As part of the Real Twin Peaks 2025 event, a special screening of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 film Robocop was held on Friday, February 21. The film was selected as it stars Ray Wise two years before he played Leland Palmer on David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks. Following the screening, Wise left his handprints in cement, held an hour-long conversation about his acting career and signed autographs for fans.
ROBOCOP AT THE NORTH BEND THEATRE
The historic North Bend Theatre, located at 125 Bendigo Blvd N in North Bend, hosted a screening of the unrated director’s cut of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 film Robocop. The doors opened at 4:00 p.m. with the film starting promptly at 5:00 p.m.
Admission was included for Real Twin Peaks attendees with VIP tickets. Individual tickets were also sold separately. The theatre created this advertisement with an image of Ray Wise from the television show Reaper.
A specially designed ticket was issued to attendees which included an image of Ray Wise as Leon “Don’t touch me, man!” Nash from Robocop.
The same un-cropped image was used on in-screen advertising at the North Bend Theatre. The 5:00 p.m. show was sold out at the 260-seat theatre.
RAY WISE’S HANDPRINT CEREMONY
Following a tradition started by Kyle MacLahlan at the Real Twin Peaks 2024 event, the North Bend Theatre invited Ray Wise to leave his handprints and autograph in cement. These impressions would join the newly installed Walk of Fame outside the theatre’s entrance where MacLachlan’s and Sheryl Lee’s handprints were installed in early January 2025. Wise was also invited to sign the replica Walk of Fame star and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me poster.
Attendees could also purchase a stunning mini-poster created by Twin Peaks fan @Mr. Video. Check out his other work on Instagram.
Shortly after 7:00 p.m., Ray Wise entered the theatre for the handprint ceremony facilitated by Beth Burrows, owner of the North Bend Theatre. This short video captures the enthusiastic response from fans as Wise walked down the aisle toward the front of the stage.
Beth began the ceremony by covering Ray Wise’s hands in oil which prevented his hands from sticking to the cement.
Using a BIC pen with the cap on, Ray signed his name above the space for his handprints. He jokingly asked how to spell his last name, making reference to the fact he is a “wise guy.”
After signing his name, he placed his hands in the cement. This would be one of two cement impressions made during the weekend.
Here is the finished product of Wise’s hand prints and signature in a square, cement block.
Ray would later shake hands with Aaron Ethington, owner of AJ’s Home Improvements, LLC. His company installed the Walk of Fame outside the North Bend Theatre.
CONVERSATION WITH RAY WISE ON FEB. 21, 2025
Following the brief five minute ceremony, the stage was reset with two brown recliners for Ray’s conversation with his theatrical booking agent and all-around nice guy, Mike McGraner. I first saw Ray and Mike in July 2019 when they held a similar film screening and follow-up question and answer session with Sheryl Lee at Studio 35 in Columbus, Ohio. That screening was Mike’s first gig with Wise which led to a more-than-six-year relationship hosting these kinds of screening across the country.
The conversation is about 1 hour and 13 minutes with the first 30-minutes about Ray’s acting career. During the latter half, fans asked questions about his career and working on Twin Peaks. Ray is such an engaging and funny storyteller that an hour passed by so quickly. My favorite interaction happened near the end when someone asked Ray to recreated an sketch from Tim and Eric Awesome Show.
Here are a few highlights from the conversation.
Ray discussed his recent appearance on CBS’ The Young and the Restless where he played Ian Ward who returned to Genoa City in 2024. After taking the Newman family hostage, he attempted to shoot Victor Newman. He ended up being shot in the stomach. He recreated the episode’s ending scene where he was laying in the ambulance with his eyes closed.
As the episode ends, Wise recalls how Ward’s eyes suddenly flash open leaving an open door for Ian Ward to return.
Wise also discussed his first film Dare the Devil or David David released in 1968 where he was billed as Raymond Wise. The film’s promoter took out a full-page ad in “Look” magazine which opened the door to get an agent in New York. That agent got him an audition for the soap opera Love of Life where he played Jamie Rollins for seven years and nearly 950 episodes.
In a rather humorous moment, Wise told a story about having his children meet the late Sean Connery while on the set of Rising Sun. He brought his children to Connery’s trailer who, after a beat, offered the kids a bowl of fruit. Wise’s imitation of Connery left the audience in stitches.
The entire crowd sat enraptured as he told tales of a 57-year career which also included anecdotes about his personal life. One story was about his pet baby alligator, Rocky, that a Florida uncle sent to him in the 1950s via the mail. He eventually gave the alligator to the Toledo Zoo when it grew to three feet. The stories were almost too good to be true but Wise sold every word by flashing that ever-charming smile.
Mike McGraner kept the evening moving by recalling Ray’s other characters from shows like Reaper, How I Met Your Mother, Fresh Off the Boat, Swamp Thing and more. Having spent time with them both before the conversation, I could tell they have tremendous respect for each other. The playful banter and deprecating comments throughout the night made for an even more authentic evening.
At one point, Mike encouraged the audience to see Ray in the Beach House video “Wishes” directed by Eric Wareheim. I can’t get enough of this video – we were singing the song all weekend. Wise had 15-20 minutes to learn the song at twice the speed. It’s truly an epic performance, on par with his role as Leland Palmer.
