Ray Wise is the Devil Himself
By John Amato Thursday Mar 12, 2009 6:00pmRay Wise is just a hoot playing the devil in the CW's pretty cool "Reaper" series. He's one of those great character actors who flies under the radar. You may remember him as Laura Palmer's father in the great "Twin Peaks" series by David Lynch.
For a little fun today: Why don't you list either your favorite characters, show or actors other than the big stars. I really love "Burn Notice," by the way...
Login or Register to post comments.
but I buy Attenborough documentaries.
He's a character.
Reeeal life, too!
Funny episode tonight, too. Tune in in just about 2 1/2 hours, left coasters.
I really love Geoffrey Wright. He's a fantastic character actor. Not sure if he got the Emmy for "Angels in America" but damn he should of.
I just watched him as Colin Powell in "W" today!
He's amazing as Muddy Waters in last year's 'Cadillac Records'. Also very good in 'Ride With The Devil.' It's 'Jeffrey' not 'Geoffrey'. I spelled it wrong, too: I wrote this in 'edit' mode.
Outside of Basquiat, Wright doesn't get leading rolls. He loses himself in characters, though, which makes him easy to forget as Jeffrey Wright.
It was the best portrayal of the Civil rights leader I've ever seen.
I JUST finished watching the pilot episode of Moonlighting after not seeing any of it since its original airing, and gotta say, on a second viewing, Cybil Shepard may be funnier than Bruce Willis in that show.
'...Golden Globe Award winner, Ian McShane earned the coveted award for "Best Actor in a Television Drama" for his versatile performance as Al Swearengen on HBO's hit series Deadwood. His charismatic and alluring performance also led him to a 2005 Emmy and SAG nomination for Lead Actor, as well as being voted by People Magazine in 2005, "TV's Sexiest Villain." '
http://www.hbo.com/deadwood/cast/actor/ianmcs...
I loved that series. I read everyone of the books afterward. It helps that I was an antiques dealer back then...
My personal favs:
Primeval on BBC America. I don't know if I like the human characters or their wonderful creature characters. The Dodo's were fantaz!
In Plain Sight on USA is another great show. I love the repartee between Mary and Marshall Marshall.
And I am a sucker for Robin Hood (also on BBCA). It took me a long time to warm up to the characters, but it's funny and they do good story lines.
I like him in about anything...
Great ending arc to the season
On April 19th.
This has been your friendly reminder. If you have already marked your calendar, please disregard this notice.
Ray Walston in Damn Yankees!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNZd7F8Y-Ys
Gwen Verdon wasn't bad ether!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTq8kVX0m5o
Aldo RAY was no angel...
He was in the '50s movie 'Were No Angels' with Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov and a murderous little snake named Adolph.
Alias Nick Beal (1949)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041107/
I tried thinking of Ray Milland in 'devil' roles.
My favorite screen Devil remains Peter Cook in the original 'Bedazzled' - with RAY-quel Welch (almost works).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xS7B0vFXN8
I only tuned in occasionally in the past, but I'm watching it loyally this year.
You might think tuning in in the middle of the series would be confusing, but I'm not so sure that I didn't get up to speed by reading Lostpedia.
BillO the Clown?
and all of the regular characters. Damian Lewis, who plays the lead is English, but he's got one of the better American accents I've heard (Jonny Lee Miller will fool you too). The last 3 weeks an English actress (Helen McCrory) has been on, and I was shocked to find out not only is she Lewis's wife, but instead of being my age, like she looks ( and she looks older than me), she's 14 years younger than me (some English age badly). Must be the make up.
Another English actor who I'm loving as an American is Linus Roache, who plays DA Cutter on Law and Order.
I loved that show Millennium that was on Fox and Strange Luck, with DB Sweeney and Frances Fisher. Neither lasted long enough to suit me. Same with 'Boomtown'
I am both a sci-fi fan and a sucker for men with European accents. Which has combined to make me a rabid fan of David Nykl and Paul McGillion, both from Stargate: Atlantis. One character has a slavic accent, the other scots. It's like two great things that taste great together...
