William Devane

Acting

September 5, 1939 (86 years old)

Albany, New York, USA

Male

84 Movies

33 TV Shows

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.

24

2001 7.8

as James Heller

Age 62 (now 86) 32 eps

32 eps

Marathon Man

1976 7.2

as Janeway

Age 37 (now 86)

Rolling Thunder

1977 6.7

as Major Charles Rane

Age 38 (now 86)

McCabe & Mrs. Miller

1971 7.2

as Lawyer

Age 31 (now 86)

Family Plot

1976 6.8

as Arthur Adamson

Age 36 (now 86)

Payback

1999 6.8

as Carter

Age 59 (now 86)

Space Cowboys

2000 6.4

as Eugene Davis

Age 60 (now 86)

Hollow Man

2000 6.0

as Dr. Kramer

Age 60 (now 86)

Testament

1983 6.4

as Tom Wetherly

Age 44 (now 86)

Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise

2015 6.6

as Dr. Dix

Age 76 (now 86)

Interstellar

2014 8.5

as Williams

Age 75 (now 86)

Knots Landing

1979 6.9

as Greg Sumner

Age 40 (now 86) 269 eps

269 eps

50 to 1

2014 6.7

as Leonard Doc Blach

Age 74 (now 86)

The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training

1977 5.8

as Mike Leak

Age 37 (now 86)

Timestalkers

1987 5.4

as Scott McKenzie

Age 47 (now 86)

Stargate: Continuum

2008 7.1

as President Henry Hayes

Age 68 (now 86)

Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise

2015 6.6

as Dr. Dix

Age 76 (now 86)

Truth

2015 6.5

as Gen. Hodges (voice) (uncredited)

Age 76 (now 86)

Interstellar

2014 8.5

as Williams

Age 75 (now 86)

Bad Turn Worse

2014 5.4

as Big Red

Age 74 (now 86)

50 to 1

2014 6.7

as Leonard Doc Blach

Age 74 (now 86)

The Dark Knight Rises

2012 7.8

as President

Age 72 (now 86)

Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt

2012 6.8

as Dr. Dix

Age 72 (now 86)

Leprechaun's Revenge

2012 5.1

as Pop O'Hara

Age 72 (now 86)

Good Morning, Killer

2011 4.9

as Everett Morgan Gray

Age 72 (now 86)

Flag of My Father

2011 6.0

as Jake

Age 72 (now 86)

Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost

2011 6.4

as Dr. Dix

Age 71 (now 86)

The Kane Files: Life of Trial

2010 4.8

as Thompson

Age 71 (now 86)

Jesse Stone: No Remorse

2010 6.9

as Dr. Dix

Age 70 (now 86)

The River Why

2010 5.3

as Dutch Hines

Age 70 (now 86)

The Fall

2009 5.5

as judge Stanley Seeban

Age 70 (now 86)

Jesse Stone: Thin Ice

2009 6.9

as Dr. Dix

Age 69 (now 86)

The Least Among You

2009 5.0

as Alan Beckett

Age 69 (now 86)

The Dealership

2009

as Frank Carson

Age 69 (now 86)

Stargate: Continuum

2008 7.1

as President Henry Hayes

Age 68 (now 86)

Jesse Stone: Sea Change

2007 7.0

as Dr. Dix

Age 67 (now 86)

Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise

2006 6.9

as Dr. Dix

Age 66 (now 86)

Deceit

2004 4.4

as Grove McCarthy

Age 64 (now 86)

Monte Walsh

2003 6.2

as Cal Brennan

Age 63 (now 86)

A Christmas Visitor

2002 5.4

as George Boyajian

Age 63 (now 86)

Threat of Exposure

2002 5.0

as Col. Weldon

Age 63 (now 86)

The Badge

2002 5.7

as The Judge

Age 63 (now 86)

Race to Space

2001 6.0

as Roger Thornhill

Age 62 (now 86)

Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story

2001 4.5

as Tom Kincaid

Age 61 (now 86)

Plotting 'Family Plot'

2001 6.9

as Self

Age 61 (now 86)

Poor White Trash

2000 4.5

as Ron Lake

Age 61 (now 86)

Hollow Man

2000 6.0

as Dr. Kramer

Age 60 (now 86)

Space Cowboys

2000 6.4

as Eugene Davis

Age 60 (now 86)

The Man Who Used to Be Me

2000 5.8

as Older Sam Ryan

Age 60 (now 86)

Payback

1999 6.8

as Carter

Age 59 (now 86)

