William Devane
Acting
- Born:
- 1939-09-05
- Place of birth:
- Albany, New York, USA
Biography
William Joseph Devane (born September 5, 1937) is an American film, television and theater actor, known for his role as Greg Sumner on the primetime soap opera Knots Landing and as James Heller on the Fox serial drama 24, the role he reprised in Live Another Day. He is also known for his supporting roles in films such as McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Family Plot), Marathon Man, Rolling Thunder and Space Cowboys. Devane began his acting career with the New York Shakespeare Festival where he performed in 15 plays. In 1966, Devane portrayed Robert F. Kennedy in the Off-Broadway spoof MacBird. He gained acclaim for his role as President John F. Kennedy in a television docudrama about the Cuban Missile Crisis, The Missiles of October, and again when he played blacklisted radio personality John Henry Faulk in the Emmy Award-winning TV movie Fear on Trial. He is widely known for his ten years as the ambitious and hardnosed politician-turned-corporate titan Greg Sumner on Knots Landing. In 1994, Devane appeared as Al Capone in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman in an episode entitled "That Old Gang of Mine". He also had a recurring role on the CBS show Early Edition as the lead character's father. Devane appeared in the films McCabe & Mrs. Miller; Lady Liberty; Family Plot; Marathon Man; Rolling Thunder; Yanks; Testament; Timestalkers; Forgotten Sins; Exception to the Rule; Payback; Hollow Man and Space Cowboys. Devane has played members of the Presidential Cabinet on two evening dramas. In 2004, on The West Wing, he guest-starred as the Secretary of State and potential Vice-Presidential nominee. Devane appeared in several scenes with Martin Sheen; they also appeared together as President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert, respectively, 30 years earlier in The Missiles of October. In 2005, he joined the cast of 24 as Secretary of Defense James Heller for seasons 4, 5 and 6.
Known For
Filmography
Bosch: Legacy
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise
Truth
The Grinder
Interstellar
Bad Turn Worse
50 to 1
The Dark Knight Rises
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt
Leprechaun's Revenge
Good Morning, Killer
Flag of My Father
Revenge
Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost
The Kane Files: Life of Trial
Jesse Stone: No Remorse
The River Why
The Fall
Chasing the Green
Jesse Stone: Thin Ice
The Least Among You
The Dealership
Stargate: Continuum
Jesse Stone: Sea Change
Notes from the Underbelly
Psych
Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise
What About Brian
Crumbs
Deceit
NCIS
Monte Walsh
A Christmas Visitor
Threat of Exposure
The Badge
24
Race to Space
Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story
Plotting 'Family Plot'
Poor White Trash
The Michael Richards Show
Space Cowboys
Hollow Man
The Man Who Used to Be Me
The West Wing
Payback
Turks
Doomsday Rock
Stargate SG-1
Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac
The Absolute Truth
Rogues Gallery
Exception to the Rule
Early Edition
Forgotten Sins
Freefall: Flight 174
Night Watch
The Monroes
Virus
Hope and Gloria
Lady in Waiting
For the Love of Nancy
Touched by an Angel
Rubdown
Phenom
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
The X-Files
Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story
The President's Child
Obsessed
Ancient Secrets of the Bible
Victim of Beauty
A Woman Named Jackie
Murder C.O.D.
Vital Signs
Chips, the War Dog
The Preppie Murder
Timestalkers
With Intent to Kill
Testament
Hadley's Rebellion
Jane Doe
Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
American Playhouse
The Other Victim
Red Flag: The Ultimate Game
Honky Tonk Freeway
Knots Landing
Yanks
The Dark
From Here to Eternity
Black Beauty
Rolling Thunder
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
Red Alert
Marathon Man
Family Plot
Fear on Trial
Report to the Commissioner
The Missiles of October
The Missiles of October
Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita
The Snoop Sisters
The Bait
Crime Club
The Irish Whiskey Rebellion
Lady Liberty
Film '72
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
My Old Man's Place
The 300-Year Weekend
The Pursuit of Happiness
Medical Center
Hawaii Five-O
Mannix
Ironside
In the Country
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Gunsmoke