He was the right hand man of Jack Nicholson's Joker in Batman. He spilled some important beans in Erin Brockovich. He was memorable in more than one Jonathan Demme movie. But he'll always and forever be best known as Miller in Repo Man, the out-there guy who told his coworkers than John Wayne was a... well, you know.
'The more you drive the stupider you get.'
'You find one in every car.'
The whole 'There had to be a time when there was no people, right?' exchange is just priceless.
We both wrote about Ride With The Devil and Conan The Destroyer at the same times.
I meant to comment that 'Lost' really was much, much better this year.
AND that I really liked the new 'Oliver Twist', though I don't remember the guy who played 'Sykes' from 'Band of Brothers.'
BRINGING THE WEIRDNESS DOWN:
I have no idea who 'Dr. Bombay' was.
'Kath and Kim' - great cast, but never really seen more than a few minutes.
Barbara Stanwyck on 'Big Valley'? I was a Linda Evans fan. Audra was a HOTTIE!
Tom Hardy played Janovec in BoB. He had the great line, while his character was reading Stars & Stripes (or, whatever), "It says here that the Germans are bad. Very Bad." He's the guy who gets killed when the jeep rolls over in the last episode.
Here's Bernard Fox. He had a small role on The Andy Griffith Show, too.
Kath & Kim doesn't really have any jokes- the situations are funny though. Molly Shannon and Selma Blair are perfect idiots.
Barbara Stawyck(the way I remember her now) : leather chaps & riding crop. 'Nuf said. ;D
That came out the same year as Repo Man, and Walter probably received more recognition from that movie than Repo Man. More recently people know him from Repo Man, but only because the Conan films don't have the cult following.
There were a lot of British actors in Band of Brothers who pulled off the American accents: Lewis, Shane Taylor, Dexter Fletcher, Ross McCall, Rick Warden and Tom Hardy all passed the test, imo.
BTW, Hardy was great as Bill Sykes in the recent Masterpiece Theater production of Oliver Twist. Blew away Oliver Reed's portrayal of the same character in Oliver.
Gotta love a more than slightly neurotic but brilliant detective! The episode where Howie Mandell played the cult leader who sucked Monk into his group was awesome.
I have nothing against Traylor Howard as Natalie, but, the show lost about half of its chemistry when Bitty Schram as Sharona left the show.
They did have a lot of comedic chemistry! :)
I loved, loved, loved The Dresden Files which used to be on SciFi a couple of years back. They canceled it after the first season. The first few episodes were really for the fans of the books (which I am) and weren't really all that great, but by the time the last two episodes were aired, WOW! They were awesome!
So I went out and caught the entire season on Hulu.
Nathan Fillion from Firefly and Drive
BD Wong from All-American Girl and Father of the Bride
James Hong from friggin EVERYTHING...
Rachel Dratch who grew up professionally with Tiny Fey and is beyond hilarious
Alex Borstein from MADTV and Family Guy
Fillion has a new series, Castle(debuted Monday).
Wong is probably best known now as the psychiatrist on Law & Order: SVU .
You and I like Dratch, but never admit to it at The AV Club. You'll lose your hipster douchebag card for such an admission.
Kath & Kim?
Yes
but I just loved Twin Peaks. Ray Wise is brilliant.
As for a fave when I was growing up, Paul Lynde comes to mind. There was nobody quite like Uncle Arthur! And who can forget his revered spot on Hollywood Squares? Paul was a treasure.
Played by Bernard Fox.
Elizabeth Montgomery was the first woman I ever had a crush on, followed by Marlo Thomas, then Barbara Stanwyck on The Big Valley...then a few years later I turned 8 and fell for Jodie Foster.
You're a frustrated Kid! :-)
I liked him too! He always had the hot babes keeping him company.
are tooooo funny! I adore you, Andy. You always make me smile.
