A Looser Lucifer

Wise, 60, graduated as a theater major from Kent State in 1969 and started working in the CBS soap "Love of Life" in New York in 1970.

He remembers riding the elevator with broadcast journalists Mike Wallace and Morley Safer, and "that whole CBS newsroom feeling got in my bones very early on." That was among the reasons he relished his role as newscaster Don Hollenbeck in the 2005 theatrical film "Good Night, and Good Luck."

He played Leland Palmer in "Twin Peaks," and Vice President Hal Gardner in "24." He's been in about 85 stage productions, 55 movies and more than 100 TV shows, he said.

In "Reaper," the younger actors -- whom he called a great bunch -- often defer to him because of his seniority.

"I don't have all the answers, but I have been around for 37 years or so," he said.

Wise calls the series a "horamedy" because it combines horror, drama and comedy, with state-of-the-art special effects thrown in.

The cast does a fair amount of improv, he said. "We have ideas and fly with them. Some they keep in. It's all in the editing, so critical, that establishes comic timing."

Getting into character as the devil is easy, he said. "I just put the suit on. It's a nice one -- they have several. They keep me in dark blue with light blue ties to kind of go with my eyes. I get the suit and tie and brush my hair, and I'm there. I look in the mirror and smile once and I'm ready to go."

Are his friends treating him differently since he's taken on the role of the devil?

"They look at me more askance now," he said. "And people who don't know me are a little reluctant to approach me. They're taking it all too seriously."

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How It All Began

On Sam's 21st birthday, the devil appears and, in a scene in Sam's kitchen, explains the situation:

Devil: Hey, look, I get it. It's a big deal. You didn't choose it. Not fair. Nobody's blaming you for freaking out -- yes, sir, chicken-fried steak. Oh, I'm so glad I don't have arteries. Mmm. Oh, do you want to try some?

Sam: No. Do I have to -- do I have to go to Hell now?

Devil: Now? No, no, no, no, no. Not now. You're going to work for me here in the earthly realm.

Sam: Like, kill people?

Devil: Wow! You're a real pessimist. Of course you won't be murdering anyone. You're just going to bring escaped souls back to Hell. You know, like a bounty hunter. That's cool, right?