William Devane
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.
115 acting credits
Acting · 115
NCIS
2003
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
24
2001
Stargate SG-1
1997
The X-Files
1993
Interstellar
2014
Psych
2006
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
1993
The West Wing
1999
Mannix
1967
Knots Landing
1979
Revenge
2011
Touched by an Angel
1994
Early Edition
1996
Medical Center
1969
The Dark Knight Rises
2012
Bosch: Legacy
2022
Gunsmoke
1955
Film '72
1971
What About Brian
2006
The Grinder
2015
Hope and Gloria
1995
Hollow Man
2000
Notes from the Underbelly
2007
Payback
1999
Phenom
1993
The Michael Richards Show
2000
The Snoop Sisters
1973
Crumbs
2006
A Woman Named Jackie
1991
Space Cowboys
2000
Black Beauty
1978
Marathon Man
1976
Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac
1997
Stargate: Continuum
2008
From Here to Eternity
1979
Truth
2015
Turks
1999
Testament
1983
The Badge
2002
Monte Walsh
2003
Family Plot
1976
Vital Signs
1990
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise
2015
Jesse Stone: Sea Change
2007
Rolling Thunder
1977
The Monroes
1995
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
1971
Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise
2006
Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost
2011
The River Why
2010
Rogues Gallery
1997
50 to 1
2014
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt
2012
Timestalkers
1987
Jesse Stone: No Remorse
2010
The Dark
1979
Yanks
1979
The Missiles of October
1974
The Preppie Murder
1989
Jesse Stone: Thin Ice
2009
Report to the Commissioner
1975
Virus
1995
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
1977
Night Watch
1995
Deceit
2004
Fear on Trial
1975
Freefall: Flight 174
1995
The Missiles of October
1974
Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story
1993
Honky Tonk Freeway
1981
Red Alert
1977
Poor White Trash
2000
Lady Liberty
1971
Good Morning, Killer
2011
Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita
1974
The Pursuit of Happiness
1971
The Bait
1973
Forgotten Sins
1996
Nightmare in Columbia County
1991
Lady in Waiting
1994
Crime Club
1973
Jane Doe
1983
Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story
2001
Race to Space
2001
The President's Child
1992
Leprechaun's Revenge
2012
The Man Who Used to Be Me
2000
The Absolute Truth
1997
The Other Victim
1981
Red Flag: The Ultimate Game
1981
Obsessed
1992
The Fall
2009
A Christmas Visitor
2002
Bad Turn Worse
2014
My Old Man's Place
1971
For the Love of Nancy
1994
The Least Among You
2009
Rubdown
1993
Flag of My Father
2011
Murder C.O.D.
1990
The Kane Files: Life of Trial
2010
Exception to the Rule
1997
With Intent to Kill
1984
The Dealership
2009
Threat of Exposure
2002
Chips, the War Dog
1990
Hadley's Rebellion
1983
The 300-Year Weekend
1971
Doomsday Rock
1997
Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
1982
In the Country
1967
Plotting 'Family Plot'
2001
The Irish Whiskey Rebellion
1972
Ancient Secrets of the Bible
1992