Ricky Jay (1948–2018)
Author of Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women
About the Author
Ricky Jay was born Richard Jay Potash in Brooklyn, New York in 1948. He first performed magic in public at the age of 4. At the age of 7, he appeared on a television show called Time for Pets, plopping a guinea pig into a top hat and appearing to turn it into a chicken. He left home as a teenager show more and worked at Lake George and at the Electric Circus. He appeared in about 40 movies and television shows including House of Games, The Spanish Prisoner, Redbelt, State and Main, Tomorrow Never Dies, Boogie Nights, and Deadwood. In the 1990s, he and Michael Weber founded the consulting firm Deceptive Practices. Their film-industry projects included a wheelchair that made Gary Sinise's Vietnam War-veteran character in Forrest Gump appear to be a double amputee. Jay wrote several books including Cards as Weapons, Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women, Celebrations of Curious Characters, and Matthias Buchinger: The Greatest German Living. He died on November 24, 2018 at the age of 70. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Photo by David Shankbone, April 25, 2008
Works by Ricky Jay
Matthias Buchinger: "The Greatest German Living": By Ricky Jay Whose Peregrinations in Search of the "Little Man of… (2014) 37 copies
The magic magic book: An inquiry into the venerable history & operation of the oldest trick conjuring volumes,… (1994) 2 copies
Ricky Jay Plays Poker 2 copies
Associated Works
Rogue’s Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys [sound recording] (2006) — Contributor — 10 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Potash, Richard Jay
- Birthdate
- 1948
- Date of death
- 2018-11-24
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Place of death
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Occupations
- magician
actor - Awards and honors
- The John Nevil Maskelyne Prize (2017)
Members
Reviews
Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women: Unique, Eccentric… by Ricky Jay
An incredible illustrated historical account of circus's and sideshows from history with stunning, disturbing, haunting, peculiar and weird imagery from programs and posters that were used to advertise these shows. It's a fantastic book that I re-read regularly and truly mark as one of the best of its kind, even this many years since its release.
A master doing his life's work. Amazing
One of the many "compendium of oddities" books I always end up buying alongside stuff like "Medical Aberrations & Modern Day Monsters" and picture books of limbless musicians. I only wish it was longer. Very pretty but kinda flimsy. I like "learned" as an adjective quite a bit.
An exhaustive exploration that will captivate you if you have the interest. We've enjoyed being tricked for a long time.
Lists
Awards
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Statistics
- Works
- 36
- Also by
- 6
- Members
- 1,174
- Popularity
- #21,920
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 11
- ISBNs
- 20
- Languages
- 1
- Favorited
- 1