
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.
Acting (77 movies)

The Badge
2002

Payback
1999

Marathon Man
1976

Space Cowboys
2000

Rolling Thunder
1977

Yanks
1979

Family Plot
1976

A Christmas Visitor
2002

Stargate: Continuum
2008

McCabe & Mrs. Miller
1971

Report to the Commissioner
1975

Monte Walsh
2003

The Kane Files: Life of Trial
2010

Poor White Trash
2000

Night Watch
1995

Murder C.O.D.
1990

Vital Signs
1990

The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
1977

Timestalkers
1987

Freefall: Flight 174
1995

The Missiles of October
1974

Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost
2011

Leprechaun's Revenge
2012

The Dark
1979

Chips, the War Dog
1990

For the Love of Nancy
1994

Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt
2012

Flag of My Father
2011

Obsessed
1992

Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story
1993

Red Alert
1977

50 to 1
2014

Bad Turn Worse
2014

Lady Liberty
1971

Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story
2001

The Bait
1973

Lady in Waiting
1994

Race to Space
2001

Fear on Trial
1975

Testament
1983

Interstellar
2014

Nightmare in Columbia County
1991

The Other Victim
1981

Red Flag: The Ultimate Game
1981

The Man Who Used to Be Me
2000

Exception to the Rule
1997

Hadley's Rebellion
1983

Deceit
2004

The Fall
2009

Hollow Man
2000

Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise
2015

The Dark Knight Rises
2012

Good Morning, Killer
2011

Jesse Stone: Sea Change
2007

In the Country
1967

Jesse Stone: No Remorse
2010

Threat of Exposure
2002

Ancient Secrets of the Bible
1992

The Preppie Murder
1989

Plotting 'Family Plot'
2001

My Old Man's Place
1971

Jesse Stone: Thin Ice
2009

Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise
2006

The Irish Whiskey Rebellion
1972

The Absolute Truth
1997

Crime Club
1973

Truth
2015

The President's Child
1992

Honky Tonk Freeway
1981

Virus
1995

The 300-Year Weekend
1971

The River Why
2010

Rubdown
1993

Jane Doe
1983

The Pursuit of Happiness
1971

With Intent to Kill
1984

Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita
1974
| Title | Year | Job |
|---|---|---|
| The Million Dollar Rip-Off | 1976 | Writer |