Ricky Jay Was An Underappreciated Genius. One Of The Best Magicians Ever.

Ricky Jay was memorable for combining history with magic. It’s a unique combination of skills, but he made it work exceptionally well. I remember watching a magic special about Ricky Jay and his 52 Assistants. I was blown away by how impressive his tricks wrre, but his eloquence and knowledge were what really struck me.

I’m a big fan of magic, and Ricky Jay was an old school pro. He was often an on set advisor for films about magic, and he even acted in many films. PT Anderson used him in multiple award winning movies including Boogie Nights.

Nowadays magicians use pyrotechnics and flashy visuals to impress audiences. I appreciate and am a fan of this type of performance, but the subtle old fashioned showmanship that Ricky Jay possesses is slowly being lost to the annals of history.

Story telling and the art of audience participation are skills that only can be mastered through years of practice and patience. Ricky Jay mastered those skills, and fortunately they are to be found all over the Internet. Take a moment to check out some of his work, you’ll be sure to be not only entertained, but also learn something new as well.