Lost/Richard Malkin

Richard Malkin
Lost
Actor	Nick Jameson
First Appearance	1x10 - Raised by Another
Last Appearance	—
Series Billing	Series: Guest Star
Episode Count	2
Notable Episodes	1x10 - Raised by Another 2x21 - ?

Richard Malkin is an alleged psychic living in Australia. He is played by Nick Jameson and has appeared in two episodes to date.

Basic Information

Season One

Richard Malkin met Claire when she was dragged out by her friend to have some fun by visiting a psychic and getting a reading. A bit apprehensive about the idea, Claire didn't want someone telling her what's going to happen or how to live her life. During the initial reading, Malkin knew about Claire's unborn child even though Claire hadn't even told her mom and only knew about her pregnancy two days prior to the reading. However, Malkin "saw something, sort of a blurry thing", returned her money and told her she had to leave.

After Thomas broke up with Claire, she returned to Malkin and asked him if he would go through with the reading now. Malkin explained to Claire that he saw a blurry thing and blurry was bad, asking her if she was sure she wanted to go on. During this reading, Malkin was adamant that she, and only she, raise her child. Danger surrounds her baby and the baby needs her protection. Malkin's warnings upset Claire and she left his residence.

Once Claire left, Malkin began calling and otherwise harassing her for a period of four months, insisting that she not give up her baby for adoption. After Claire refused to go through with the adoption, she contacted Malkin to hear his plan. He gave her $6,000 and told her to give her baby to a couple in Los Angeles who would keep her baby safe. He told her she had to leave immediately the next day on Oceanic Flight 815. Supposedly he had foreseen Flight 815's crash and had Claire board that flight in order to prevent her from giving away her child.

Season Two

Malkin met Eko when Eko was tasked by his Monsignor to investigate the claim of a miracle occurring - a girl coming back to life. This girl was Charlotte Malkin, Richard Malkin's daughter. During the investigation, Eko attempted to interview Charlotte at the Malkin residence but was turned away by Richard Malkin. He told Eko that no miracle happened, that his daughter didn't drown but instead her body shut down from hypothermia and she only appeared to have died. He claimed his wife, Joyce, is a religious zealot and was claiming a miracle happened in order to spite him, as she knows he's a fraud. Malkin explained to Eko that he makes his living as a psychic, but instead he gathers intelligence on people looking for a miracle and use that information to exploit them.

Episode Appearances

1. 1x10 - Raised by Another
2. 2x21 - ?

Character History

• 1x10 - Raised by Another: Meets Claire and advises her concerning her unborn child (flashback).
• 2x21 - ?: Meets Eko and tells him that his daughter coming back to life was not a miracle (flashback).

Trivia

• It's a FAAAKE!: On the Lost Season 2 DVD, under the "Lost Connections" section, there is a connection between Malkin and Eko. Going from Eko to Malkin plays a short clip deleted from ? where Malkin tells Eko that he accepted $16,000 from a couple in Los Angeles to scare a pregnant girl into giving up their baby for adoption in the United States. This seems to indicate that Malkin was telling the truth about being a fraud. This is supported by comments from Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse on the May 19, 2006 podcast that the scene between Eko and Malkin was originally much more clear about whether Malkin was a fraud or not.

Quotes

• 1x10 - Raised By Another - "I can tell you, this is important. [...] It is crucial that you, yourself, raise this child. [...] The father of this child will play no part in its life, nor yours. [...] This child parented by anyone else, anyone other than you... Danger surrounds this baby. [...] Your nature, your spirit, your goodness must be an influence in the development of this child. [...] There is no happy life. Not for this child, not without you. [...] There can't be another. You mustn't allow another to raise your baby."
• 1x10 - Raised By Another - "I know this sounds ridiculous, Claire, all this psychic business, and I appreciate that you must think I'm a raving madman."
• 1x10 - Raised By Another - "It has to be this flight. It can't be any other. Flight 815. Flight 815."
• 2x21 - ? - "'Cause she's a zealot. All of this... Everything she's doing... is to spite me. [...] Because she knows I'm a fraud. Because I make my living as a psychic. You see, that's what I do. I gather intelligence on people and I exploit it. Everyday I meet people looking for a miracle. Desperate to find one. But there are none to be had. Not in this world, anyway."