Doomsday Rock

1997 5.3

as Dr. Karl Sorenson

Age 57 (now 86)

The Absolute Truth

1997 4.5

as Sen. Emmett Hunter

Age 57 (now 86)

Exception to the Rule

1997 3.6

as Lawrence Kellerman

Age 57 (now 86)

Forgotten Sins

1996 5.5

as Dr. Richard Ofshe

Age 56 (now 86)

Freefall: Flight 174

1995 5.7

as Capt. Bob Pearson

Age 56 (now 86)

Night Watch

1995 4.8

as Nick Caldwell

Age 56 (now 86)

Virus

1995 4.8

as Dr. Harbuck

Age 55 (now 86)

Lady in Waiting

1994 3.1

as Lt. Barrett

Age 55 (now 86)

For the Love of Nancy

1994 7.2

as Tom

Age 55 (now 86)

Rubdown

1993 4.0

as Harry Orwitz

Age 54 (now 86)

Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story

1993 5.6

as Daniel 'Dan' Fields

Age 53 (now 86)

The President's Child

1992 9.0

as Elliot McSwain

Age 53 (now 86)

Obsessed

1992 6.1

as Ed Bledsoe

Age 53 (now 86)

Ancient Secrets of the Bible

1992 8.0

as Host & Narrator

Age 52 (now 86)

Victim of Beauty

1991 6.7

as Sheriff Jim Metts

Age 52 (now 86)

Murder C.O.D.

1990 8.1

as Alex Brandt

Age 51 (now 86)

Vital Signs

1990 4.6

as Dr. Chatham

Age 50 (now 86)

Chips, the War Dog

1990 8.3

as Col. Charnley

Age 50 (now 86)

The Preppie Murder

1989 5.6

as Jack Litman

Age 50 (now 86)

Timestalkers

1987 5.4

as Scott McKenzie

Age 47 (now 86)

With Intent to Kill

1984 6.5

as Aaron Charney

Age 45 (now 86)

Testament

1983 6.4

as Tom Wetherly

Age 44 (now 86)

Hadley's Rebellion

1983 4.8

as Coach Ball

Age 44 (now 86)

Jane Doe

1983 6.5

as William Quinn

Age 43 (now 86)

Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady

1982 6.0

Age 42 (now 86)

The Other Victim

1981 8.0

as Harry Langford

Age 42 (now 86)

Red Flag: The Ultimate Game

1981 5.3

as Maj. Phil Clark

Age 42 (now 86)

Honky Tonk Freeway

1981 5.3

as Mayor Kirby T. Calo

Age 41 (now 86)

Yanks

1979 5.9

as John

Age 40 (now 86)

The Dark

1979 4.7

as Roy Warner, aka Steve Dupree

Age 39 (now 86)

Rolling Thunder

1977 6.7

as Major Charles Rane

Age 38 (now 86)

The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training

1977 5.8

as Mike Leak

Age 37 (now 86)

Red Alert

1977 5.5

as Frank Brolen

Age 37 (now 86)

Marathon Man

1976 7.2

as Janeway

Age 37 (now 86)

The Million Dollar Rip-Off

1976 7.3

Writer

Age 37 (now 86)

Family Plot

1976 6.8

as Arthur Adamson

Age 36 (now 86)

Fear on Trial

1975 9.0

as John Henry Faulk

Age 36 (now 86)

Report to the Commissioner

1975 6.6

as Asst. D.A. Jackson

Age 35 (now 86)

The Missiles of October

1974 7.5

as President John F. Kennedy

Age 35 (now 86)

Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita

1974 8.0

Age 34 (now 86)

The Bait

1973 6.5

as Earl Stokey

Age 33 (now 86)

Crime Club

1973 10.0

as Kilburn

Age 33 (now 86)

The Irish Whiskey Rebellion

1972 5.5

as LT. Ashley

Age 32 (now 86)

Lady Liberty

1971 5.5

as Jock Fenner

Age 32 (now 86)

McCabe & Mrs. Miller

1971 7.2

as Lawyer

Age 31 (now 86)

My Old Man's Place

1971 6.8

as Jimmy Pilgrim

Age 31 (now 86)

The 300-Year Weekend

1971 4.3

Additional Dialogue

Age 31 (now 86)

The 300-Year Weekend

1971 4.3

as Tom

Age 31 (now 86)

The Pursuit of Happiness

1971 6.2

as Pilot

Age 31 (now 86)

In the Country

1967 8.0

Age 27 (now 86)