The CW Source

The official Charming Devil of The CW turns 61 today. That's right: It's Ray Wise's birthday. Happy birthday, Ray!

We know Reaper wouldn't be the same if it didn't feature Ray as the Devil. Can you imagine anyone else bringing that combination of charm, smarm and menace to the role? He's like the most effective used-car salesman in the universe, with the added bonus of being able to blow things up, control giant hellworms, and vanquish enemies at the wave of a hand. But he also as an extra dimension to the Devil -- remember his moody, pensive turn as he confessed how much he hated Halloween? How about the episode where he let slip he really did care about his mortal girlfriend? You never know what to expect from the guy!

That's a lot like Ray's entire career -- which has been going strong for almost 40 years! He's played a governor, a vice president and a president; smarmy lawyers and tortured journalists; corporate henchmen and principled scientists... the list goes on. Two of his most memorable roles come from two very different fathers: Sol Gann, the depression-era father in the Disney classic The Journey of Natty Gann, and Leland Palmer, the unhinged dad in David Lynch's Twin Peaks.

It's entirely possible Ray is playing another dad in Reaper -- is his Satan Sam's real father? We don't know yet -- but we're dying to find out!

Leave your birthday wishes for Ray in the comments!