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