William Devane

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

112

Gender

Male

Birthday

1939-09-05 (86 years old)

Place of Birth

Albany, New York, USA

William Devane

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

  • NCIS

    NCIS

  • 24

    24

  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

  • Interstellar

    Interstellar

  • Stargate SG-1

    Stargate SG-1

  • The X-Files

    The X-Files

  • Psych

    Psych

  • The West Wing

    The West Wing

  • Mannix

    Mannix

  • The Dark Knight Rises

    The Dark Knight Rises

  • Revenge

    Revenge

  • Knots Landing

    Knots Landing

  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

    Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

  • Touched by an Angel

    Touched by an Angel

  • Medical Center

    Medical Center

  • Bosch: Legacy

    Bosch: Legacy

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Early Edition

    Early Edition

  • Hollow Man

    Hollow Man

  • The Dark

    The Dark

  • Truth

    Truth

  • Space Cowboys

    Space Cowboys

  • Red Alert

    Red Alert

  • Testament

    Testament

  • The Fall

    The Fall

  • Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita

    Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita

  • Night Watch

    Night Watch

  • The Badge

    The Badge

  • Lady Liberty

    Lady Liberty

  • Payback

    Payback

  • Virus

    Virus

  • What About Brian

    What About Brian

  • The Dealership

    The Dealership

  • Timestalkers

    Timestalkers

  • Rubdown

    Rubdown

  • The Grinder

    The Grinder

  • Monte Walsh

    Monte Walsh

  • Obsessed

    Obsessed

  • The Michael Richards Show

    The Michael Richards Show

  • Jane Doe

    Jane Doe

  • Yanks

    Yanks

  • Forgotten Sins

    Forgotten Sins

  • Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise

    Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise

  • The Bait

    The Bait

  • Hope and Gloria

    Hope and Gloria

  • Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise

    Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise

  • McCabe & Mrs. Miller

    McCabe & Mrs. Miller

  • Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost

    Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost

  • Jesse Stone: Sea Change

    Jesse Stone: Sea Change

  • Stargate: Continuum

    Stargate: Continuum

  • Crime Club

    Crime Club

  • The 300-Year Weekend

    The 300-Year Weekend

  • Notes from the Underbelly

    Notes from the Underbelly

  • A Christmas Visitor

    A Christmas Visitor

  • Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt

    Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt

  • The Man Who Used to Be Me

    The Man Who Used to Be Me

  • The Pursuit of Happiness

    The Pursuit of Happiness

  • Jesse Stone: No Remorse

    Jesse Stone: No Remorse

  • Freefall: Flight 174

    Freefall: Flight 174

  • 50 to 1

    50 to 1

  • Jesse Stone: Thin Ice

    Jesse Stone: Thin Ice

  • Marathon Man

    Marathon Man

  • Chips, the War Dog

    Chips, the War Dog

  • Honky Tonk Freeway

    Honky Tonk Freeway

  • A Woman Named Jackie

    A Woman Named Jackie

  • Lady in Waiting

    Lady in Waiting

  • My Old Man's Place

    My Old Man's Place

  • The Other Victim

    The Other Victim

  • Exception to the Rule

    Exception to the Rule

  • Crumbs

    Crumbs

  • Red Flag: The Ultimate Game

    Red Flag: The Ultimate Game

  • Report to the Commissioner

    Report to the Commissioner

  • The Snoop Sisters

    The Snoop Sisters

  • Race to Space

    Race to Space

  • The Missiles of October

    The Missiles of October

  • Murder C.O.D.

    Murder C.O.D.

  • For the Love of Nancy

    For the Love of Nancy

  • Turks

    Turks

  • Fear on Trial

    Fear on Trial

  • The Preppie Murder

    The Preppie Murder

  • Threat of Exposure

    Threat of Exposure

  • Hadley's Rebellion

    Hadley's Rebellion

  • Phenom

    Phenom

  • With Intent to Kill

    With Intent to Kill

  • Good Morning, Killer

    Good Morning, Killer

  • In the Country

    In the Country

  • The Kane Files: Life of Trial

    The Kane Files: Life of Trial

  • Bad Turn Worse

    Bad Turn Worse

  • Leprechaun's Revenge

    Leprechaun's Revenge

  • The Absolute Truth

    The Absolute Truth

  • Ancient Secrets of the Bible

    Ancient Secrets of the Bible

  • Black Beauty

    Black Beauty

  • From Here to Eternity

    From Here to Eternity

  • Plotting 'Family Plot'

    Plotting 'Family Plot'

  • Rolling Thunder

    Rolling Thunder

  • The Monroes

    The Monroes

  • Poor White Trash

    Poor White Trash

  • Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac

    Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac

  • Family Plot

    Family Plot

  • The River Why

    The River Why

  • The Missiles of October

    The Missiles of October

  • The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training

    The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training

  • Vital Signs

    Vital Signs

  • Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story

    Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story

  • Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story

    Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story

  • The Least Among You

    The Least Among You

  • Deceit

    Deceit

  • Nightmare in Columbia County

    Nightmare in Columbia County

  • The President's Child

    The President's Child

  • Flag of My Father

    Flag of My Father

  • Doomsday Rock

    Doomsday Rock

  • The Irish Whiskey Rebellion

    The Irish Whiskey Rebellion