It's the honest truth, I tell ya!
But thanks for the adoration. :D
Perhaps it was the thought you you having a kiddie hardon for Samantha that gave me a chuckle. ;)
And you're welcome. I don't give my adoration out too easily; you, joeedugan, ron, CIP, Peter G (last but not least, afterall, he is my sweetie)...maybe a couple of others. I love reading every post by certain people. They always make me think which makes me smile.
I was 4...Not really old enough for that sort of attraction.
Sorry...that's what went through my twisted little mind. :D
Mary Tyler Moore. On the Dick van Dyke show. All I'll say is the network censors were concerned about the 'undercup' of her butt from her snug capri pants she always wore.
One of the funniest human beings ever. His double entendre's were the best.
and I to laugh our asses off.
Paul Lynde was.... well, there will never be another like him. Much loved by everyone.
Fantastic show! And funny as Hell--I loved David Lynch as Kyle Mc.'s deaf boss--"IT'S ALL HUSH-HUSH, COOP!"--hilarious.
Get Twin Peaks here (free):
http://www.cbs.com/classics/twin_peaks/
Valerie Perrine brought dignity to every bimbo she played.
I always like Bill Daly as Bob Newharts next door neighbor. And there was Angel on the Rockford Files, talk about anti-hero....
Major Healy on "I Dream of Jeanie" But yeah he was great on Newhart
Larry, his brother Darryl, and his other brother Darryl? :D
They aren't in the same league as Bill Daly. And we're talking bout the ORGINAL Newhart show where he was a psychiatrist in the 70's *turns my nose up at you*
My little mind just bing, bing, bing'd to Larry, Darryl and Darryl.
Probably says more about me.
Cute nose!! (POKE)
I can't stay mad at you. But the snobby couple from the later newhart show were great too.
You have to love the finale! I think it was brilliant!
I have always loved Hugh Laurie. He was great as Bertie Wooster, too.
Great stuff http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__DrJI7mTHQ
I love those two together. Hilarious.
Blackadder!
Great stuff. Miranda Richardson as Queenie in season 2 was brilliant as well as hot. "Mouth is open, should be shut!"
-on tape...:) I even bought the Scarlet Pimpernel episode, Nob and Nobility, that couldn't be shown here for some copyright reason. I love Rowan Atkinson.
I like Breaking Bad and Damages to get my heart rate up.
Breaking Bad & Damages are both excellent shows that are missed by too great of a number. Whoever thought that Malcom's dad could be such a great meth cooker?!
Is truly wonderful, if you are a romantic and LOVE Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson.
It's a 2 part mini-series I've watched twice in the past few months from Netflix:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z-MSiBZlCw&fe...
And on a lighter side, I really used to love watching "Mystery Science Theater". Here's a great one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngBNklagsHQ
to loving Skins (BBCA), a teen drama which is really, really good.
I am not happy with their upcoming season...they are completely changing lead characters every two years. UGH. With open storylines, no less.
with Lenny Henry. The first couple of seasons were fab.
the genius of this great American actor?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-FiEiteIiU
I love 'Venture Brothers' because of all the pop culture references. There's a villain who's a combination between Henry Kissinger and Mary Poppins. The Scooby Doo Gang are re-imagined as Ted Bundy, Patty Hearst, Andy Warhol's would be assassin Valerie Golinas and Son-of-Sam killer David Berkowitz (with Sam the dog as Scooby). 'Depeche Mode' are mocked. Jackie Kennedy's voice is mocked. Bowie's 'Space Oddity' provides all the dialogue for one episode's opening. You gotta love it.
'Trailer Park Boys'. Lowbrow Canadian humor. Season 2 featured a very young Ellen 'Juno' Page. I like it because it reminds me of some of the folks I used to work with back when I lived in Fresno. For example my buddy Danny, who'd been to jail on three different occasions, all of which involved 'fishin' where I wasn't supposed to be fishin'' ... and 'Also, I was smokin' pot at the time.' Danny is basically the same guy as 'Ricky' on 'TPB'.
