Ricky Jay was an American stage magician, actor, bibliophile, and writer. Jay was known for sleight of hand and his card tricks, card throwing, memory feats, and stage patter. He also wrote extensively on magic and its history. His acting credits included the films The Prestige, The Spanish Prisoner, Mystery Men, Heist, Boogie Nights, Tomorrow Never Dies, House of Games, and Magnolia. He performed magic on dozens of talk shows and variety shows, and acted in the HBO series Deadwood, The X-Files, Getting On, and Civil Wars. In 2015 he was the subject of an episode of PBS's American Masters, making him the first magician to have ever been profiled in that series.