Ricky Jay, the great magician, magic historian and collector, has died at age 72 after also making his mark in cinema. Jay appeared in Boogie Nights, Magnolia and a passel of David Mamet films, including the masterpiece House of Games. You can also find video of his performance Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants.
Jay’s development as a magician is traced in the documentary Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay, which explores the fascinating history of 20th century American magic. We get to see performances by Jay and his mentors, with comments by Jay himself. Ricky Jay’s mysteries were the secrets of 1) his illusions and 2) his family – both unrevealed. Whether expansive about his mentors and his passion for magic, or tight-mouthed about his relationship with his parents, Jay was a fascinating character.
Because the audience gets to see lots of amazing magic, Deceptive Practice is attractive as a performance film. But Jay was an unsurpassed raconteur, one of my all-time favorites, and when he held forth, it was as entertaining as any of his illusions.
I was fortunate to see Deceptive Practice at the San Francisco International Film Festival sitting amongst a bunch of real magicians. Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay is available on Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, YouTube and Google Play.