the toughest ranger in an elite crew of very rugged men. A figure of heroic proportions, he was generally feared and respected by all. It was even rumored that he had at one time killed a sheep farmer, which only fueled his already enormous reputation. The young ranger does everything to remain in the good graces of Bill Bell, the senior ranger he idolizes. Their tentative rapport grows into a friendship through a hilarious and heroic rite of passage in which the younger ranger meets the test-and the woman of his dreams.

The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky

1995

Sink Or Swim poster
5.3

Brian is a television writer-producer who has to script a 22-episode anthology, but lacks inspiration. He witnesses a strange romantic encounter between two figures on the balcony of hotel near his flat and decides to write scripts with his writer friends based on what he saw.

Sink Or Swim

1997

Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants poster
7.3

Sleight of hand magician Ricky Jay blends light comedy and close-up magic to entertain a live audience. He discusses everything from the birth of the classic cup and balls trick to 14th century poetry.

Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants

1996

Hustlers, Hoaxsters, Pranksters, Jokesters and Ricky Jay poster
8.5

A documentary about the life and work of sleight-of-hand artist Ricky Jay, with appearances by Ricky Jay, David Mamet and Steve Martin.

Hustlers, Hoaxsters, Pranksters, Jokesters and Ricky Jay

1996

The Water Engine poster
5.8

In the 1930s, Charles Lang invents an engine that runs using water for fuel. But when he tries to get it patented, he is first offered a ridiculously low amount. When he refuses, he is suddenly several people are pressuring him to sell. The big oil companies don't want the competition. Now he has to try and keep them from getting his idea, and somehow get it published.

The Water Engine

1992

Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women poster
7.0

Based on Ricky Jay's book of the same title, this TV special was made up of a combination of magic, juggling, amazing feats, stunts and performances, including a musical performance on wine glasses, a human calculator who could determine cube-routes of numbers in her head and an antique acrobatic clockwork doll.

Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women

1990

Series credits

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson poster
7.6

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon poster
5.8

After Jay Leno's second retirement from the program, Jimmy Fallon stepped in as his permanent replacement. After 42 years in Los Angeles the program was brought back to New York.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

2014

The Simpsons poster
8.0

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.

The Simpsons

1989

The Mike Douglas Show poster
5.8

The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.

The Mike Douglas Show

1961

Saturday Night Live poster
6.9

A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.

Saturday Night Live

1975

The X-Files poster
8.4

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 X-Files

1993

Teen Titans Go! poster
6.4

Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg return in all-new, comedic adventures. They may be super heroes who save the world every day ... but somebody still has to do the laundry!

Teen Titans Go!

2013

Lie to Me poster
7.9

The world's leading deception researcher, Dr. Cal Lightman, studies facial expression, body language and tone of voice to determine when a person is lying and why, which helps law enforcement and government agencies uncover the truth. But his skills also make it easier for him to deceive others.

Lie to Me

2009

The Unit poster
7.4

A covert team of special forces operatives risk their lives on undercover missions around the globe, while their wives maintain the homefront, protecting their husbands' secrets.

The Unit

2006

Deadwood poster
8.1

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.

Deadwood

2004

Sneaky Pete poster
7.5

A con man on the run from a vicious gangster takes cover from his past by assuming the identity of his prison cellmate, Pete, “reuniting” with Pete’s estranged family, a colorful, dysfunctional group that threatens to drag him into a world just as dangerous as the one he’s trying to escape - and, just maybe, give him a taste of the loving family he’s never had.

Sneaky Pete

2015

FlashForward poster
7.0

When the entire world blacks out for two minutes and seventeen seconds, everyone sees a flash of their own future 6 months from the present. For some, the future is hopeful, while for others, it is unexpected. For a few, it doesn't seem to exist. Knowing their fate will alter each person's life, destinies will be changed.

FlashForward

2009

Getting On poster
6.4

Set in a geriatric extended care wing of a down-at-the-heels hospital, Getting On follows put-upon nurses, anxious doctors and administrators as they struggle with the darkly comic, brutally honest and quietly compassionate realities of caring for the elderly.

Getting On

2013

Muppets Tonight poster
7.5

Muppets Tonight is a live-action/puppet television series created by Jim Henson Productions and featuring The Muppets. Much like the "MuppeTelevision" segment of The Jim Henson Hour, Muppets Tonight was a continuation of The Muppet Show, set in a television studio, rather than a theater. It ran on ABC from 1996 to 1998 and reruns ran on Disney Channel from 1997 to 2002.

Muppets Tonight

1996

The Paul Daniels Magic Show poster
7.7

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.

The Paul Daniels Magic Show

1979

Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood poster
5.4

Each installment focuses on a different era of American movie history, from the invention of the first moving pictures to the revolutionary, cutting-edge films of the 1960s.

Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood

2010

Ring of the Musketeers poster
4.0

Follows the adventures of the modern-day descendants of the Four Musketeers, who help protect the honor of the innocent.

Ring of the Musketeers

1992

Doug Henning's World of Magic poster
7.5

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.

Doug Henning's World of Magic

1975

No artwork available
NR

This four-hour historical documentary blends film footage, stills, literature and artifacts to paint a complex picture of the role that legerdemain has played down through the centuries.

The Story of Magic

1997

Behind the camera