Favorite New Actors: Garret Dillahunt from 'Deadwood' (2 different roles), 'Sarah Connor Chronicles' and 'No Country For Old Men'; Columbus Short as harmonica great Little Walter in 'Cadillac Records'; and anybody from 'The Wire'. It's great to see 'The Wire' actors all over TV now. I say their names to the screen: 'Omar!', 'Freamon!', 'Slim Charles!', or 'Marlo Stansfield!' ('Heroes'). When I see Isiah Whitlock Jr. ('Sen. Clay Davis'), I just say"Sheeeeeeittt!'
right now
all the gang over at pixar, and the guys who create venture bros
my fav show is mad men. john hamm is a godsend. and the rest of the cast are truly brilliant
current fave actor has to be jackie earl haley.
there are alot of people panning watchmen, but to a critic, all are saying that haley makes the movie.
Barbara Stanwyck in ANYTHING.. my favorite all time actress,and one of the very truly gifted actresses in Hollywood history.
And,also, overlooked 4 times for an Oscar,until her Lifetime
achievement Oscar in 1982..The Academy should have been ashamed over the years.
Dnurse,Vegas
And Scorcese didn't get the best picture award for Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas or The Aviator. Go figure.
Did you weep in Stella Dallas? I loves me those old tear-jerkers.
I know,Andy,go figure,especially when you look at what and WHO has won over the years,many that had NO business winning over the others in the catagories.Can't remember who won over Stanwyck in 1944,when she was nominated for best actress for Double Indemnity.I just proved my point.
Dnurse,Vegas
slumdog won because hollywood wants all that outsource money to come back into the states
penn won cuz....fuck if i know
watch the wrestler...rourke made me weep
I totally agree. I am reminded of the year Julia Roberts won for Best Actress for her role in Erin Brockovich. This was CRAP!!! Roberts was up against Ellen Berstyn who was nominated for her role in Requiem For a Dream. Berstyn's portrayal of a whacked-out mother completely decimated all competition....and the AMPAS gave the nod to Roberts? PISH!!!!!!
OK, so why did Crash win? Terrible film. Awful! (I mean, seriously, I have no idea, do you?)
(Maybe America wasn't ready for Brokeback-- winning.)
There was show that predicted the dangers of overly consolidated media conglomerates. The show was called "Max Headroom." So in the spirit of this exercise I'm going to throw Matt Frewer's name into the ring for his dual role as Edison Carter/Max Headroom. Anyone else gonna join me 20 Minutes Into the Future?
Even though it was essentially a Coca Cola commercial.
That's my favorite show with Lost a close second.
I currently watch Heroes, The Closer, Saving Grace, Nip/Tuck, Eli Stone, Lost, Life On Mars, Being Erica (CBC), ER, Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles, Real Time, United States of Tara, Brothers and Sisters. I also like Eureka (if it comes back) and Weeds.
The talk of character actors makes me think of dozens of different actors who've been on different shows or in different movies for years. Decades even. William Schallert comes to mind. He has been doing bit roles for 50 years or more. There are so many that I can think of.
Dr.Zoidberg - the ultimate non sequiter comic relief in the middle of the funniest show ever made.
My fave is Bender though...I WILL have a Bender tattoo soon DAMMIT!
Probably my favorite character actor of the last decade or so is Jerry Orbach who played Lenny Brisco on Law and Order for so long. Orbach originated the slimy lawyer role in "Chicago" that Richard Gere reprised and was a song and dance man from way, WAY back. Remember him in Dirty Dancing (the dad)?
What? He was great in L&O?
is sooooooo HAWT!
I love that quirk of mouth that always suggests in incipient, erotiv smile...
Best B movie actor EVER!
Wise as Satan does cause my daughters (now ages 9 and 7) some confusion.
“Who’s that dad?”
