Ricky Jay Biography (1948-)

Originally, Jay was a middle name, legally changed to a surname; born 1948, in Brooklyn, New York, NY; grandson of Max Katz (a certified public accountant); married Chrisann Verges (a production manager and producer). Addresses: Agent: Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality
American
Gender
Female
Occupation
Actor, producer, magician, consultant, writer
Birth Details
1948
Brooklyn, New York, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Film Appearances
  • George and Vegas man, House of Games, Orion, 1987
  • Mr. Silver, Things Change, Columbia, 1988
  • Aaron, Homicide, Triumph Releasing, 1991
  • Kearns, Ring of the Musketeers (also known as Der Ring der Musketiere), Columbia/TriStar Home Video, 1994
  • George Lang, The Spanish Prisoner, Sony Pictures Classics, 1997
  • The Hat, Hacks (also known as Sink or Swim and The Big Twist), Rigorous Productions, 1997
  • Kurt Longjohn, Boogie Nights, New Line Cinema, 1997
  • Henry Gupta, Tomorrow Never Dies, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1997
  • Vic Weems, Mystery Men, Universal, 1999
  • Burt Ramsey, Magnolia (also known as mag-no'li-a), New LineCinema, 1999
  • Jack, State and Main (also known as Sequences et consequences), New Line Cinema, 2000
  • Himself, That Moment: Magnolia Diary (also known as That Moment: Magnolia Diary October 1998--March 2000), New Line Home Video, 2000
  • Himself, Grateful Dawg, Sony Pictures Classics, 2000
  • Dawson's auctioneer, Heartbreakers, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2001
  • Don "Pinky" Pincus, Heist (also known as Le vol), Warner Bros., 2001
  • Film Work
  • Technical advisor, The Escape Artist, Orion/Warner Bros., 1982
  • Magic advisor, New Magic (short film), Showscan Film Corporation,1983
  • Consultant for confidence games, House of Games, Orion, 1987
  • Sleight of hand consultant, Sneakers, Universal, 1992
  • Illusion wheelchair designer, Forrest Gump, Paramount, 1994
  • Martini illusion, Congo, 1995
  • Technical consultant: con games, Heartbreakers, 2001
  • Television Appearances
  • Movies
  • Ratty inventor, "The Water Engine," TNT Screenworks, TNT, 1992
  • Hawkes, The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky (also known asHole in the Sky), ABC, 1995
  • Specials
  • Doug Henning's World of Magic, NBC, 1976
  • Host, Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women, CBS, 1990
  • Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants, HBO, 1996
  • Host, The Story of Magic, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
  • The Virtual Ed Sullivan Show, UPN, 1998
  • Pilots
  • Like Magic, CBS, 1981
  • Lenny NiCastro, Civil Wars, ABC, 1991
  • Episodic
  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1977
  • Bird, "Red Dog Blues," Simon & Simon, 1983
  • Guest, Late Show with David Letterman, 1994
  • Herman Pinchbeck, "The Amazing Maleeni," The X-Files, Fox, 2000
  • Television Work
  • Specials
  • Producer, Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women, CBS, 1990
  • Assistance, The Very Best of the Ed Sullivan Show, CBS, 1991
  • Stage Appearances
  • Philostrate, A Midsummer Night's Dream, New York Shakespeare Festival, New York City, 1982
  • Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants (solo show), Second Stage Theatre,New York City, 1994, then U.S. cities, then London, 1999
  • Ricky Jay and David Mamet: Two Hussies, Town Hall, New York City,2001
  • Who Says It Can't Be a Musical?, Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, NewYork City, 2001
  • Ricky Jay: On the Stem, Second Stage Theatre, New York City, 2002
  • Radio Appearances
  • Weekly essayist on KCRW, the National Public Radio affiliate in Santa Monica, CA, 2003.
  • WRITINGS
  • Television Specials
  • Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women, CBS, 1990
  • Stage Shows
  • Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants (solo show), produced at Second Stage Theatre, New York City, 1994
  • Ricky Jay: On the Stem, produced at Second Stage Theatre, 2002
  • Radio Shows
  • Wrote weekly essays for KCRW, National Public Radio affiliate in Santa Monica, CA, 2003.
  • Nonfiction
  • Cards As Weapons, Darien House, 1977
  • Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women: Unique, Eccentric, and Amazing Entertainers--Stone Eaters, Mind Readers, Poison Resisters, Daredevils, Singing Mice, Etc., Etc., Etc., Etc., Villard Books, 1986
  • Jay's Journal of Anomalies, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2001
  • Dice: Deception, Fate & Rotten Luck, Quantuck Lane, 2002
  • Also wrote The Magic Magic Book, Writers and Artists Series, Whitney Museum of American Art; Many Mysteries Unraveled: Conjuring Literaturein America 1786-1874, American Antiquarian Society. Contributor to periodicals and books, including Cambridge Guide to American Theater and Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Books
    • Newsmakers 1995, Issue 4, Gale Research, 1995
    Periodicals
    • Entertainment Weekly, June 21, 2002, p. 36
    • Los Angeles Magazine, September, 2001, p. 54
    • New Yorker, 1993
    • Playbill, June 30, 2002, p. 36
    Electronic
    • Ricky Jay Official Site, http://www.rickyjay.com, October 28, 2003