NEW YORK – Ricky Jay, magician, historian of strange entertainers and actor who appeared in "Boogie Nights" and other films, is deceased. He was 72 years old.

Jay died Saturday at his home in Los Angeles, according to his director, Winston Simone.

The magician / actor has appeared in numerous movies and television series, including "Boogie Nights" (in which he was playing a cameraman), "Magnolia", "Tomorrow Never Dies" and "Deadwood" of HBO. He consulted on "Ocean & # 39; s Thirteen" and "Forrest Gump" and collected rare books about artists and unusual artists dating back hundreds of years.

His solo shows were presented to a large audience, where his artistic talents impressed even the wizards. In a famous tour, he would pierce a watermelon with a card thrown in the air.

He has also written several books on games, magic and magicians, including "Dice: Deception, Fate and Rotten Luck".

Jay loved stories of characters, gamblers and hustlers curious about history and wrote a book celebrating the artistic talent of Matthias Buchinger, an 18th century German magician born without legs or hands.

The artifacts of Buchinger collected by Jay were presented at an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 2015.

"The breadth of his knowledge and appreciation for magic and the related arts was truly remarkable," tweeted actor and magician Neal Patrick Harris. "Such sad news, a loss so profound. "

Jay has frequently worked with playwright David Mamet, who produced his solo show "Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants". All performances of the New York series have run out and the film has won an Obie Award for its off-Broadway theatrical productions.

"Ricky Jay: On the Stem", also produced by Mamet, has been presented in packed halls for six months. According to the Associated Press, it was "a tumultuous journey through New York's forgotten history – with special attention to the strange characters who flourished decades ago." on Broadway ".

In addition, Jay has appeared in Mamet films such as "House of Games", "State and Main" and "Heist".

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