William Devane
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
NCIS
Nicolas Mason
2003
Series
24
James Heller
2001
Series
The X-Files
General Mark Suveg
1993
Series
Stargate SG-1
President Hayes
1997
Series
The West Wing
Lewis Berryhill
1999
Series
Psych
Peters
2006
Series
Touched by an Angel
Benjamin Parker
1994
Series
Knots Landing
Greg Sumner
1979
Series
Ironside
Smiley
1967
Series
Mannix
Al Kordic
1967
Film
Interstellar
Williams
2014
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Fallon
1969
Series
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Al Capone
1993
Series
Early Edition
Bernie Hobson
1996
Series
American Playhouse
Tom Wetherly
1982
Series
Revenge
Edward Grayson
2011
Film
The Dark Knight Rises
President
2012
Series
Medical Center
Dr. Ray Waltham
1969
Series
Gunsmoke
Moss Stratton
1955
Series
Bosch: Legacy
Whitney Vance
2022
Film '72
Self
1971
Series
What About Brian
Michael Davis
2006
Film
Hollow Man
Dr. Kramer
2000
Series
The Grinder
Dean Sanderson Sr.
2015
Series
Hope and Gloria
William Devane
1995
Series
Notes from the Underbelly
Walter
2007
Film
Payback
Carter
1999
Film
Space Cowboys
Eugene Davis
2000
Series
The Michael Richards Show
Brady McKay
2000
Film
Marathon Man
Janeway
1976
Series
The Snoop Sisters
David Prine
1973
Film
Stargate: Continuum
President Henry Hayes
2008
Series
Crumbs
Billy Crumb
2006
Film
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
Lawyer
1971
Series
A Woman Named Jackie
Black Jack Bouvier
1991
Series
Phenom
Lou Della Rosa
1993
Film
Family Plot
Arthur Adamson
1976
Series
From Here to Eternity
Sgt. Milt Warden
1979
Film
Truth
Gen. Hodges (voice) (uncredited)
2015
Film
Testament
Tom Wetherly
1983
Film
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise
Dr. Dix
2015
Series
Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac
Greg Sumner
1997
Film
Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise
Dr. Dix
2006
Series
Black Beauty
John Manly
1978
Film
The Badge
The Judge
2002
Film
Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost
Dr. Dix
2011
Film
Jesse Stone: No Remorse
Dr. Dix
2010
Film
Jesse Stone: Thin Ice
Dr. Dix
2009
Film
Vital Signs
Dr. Chatham
1990
Film
Yanks
John
1979
Film
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt
Dr. Dix
2012
Series
Rogues Gallery
Self – Narrator
1997
Film
The Dark
Roy Warner, aka Steve Dupree
1979
Film
Report to the Commissioner
Asst. D.A. Jackson
1975
Series
The Monroes
1995
Film
Honky Tonk Freeway
Mayor Kirby T. Calo
1981
Film
Jesse Stone: Sea Change
Dr. Dix
2007
Film
Rolling Thunder
Major Charles Rane
1977
Film
Victim of Beauty
Sheriff Jim Metts
1991
Series
Turks
Sergeant Joseph Turk
1999
Film
Monte Walsh
Cal Brennan
2003
Film
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
Mike Leak
1977
Film
Freefall: Flight 174
Capt. Bob Pearson
1995
Film
For the Love of Nancy
Tom
1994
Film
Lady Liberty
Jock Fenner
1971
Film
The Preppie Murder
Jack Litman
1989
Film
Night Watch
Nick Caldwell
1995
Film
50 to 1
Leonard Doc Blach
2014
Film
Timestalkers
Scott McKenzie
1987
Series
The Missiles of October
John F. Kennedy - US President
1974
Film
Poor White Trash
Ron Lake
2000
Film
Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
Self
1982
Film
The Missiles of October
President John F. Kennedy
1974
Film
The Pursuit of Happiness
Pilot
1971
Film
Leprechaun's Revenge
Pop O'Hara
2012
Film
The Kane Files: Life of Trial
Thompson
2010
Film
The River Why
Dutch Hines
2010
Film
Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story
Daniel 'Dan' Fields
1993
Film
My Old Man's Place
Jimmy Pilgrim
1971
Film
With Intent to Kill
Aaron Charney
1984
Film
Murder C.O.D.
Alex Brandt
1990
Film
The Man Who Used to Be Me
Older Sam Ryan
2000
Film
A Christmas Visitor
George Boyajian
2002
Film
Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya — General Yamashita
1974
Film
Good Morning, Killer
Everett Morgan Gray
2011
Film
Exception to the Rule
Lawrence Kellerman
1997
Film
Race to Space
Roger Thornhill
2001
Film
Red Flag: The Ultimate Game
Maj. Phil Clark
1981
The Least Among You
Alan Beckett
2009
The Dealership
Frank Carson
2009
Film
The President's Child
Elliot McSwain
1992
Film
The Irish Whiskey Rebellion
LT. Ashley
1972
Film
Chips, the War Dog
Col. Charnley
1990
Film
The Other Victim
Harry Langford
1981
Film
The Bait
Earl Stokey
1973
Film
The Absolute Truth
Emmett Hunter
1997
Film
Obsessed
Ed Bledsoe
1992
Film
Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story
Tom Kincaid
2001
Film
Bad Turn Worse
Big Red
2014
Film
Red Alert
Frank Brolen
1977
Film
Plotting 'Family Plot'
Self
2001
Film
Virus
Dr. Harbuck
1995
Film
Chasing the Green
2009
Doomsday Rock
Dr. Karl Sorenson
1997
Film
The 300-Year Weekend
Tom
1971
Film
Crime Club
Kilburn
1973
Film
Flag of My Father
Jake
2011
Film
Ancient Secrets of the Bible
Host & Narrator
1992
Film
Rubdown
Harry Orwitz
1993
Film
Forgotten Sins
Dr. Richard Ofshe
1996
Film
Fear on Trial
John Henry Faulk
1975
Film
Threat of Exposure
Col. Weldon
2002
Film
Lady in Waiting
Lt. Barrett
1994
Film
Deceit
Grove McCarthy
2004
Film
In the Country
1967
The Fall
judge Stanley Seeban
2009
Film
Jane Doe
William Quinn
1983
Film
Hadley's Rebellion
Coach Ball
1983