“Satan, and the other guy, Sam, works for him by tracking down souls that have escaped from hell.”
“That’s Satan? I didn’t know he could look like that. That’s not what they tell us in Sunday School.”
“Satan can look like anyone he wants.”
“You watch some weird shows dad.”
Like the rest of the usual suspects, I’m a big fan of “Battlestar Galactica”, “Lost” and “Burn Notice”. But I’ll throw “Leverage”, “House”, “24” (last season was crap), “Lie to Me”, “Life on Mars” and “Sarah Connor Chronicles” into the mix.
Since I'm without BBC America I have to get caught up with "Dr. Who" and "Torchwood" as it comes out on DVD. (I also dig the "Robin Hood" series as well.)
I used to watch "Heroes", but as an honest fan of the X-Men comic books, that show is a HUGE ripoff and it has reduced itself to a joke.
However, I have to say that Jayne from “Firefly” is one of the best characters ever created for television in the past 10 or 12 years.
..definitely.
I've always like reluctant heroes though and none were better then
William Katt in Greatest American Hero. Stupid show but I did like the character as played by Katt. Robert Culp was in that show too and he's been a favorite since I, Spy with Bill Cosby.
Dennis Hopper as Frank Booth in Blue Velvet....ick!
My favorite villian & show of the last few years has got to be Ian McShane in Deadwood--brilliant!
Edwin, that was DEFINETLY what my sis calls a tissue movie.. a brillant performance, also nominated for a best actress oscar,and
rightfully so. The winner was Luis Ranier{sp?} for "The Good Earth".
Anyone really remember her or that movie?Another WTF were they thinking moment.
I LOVES me some old classic movies too, Ed.Especially my favorite genre,FILM NOIR.
Dnurse,Vegas
Old time movies are available on-line. I just watched It Happened One Night with Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert--(directed by Frank Capra)--what a great movie!
Film Noir is the bomb! And as American as apple pie! I just watched D.O.A. with Edmond O'Brien a few weeks ago--totally cool movie. Another recent viewing of a great film noir--The Bad & The Beautiful w/Kirk Douglas. I think that movie was also snubbed at the Oscars for some piece of garbage...1952, I think...maybe Around The World In 80 Days, but that's a guess....
Oops...just looked it up--The Greatest Show On Earth won that year--I knew it was something hokey.
And you are so right, Uncle Joe,talent and deservedness have had nothing to do with it over the years.At least with Barbara,they finally made it right with a lifetime award before she passed.
I guess,in a way that is better than an individual Oscar.It honored her entire body of work.
Dnurse,Vegas
Bill Nighy is a terrific British character actor. I just watched him anchor the superlative BBC mini-series State Of Play,which, made a few years ago, might might be The Wire/UK. It has been redone as a vehicle for Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck which probably bodes ill. Anyhow Nighy does drama or comedy well. If you missed it, find The Girl In The Cafe, an HBO movie a few years old which showcased Nighy and Kelly McDonald one of his costars from State Of Play.
Bix12 and Edwin: Regarding Frank Capra,he really was the one in the early thirties that saw Stanwycks talent and brillance.He chose
Stanwyck in all of his first early films for his leading lady.
Check out Ladies Of Leisure,The Bitter Tea Of General Yen,and a
brilliant performance in The Miracle Woman,a film ahead of it's time
about a female Aimee Semple McPherson phony evangelist..brilliant performance,awesome to watch.All made in the early thirties.
Dnurse, Vegas
A class act, definitely--she had that elusive quality that makes an actor a superstar...I mean the real deal.
Deb,
You're a film noir buff & a Stany fan...that means Double Indemnity should be right near the top of your all-time greatest list. What a movie that is--wow!
DOA and The Bad And The Beautiful,great Film Noir. If you haven't seen it,check out Detour,Great FN. I could give ya a list a mile long.
Love Film Noir.Love talking and sharing with other fans..they DON'T
make em like they used too, and never will.
