CINEFILER

William Devane

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