Magician and actor was 72 years old – Variety

Ricky Jay, a wizard who has also starred in movies and television shows such as "Boogie Nights," "House of Games," and "Deadwood," died Saturday in Los Angeles. He was 72 years old.

Jay's director, Winston Simone, said he had died of natural causes, adding, "He was one of a kind. We will never see one another again.

His lawyer, Stan Coleman, confirmed his death. His partner in the company Deceptive Practices, Michael Weber, tweeted: "I'm sorry to share the fact that my friend, teacher, collaborator and remarkable co-conspirator is gone."

A New Yorker profile calls him "the most talented hand wizard in the world," and Jay is also known for his card tricks and memory exploits.

He has appeared in several films by David Mamet, including "House of Games", "The Spanish prisoner", "Things are changing", "Redbelt" and "State and Main".

Steve Martin, with whom he appeared in "The Spanish Prisoner," described Jay in the New Yorker's profile: "I kind of think of Ricky as the intellectual elite of the wizards. He is an expert in performance and yet he knows the theory, history and literature of the field. "

In "Deadwood", he played the very good card game Eddie Sawyer in the first season and also wrote for the show.

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In 1997, in the James Bond film "Tomorrow Never Dies", Jay plays a cyber-terrorist for Pierce Brosnan Bond.

He also narrated films such as "Magnolia" by Paul Thomas Anderson. His own Mamet-directed Broadway show "Ricky Jay and his 52 assistants" was recorded for a 1996 HBO special.

With Weber, he founded Deceptive Practices, a company that offers solutions for film and television productions, such as the wheelchair that hides the legs of Gary Sinise in "Forrest Gump". Ocean & # 39; s Thirteen. "

Jay, born Richard Brook Potash in Brooklyn, was introduced to magic by his grandfather. He started performing in New York, starting with rock bands. Jay first worked in the film with Caleb Deschanel's The Escape Artist.

A documentary about his life, titled "Misleading Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay," was published in 2012.

A student of all facets of magic, conjuring and cunning, he has kept a large library of historical works and has written two books and numerous articles for the New Yorker; He has also lectured extensively in museums and universities.