Ricky Jay

Ricky Jay
Jay at the premiere of Redbelt in April 2008
Born
Richard Jay Potash

(1946-06-26)June 26, 1946
DiedNovember 24, 2018(2018-11-24) (aged 72)
Occupations
  • Magician
  • actor
  • writer
Known forSleight of hand, card tricks, history of magic
Spouse
Chrisann Verges
(m. 2002)

Richard Jay Potash (June 26, 1946 – November 24, 2018)[1] was an American stage magician, actor, and writer. In a 1993 profile for The New Yorker, Mark Singer called Jay "perhaps the most gifted sleight of hand artist alive".[2] In addition to sleight of hand, he was known for his card tricks, card throwing, memory feats, and stage patter. He also wrote extensively on magic and its history. His acting credits include The Prestige, The Spanish Prisoner, Mystery Men, Heist, Boogie Nights, Tomorrow Never Dies, Heartbreakers, State and Main, House of Games, Magnolia, and Deadwood. In 2015, he was the subject of an episode of PBS's American Masters, the only magician ever profiled in the series.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference nyt-obit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Singer, Mark (April 5, 1993). "Secrets of the Magus". New Yorker. Vol. 69, no. 7. p. 54. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
  3. ^ "Ricky Jay: Deceptive Practice | About the Film | American Masters | PBS". American Masters. December 3, 2014. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2018.