Dnurse, Vegas
I think the last director that came close to that magic film noir formula was Roman Polanski...and that was a long time ago.
Detour 5 *****'s! /:-)
Twin Peaks was great. Speaking of old TeeVee, check out Fancast.com.
It's partnered with Hulu and has a lot of classic 60's tv series.
I am watching the series Night Gallery, Rod Serlings last creation, It appears they have most, if not all of the entire series. Good stuff.
Dnurse, Vegas
I'll do that--and here's one for you--
http://www.cbs.com/classics/
Orig. Twilght Zone, Perry Mason, Have Gun, Will Travel, orig. Star Trek...lotsa cool stuff.
Bix, I am indeed a super Film Noir Buff,and,glad to say, somewhat versed on the subject.You are ABSOLUTLY right.. Double Indemnity was awesome, and one of the first really great films of the genre,which
ushered FN in BIG time. Unfortunatly, another oscar snub for Stanwyck.The scene by the railroad tracks when Stanwyck could not get the car started was a nail biter.
Ya know, it's really fun to have a change of pace, chewin the fat about classic films instead of politics for a change,once in awhile,no?? That's why I love the Late Nite Music Club,and I loved when Mudshark downloaded Peggy Lee, and my all time favorite singer,
Petula Clark, which I will probably not see again,LOL! THANX, Sharkster.
Dnurse, Vegas
P.S, Bix, how did ya know that Deb is what I prefer to be called?
Very cool.
DEB,Vegas
Right to me...
I agree, a change of pace is great--politics is sometimes the bane of my existence..I get SO Frustrated! But, alas, I can't seem to quit my politikin'...tsk., tsk.
In fact, I think I'll peruse the DVD's and pop in a movie now--all this good talk has piqued a noir desire.../;-)
I know what you mean,SO frustrating.Thank you John, the Birthday Boy,
for creating this site... a place to go to find a lil bit of
everything,not just politics... which I enjoy a great deal. All of the gang here intelligent, diverse,and warm.
BIX: DETOUR... don't forget to check out Detour if you belong to netflix, or can rent it.Classic dark,gritty,grainy FN, origionaly
budgeted as a low grade B movie,now a classic. And rife with F'd up Karma,and irony.Whatever ya watch, appreciate and enjoy..
Deb,Vegas
but there are some pretty good shows on. gonna have to check out the reaper. it looks good. also love to watch the closer with kyra sedgwick and fritzy, love all the law and orders and continue to watch reruns which is a waste of time but still enjoyable, in plain sight is really good, the show with tina fey and alex baldwin is really funny, and i like bones a lot, and boston legal is quirky and fun although william shatner's character is sometimes a bit too reactionary in a very weird way that's hard for me to stomach. that's already so much tv that it kind of makes me sick that i watch that much. there are better things to do with time. still, these shows are enjoyable. there's some really good, creative, funny writing and acting. it's tv worth watching (and wasting some time).
You want to see a great performance of "the devil"?
Go watch/rent/buy the sadly short-lived series "Brimstone".
John Glover is fantastic in everything he does, even when he's doing tripe like "Smallville", but as "the devil" opposite of the untalented Peter Horton, Glover made the show worth watching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hzOrXr45oI&fe...
Watch the segment (1:46) where he wordlessly tears the last page out of a book just to torment Ezekiel Stone.
Rescue Me on F/X is awesome! How can you not love a show with a gay, black, horse-whispering midget and Jesus driving a Lamborghini with a bumper sticker that says "Now you know what I drive"?! Dennis Leary plays a New York City firefighter. New season coming soon - it was delayed by the writers strike. First seasons on DVD. Great cast - comedian Lenny Clark plays his uncle, Charles Durning plays his dad, Tatum O'Neill plays his sister, Dean Winters (yum!)plays the brother - the whole family is a hot mess! I think I read that Michael J. Fox is doing a guest spot in this upcoming season.
Login or Register to post comments.