Ricky Jay
Biography
Ricky Jay was a magician, actor and author from the United States, known for sleight of hand, card tricks, throwing cards and memory displays. Born in Brooklyn, he grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and his grandfather introduced him to magic. He made his first public appearances as a child, including a television performance at seven. A 1993 New Yorker profile by Mark Singer described him as possibly the most gifted sleight of hand artist then living. David Mamet directed three of his one-man shows and cast him in House of Games (1987), The Spanish Prisoner (1997) and Redbelt (2008). His other screen credits included Boogie Nights (1997), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Mystery Men (1999), State and Main (2000), Heist (2001), The Prestige (2006) and The Brothers Bloom (2008). He appeared in Deadwood and wrote an episode, consulted on magic for film and stage, and was the subject of a 2015 American Masters episode.
72years old at death
- Born Brooklyn
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
- Richard Jay Potash (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 15
- Career span
- 25 years1987 to 2012
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First role
Ricky Jay gave his first public performance at seven, in 1953, appearing on the television show Time for Pets. He was probably the youngest magician ever to perform a complete magic act on TV.
A first
Ricky Jay was the only magician ever profiled in PBS's American Masters, when the series devoted an episode to him in 2015.
Own stunts
Ricky Jay held a Guinness World Record for throwing a playing card 190 feet at 90 mph, and could throw a card into a watermelon rind from ten paces.
Behind the camera
Ricky Jay joined the cast of HBO's Deadwood in 2004 as card sharp Eddie Sawyer and also wrote the first-season episode "Jewel's Boot Is Made for Walking."
Getting ready for a role
Ricky Jay taught Robert Redford coin manipulation for The Natural, and he also worked with Douglas Trumbull on the Showscan project New Magic.
Ricky Jay movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
David Mamet directed six of these films. William H. Macy appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
William H. Macy's page
Jack Wallace's page
Rebecca Pidgeon's page
Joe Mantegna's page
Gene Hackman's page
Philip Seymour Hoffman's page
All films by David Mamet
Also two films together12 more actors
- Clark GreggState and Main (2000) and The Spanish Prisoner (1997)
- J.T. WalshThings Change (1988) and House of Games (1987)
- Patti LuPoneHeist (2001) and State and Main (2000)
- Stacey TravisThe Great Buck Howard (2008) and Heartbreakers (2001)
- Felicity HuffmanThe Spanish Prisoner (1997) and Things Change (1988)
- J.J. JohnstonThe Spanish Prisoner (1997) and Things Change (1988)
- Mike NussbaumThings Change (1988) and House of Games (1987)
- Steven GoldsteinThings Change (1988) and House of Games (1987)
- Tony MametState and Main (2000) and The Spanish Prisoner (1997)
- Allen SouleState and Main (2000) and House of Games (1987)
- Charlotte PotokState and Main (2000) and The Spanish Prisoner (1997)
- G. Roy LevinThe Spanish Prisoner (1997) and House of Games (1987)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Ricky Jay's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$636 million
12 of the 15 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 15 films: 12 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only.
- 12Worldwide figure
- 3US gross only
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 98% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$333M52.4% of the total
- 2$110M17.2% of the total
- 3$58M9.1% of the total
- 4$43M6.8% of the total
- 5$30M4.7% of the total
- 6$29M4.5% of the total
- 7$14M2.2% of the total
- 8$9.2M1.4% of the total
$10.9 millionfrom the other 4 films with a worldwide figure, 2% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.