Trivia / House of Games

• Actor-Inspired Element: At the request of Joe Mantegna, Mike's line "Don't trust anybody" was changed to "Don't trust nobody."
  • The short con demonstrated by Joey (with the $20 bill and the cashier) was created by Ricky Jay specifically for the film. David Mamet had originally written a different con into the script and asked for input. Jay felt uncomfortable explaining the method, as he had several friends making a living by utilizing it, and composed the sleight-of-mouth method as a compromise.
• Cast the Expert: Renowned magician, card manipulator, and con expert Ricky Jay consulted on the film, and appears onscreen as George.
• Real-Life Relative: At the time, Lindsay Crouse was David Mamet's wife.
• What Could Have Been: According to Joe Mantegna, Peter Yates was originally scheduled to direct.