
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.
Personal Info
Gender
Male
Birthday
1939-09-05
Place of Birth
Albany, New York, USA
Images






Cast
The Badge
20025.9 / 10
Payback
19996.8 / 10
Marathon Man
19767.2 / 10
Space Cowboys
20006.4 / 10
Rolling Thunder
19776.8 / 10
Yanks
19795.9 / 10
Family Plot
19766.7 / 10
A Christmas Visitor
20025.3 / 10
Stargate: Continuum
20087.1 / 10
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
19717.2 / 10
Report to the Commissioner
19756.6 / 10
Monte Walsh
20036.1 / 10
The Kane Files: Life of Trial
20104.9 / 10
Poor White Trash
20004.0 / 10
Night Watch
19954.6 / 10
Murder C.O.D.
19907.8 / 10
Vital Signs
19904.9 / 10
The Least Among You
20095.0 / 10
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
19775.8 / 10
Timestalkers
19875.3 / 10
Freefall: Flight 174
19955.5 / 10
The Missiles of October
19747.5 / 10
Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost
20116.4 / 10
Leprechaun's Revenge
20125.1 / 10
The Dark
19794.6 / 10
Chips, the War Dog
19908.5 / 10
For the Love of Nancy
19946.9 / 10
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt
20126.8 / 10
Flag of My Father
20116.0 / 10
Obsessed
19926.0 / 10
Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story
19935.3 / 10
Red Alert
19774.0 / 10
The Dealership
20090.0 / 10
50 to 1
20146.6 / 10
Bad Turn Worse
20145.5 / 10
Lady Liberty
19715.5 / 10
The Bait
19736.4 / 10
Lady in Waiting
19943.2 / 10
Race to Space
20015.9 / 10
Fear on Trial
19759.0 / 10
Testament
19836.4 / 10
Interstellar
20148.5 / 10
Forgotten Sins
19962.0 / 10
Doomsday Rock
19974.7 / 10
Nightmare in Columbia County
19916.5 / 10
The Other Victim
19810.0 / 10
Red Flag: The Ultimate Game
19814.0 / 10
The Man Who Used to Be Me
20005.3 / 10
Exception to the Rule
19973.2 / 10
Hadley's Rebellion
19834.0 / 10
Deceit
20043.7 / 10
The Fall
20094.0 / 10
Hollow Man
20005.9 / 10
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise
20156.5 / 10
The Dark Knight Rises
20127.8 / 10
Good Morning, Killer
20115.2 / 10
Jesse Stone: Sea Change
20076.9 / 10
In the Country
19676.0 / 10
Jesse Stone: No Remorse
20106.8 / 10
Threat of Exposure
20025.3 / 10
Ancient Secrets of the Bible
19920.0 / 10
The Preppie Murder
19895.8 / 10
Plotting 'Family Plot'
20016.2 / 10
My Old Man's Place
19716.8 / 10
Jesse Stone: Thin Ice
20096.8 / 10
Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise
20066.9 / 10
The Irish Whiskey Rebellion
19723.0 / 10
The Absolute Truth
19973.7 / 10
Crime Club
19730.0 / 10
Truth
20156.5 / 10
The President's Child
199210.0 / 10
Honky Tonk Freeway
19815.2 / 10
Virus
19954.6 / 10
The 300-Year Weekend
19712.0 / 10
The River Why
20105.3 / 10
Rubdown
19932.5 / 10
Jane Doe
19836.0 / 10
The Pursuit of Happiness
19716.3 / 10
With Intent to Kill
19843.0 / 10
Crew
The Million Dollar Rip-Off
19766.0 / 10
The 300-Year Weekend
19712.0 / 10