Ricky Jay

Acting

Ricky Jay

Born 1946-06-26 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

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.

Acting credits

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

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

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

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

2008

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

House of Games poster
6.8

A psychiatrist comes to the aid of a compulsive gambler and is led by a smooth-talking grifter into the shadowy but compelling world of stings, scams, and con men.

House of Games

1987

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

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

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

Things Change poster
6.2

Jerry, a misfit Mafia henchman, is assigned the low-level job of keeping an eye on Gino, a shoe repairman fingered by the Mob to confess to a murder he didn't commit. But Gino's mistaken for a Mafia boss, and the two are suddenly catapulted to the highest levels of mobster status. Only friendship will see them through this dangerous adventure alive!

Things Change

1988

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

Incident at Loch Ness poster
5.9

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

No artwork available
6.4

This lost masterpiece of pornography was recently discovered in a woodworking shop of a Beverly Hills dentist. June Crenshaw (Kristen Bell) was known as the 'sex kitten' of the Supreme Court.

Lost Masterpieces of Pornography

2010

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

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

Behind the camera