RAY WISE ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE
For more than 45 minutes, Ray answered questions from attendees. Hands darted toward the sky as Mike opened the floor.
One of the first questions asked came from the front row – “What’s it like to play so many characters who are such bad people, especially since you are such a nice guy?”
“Well that was really well put,” chuckled Wise in response. “I’m glad you qualified it with ‘such a nice guy.”
The entire room erupted in laughter as Ray’s charming smile flashed across his face again.
“You know, a character is a character to me,” he continued. “There are good parts and bad parts of every character that I play. The good guys are a little more good than they are bad. The bad guys are certainly more bad then they are good. But I always look for the good in every bad guy and the bad in every good guy. Does any of that make sense? [laughs]”
Ray loves all the characters he’s played saying “they are like my children.”
Another audience member in the front row asked what it was like being cast as Leland Palmer in Twin Peaks. Wise explained how he originally wanted the part of Sheriff Harry S. Truman after his agent sent the “Northwest Passage” script.
“I was all set to play the Sheriff, you know, the cowboy hat,” shared Wise as he continued his story about a meeting David Lynch arranged by the casting director. “So I went to meet David. I came into the room and David was sitting there. I sat down and we just started talking. The first thing we talked about were our first cars. I think his was a Volkswagen Beetle. Mine was a 1960 Alfa Romeo convertible that I bought in 1965 for $1,100 – every penny I had saved up in my long childhood. That car was a real chick magnet … So we talked about our first cars and a few actors we had in common as friends. And that was the extent of my audition with David Lynch – my first car and some friends.”
Wise continued sharing his story about casting for Twin Peaks.
“And then I got a call a couple of days later saying, ‘David wants you to play Leland Palmer,'” said Wise. “Leland Palmer? I’m all ready for Sheriff Truman. Leland Palmer? I gotta look back in the script. So I opened the script and Leland’s first scene – he finds out his daughter is dead, he drops the phone and he cries. And then he goes to the morgue to identify his daughter’s body and he cries. And then he goes home to his daughter’s room and the police are searching it, trying to find her diary, and he cries. All this guy does is cry.”
Ray found the part of Leland Palmer a challenge as he had to “show different levels of grief” and act out in different ways about his daughter dying. I still believe his performance in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was an emotional powerhouse that continues to deserved awards and recognition.
Ray was asked about his memories of working with David Lynch and if the memories had changed since his passing on Jan. 15.
“About two weeks ago, I was at David’s house with members of his family and some of the cast of Twin Peaks,” answered Wise. “We celebrated David’s life that day. Would I change the way I feel about him now? No. He’s probably the most wonderful individual I’ve known in my life. He was a man of ideas. His head was jammed full of ideas, a true Renaissance man. His whole day was dedicated to making those ideas real, and he made so many of them real in his life – in every area, art, music, film.
He was a true artist because he did it for himself and it didn’t matter what anybody thought. He said, ‘Once I do it and it goes out there, it’s not mine anymore – it’s what everybody makes of it.’ But the process is his and that’s what fed him every day of his life. And the day he died, he was feeling pretty, damn good. And the old ticker just stopped.”
Not an eye was dry as the audience applauded Ray’s heartfelt words about Lynch.
While photographing Ray on stage, he paused for a moment when I was taking his photo with a 70-200mm lens. The stare suddenly made me want to WASH MY HANDS! The intensity in his eyes was unsettling and yet I’ve never laughed so much hanging out with an actor.
I have a new found admiration for Ray who loves Frank Sinatra about as much as I do, Jameson Irish Whiskey with four-to-five ice cubes, and his rescue Pitbull Rosie.
BUSINESS HUGS
One of the final questions asked by a fan from the back row is if she could have one of his famous business hugs.
This was a nod to a recurring Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show sketch starring Ray Wise who demonstrates rather ridiculous office etiquette.
The attendee was invited on stage where they performed a simple welcome.
Then, it was time for the Power Embrace.
As a sign of respect, Ray moved the small finger out of his line of sight.
Once the Business Hug was complete, Ray gave an actual warm embrace as the audience cheered for this special, one-of-a-kind moment.
With the question and answer session concluded, Ray posed on the small North Bend Theatre stage for a large group shot with all attendees.
Folks then gathered down an aisle to have Ray sign either autographed pictures or personal items and pose for photos.
Ray was dynamic with every person he met. Fellow Bookhouse Boy and Twin Peaks Blog author Vinnie Guidera asked him to recreate a shot from Twin Peaks using the “Have You Seen This Man?” poster.
Ray jumped at the chance which made for an awesome image of them both.
The evening was magical as Ray Wise is a magician whose gift for storytelling paired with decades of unique experiences enchanted the entire small town theatre.
Thank you to Beth, Kevin and Sam Burrows, Britni Larson and the entire staff of the North Bend Theatre for hosting this screening and conversation with Ray Wise.
There will be another Twin Peaks-themed screening at the theatre taking place from August 15-17, 2025 with special guests Michael Horse (Tommy “Hawk” Hill), Harry Goaz (Deputy Andy Brennan) and Dana Ashbrook (Bobby Briggs). Stay tuned for details.
