William Devane
Born: 1939-09-05 in Albany, New York, USA
Known For: Acting
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.
Filmography
2022
- Bosch: Legacy as Whitney Vance
2015
- The Grinder as Dean Sanderson Sr.
- Truth as Gen. Hodges (voice) (uncredited)
- Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise as Dr. Dix
2014
- Interstellar as Williams
- 50 to 1 as Leonard Doc Blach
- Bad Turn Worse as Big Red
2012
- The Dark Knight Rises as President
- Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt as Dr. Dix
- Leprechaun's Revenge as Pop O'Hara
2011
- Revenge as Edward Grayson
- Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost as Dr. Dix
- Good Morning, Killer as Everett Morgan Gray
- Flag of My Father as Jake
2010
- The River Why as Dutch Hines
- Jesse Stone: No Remorse as Dr. Dix
- The Kane Files: Life of Trial as Thompson
2009
- Jesse Stone: Thin Ice as Dr. Dix
- The Least Among You as Alan Beckett
- The Dealership as Frank Carson
- The Fall as judge Stanley Seeban
2008
- Stargate: Continuum as President Henry Hayes
2007
- Notes from the Underbelly as Walter
- Jesse Stone: Sea Change as Dr. Dix
2006
- Psych as Peters
- What About Brian as Michael Davis
- Crumbs as Billy Crumb
- Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise as Dr. Dix
2004
- Deceit as Grove McCarthy
2003
- NCIS as Nicolas Mason
- Monte Walsh as Cal Brennan
2002
- The Badge as The Judge
- A Christmas Visitor as George Boyajian
- Threat of Exposure as Col. Weldon
2001
- 24 as James Heller
- Plotting 'Family Plot' as Self
- Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story as Tom Kincaid
- Race to Space as Roger Thornhill
2000
- Hollow Man as Dr. Kramer
- The Michael Richards Show as Brady McKay
- Space Cowboys as Eugene Davis
- Poor White Trash as Ron Lake
- The Man Who Used to Be Me as Older Sam Ryan
1999
- The West Wing as Lewis Berryhill
- Payback as Carter
- Turks as Sergeant Joseph Turk
1997
- Stargate SG-1 as President Hayes
- Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac as Greg Sumner
- Rogues Gallery as Self – Narrator
- Doomsday Rock as Dr. Karl Sorenson
- The Absolute Truth as Sen. Emmett Hunter
- Exception to the Rule as Lawrence Kellerman
1996
- Early Edition as Bernie Hobson
- Forgotten Sins as Dr. Richard Ofshe
1995
- Hope and Gloria as William Devane
- The Monroes
- Freefall: Flight 174 as Capt. Bob Pearson
- Night Watch as Nick Caldwell
- Virus as Dr. Harbuck
1994
- Touched by an Angel as Benjamin Parker
- Lady in Waiting as Lt. Barrett
- For the Love of Nancy as Tom
1993
- The X-Files as General Mark Suveg
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman as Al Capone
- Phenom as Lou Della Rosa
- Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story as Daniel 'Dan' Fields
- Rubdown as Harry Orwitz
1992
- Obsessed as Ed Bledsoe
- The President's Child as Elliot McSwain
- Ancient Secrets of the Bible as Host & Narrator
1991
- A Woman Named Jackie as Black Jack Bouvier
- Nightmare in Columbia County as Sheriff Jim Metts
1990
- Vital Signs as Dr. Chatham
- Murder C.O.D. as Alex Brandt
- Chips, the War Dog as Col. Charnley
1989
- The Preppie Murder as Jack Litman
1987
- Timestalkers as Scott McKenzie
1984
- With Intent to Kill as Aaron Charney
1983
- Testament as Tom Wetherly
- Jane Doe as William Quinn
- Hadley's Rebellion as Coach Ball
1981
- Honky Tonk Freeway as Mayor Kirby T. Calo
- The Other Victim as Harry Langford
- Red Flag: The Ultimate Game as Maj. Phil Clark
1979
- Knots Landing as Greg Sumner
- From Here to Eternity as Sgt. Milt Warden
- Yanks as John
- The Dark as Roy Warner, aka Steve Dupree
1978
- Black Beauty as John Manly
1977
- Rolling Thunder as Major Charles Rane
- The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training as Mike Leak
- Red Alert as Frank Brolen
1976
- Marathon Man as Janeway
- Family Plot as Arthur Adamson
- The Million Dollar Rip-Off ... (Writer)
1975
- Report to the Commissioner as Asst. D.A. Jackson
- Fear on Trial as John Henry Faulk
1974
- The Missiles of October as John F. Kennedy - US President
- Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita
- The Missiles of October as President John F. Kennedy
1973
- The Snoop Sisters as David Prine
- Crime Club as Kilburn
- The Bait as Earl Stokey
1972
- The Irish Whiskey Rebellion as LT. Ashley
1971
- McCabe & Mrs. Miller as Lawyer
- Lady Liberty as Jock Fenner
- The Pursuit of Happiness as Pilot
- The 300-Year Weekend as Tom
- My Old Man's Place as Jimmy Pilgrim
1969
- Medical Center as Dr. Ray Waltham
1967
- Mannix as Al Kordic
- In the Country
1962
1955
- Gunsmoke as Moss Stratton