William Devane
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 5, 1939
- Birthplace
- Albany, New York, USA
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
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise 2015
as Dr. Dix
Truth 2015
as Gen. Hodges (voice) (uncredited)
Interstellar 2014
as Williams
Bad Turn Worse 2014
as Big Red
50 to 1 2014
as Leonard Doc Blach
The Dark Knight Rises 2012
as President
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt 2012
as Dr. Dix
Leprechaun's Revenge 2012
as Pop O'Hara
Good Morning, Killer 2011
as Everett Morgan Gray
Flag of My Father 2011
as Jake
Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost 2011
as Dr. Dix
The Kane Files: Life of Trial 2010
as Thompson
Jesse Stone: No Remorse 2010
as Dr. Dix
The River Why 2010
as Dutch Hines
- The Fall
The Fall 2009
as judge Stanley Seeban
Chasing the Green 2009
Actor
Jesse Stone: Thin Ice 2009
as Dr. Dix
- The Least Among You
The Least Among You 2009
as Alan Beckett
- The Dealership
The Dealership 2009
as Frank Carson
Stargate: Continuum 2008
as President Henry Hayes
Jesse Stone: Sea Change 2007
as Dr. Dix
Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise 2006
as Dr. Dix
Deceit 2004
as Grove McCarthy
Monte Walsh 2003
as Cal Brennan
A Christmas Visitor 2002
as George Boyajian
Threat of Exposure 2002
as Col. Weldon
The Badge 2002
as The Judge
Race to Space 2001
as Roger Thornhill
Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story 2001
as Tom Kincaid
Plotting 'Family Plot' 2001
as Self
Poor White Trash 2000
as Ron Lake
Hollow Man 2000
as Dr. Kramer
Space Cowboys 2000
as Eugene Davis
The Man Who Used to Be Me 2000
as Older Sam Ryan
Payback 1999
as Carter
- Doomsday Rock
Doomsday Rock 1997
as Dr. Karl Sorenson
The Absolute Truth 1997
as Emmett Hunter
Exception to the Rule 1997
as Lawrence Kellerman
Forgotten Sins 1996
as Dr. Richard Ofshe
Freefall: Flight 174 1995
as Capt. Bob Pearson
Night Watch 1995
as Nick Caldwell
Virus 1995
as Dr. Harbuck
Lady in Waiting 1994
as Lt. Barrett
For the Love of Nancy 1994
as Tom
Rubdown 1993
as Harry Orwitz
Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story 1993
as Daniel 'Dan' Fields
The President's Child 1992
as Elliot McSwain
Obsessed 1992
as Ed Bledsoe
Ancient Secrets of the Bible 1992
as Host & Narrator
Victim of Beauty 1991
as Sheriff Jim Metts
Murder C.O.D. 1990
as Alex Brandt
Vital Signs 1990
as Dr. Chatham
Chips, the War Dog 1990
as Col. Charnley
The Preppie Murder 1989
as Jack Litman
Timestalkers 1987
as Scott McKenzie
With Intent to Kill 1984
as Aaron Charney
Testament 1983
as Tom Wetherly
Hadley's Rebellion 1983
as Coach Ball
Jane Doe 1983
as William Quinn
Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady 1982
as Self
The Other Victim 1981
as Harry Langford
Red Flag: The Ultimate Game 1981
as Maj. Phil Clark
Honky Tonk Freeway 1981
as Mayor Kirby T. Calo
Yanks 1979
as John
The Dark 1979
as Roy Warner, aka Steve Dupree
Rolling Thunder 1977
as Major Charles Rane
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training 1977
as Mike Leak
Red Alert 1977
as Frank Brolen
Marathon Man 1976
as Janeway
The Million Dollar Rip-Off 1976
Writer
Family Plot 1976
as Arthur Adamson
Fear on Trial 1975
as John Henry Faulk
Report to the Commissioner 1975
as Asst. D.A. Jackson
The Missiles of October 1974
as President John F. Kennedy
Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita 1974
Actor
The Bait 1973
as Earl Stokey
Crime Club 1973
as Kilburn
The Irish Whiskey Rebellion 1972
as LT. Ashley
Lady Liberty 1971
as Jock Fenner
McCabe & Mrs. Miller 1971
as Lawyer
My Old Man's Place 1971
as Jimmy Pilgrim
The 300-Year Weekend 1971
as Tom, Additional Dialogue
The Pursuit of Happiness 1971
as Pilot
In the Country 1967
Actor
Credits from TMDB.