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William Devane

William Devane

Birthday: 1939-09-05 | Place of Birth: Albany, New York, USA

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.

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Known For

Acting

Year
Title

Role

2015
The Grinder

as    Dean Sanderson Sr.

2015
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise

as    Dr. Dix

2014
Bad Turn Worse

as    Big Red

2014
50 to 1

as    Leonard Doc Blach

2014
24: Live Another Day

as    President James Heller

2012
2012
Leprechaun's Revenge

as    Pop O'Hara

2011
Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost

as    Dr. Dix

2011
Good Morning, Killer

as    Everett Morgan Gray

2010
Jesse Stone: No Remorse

as    Dr. Dix

2010
The River Why

as    Dutch Hines

2010
The Kane Files: Life of Trial

as    Thompson

2008
Stargate: Continuum

as    President Henry Hayes

2002
Threat of Exposure

as    Col. Weldon

2002
The Badge

as    The Judge

2001
24

as    President James Heller

2000
The Michael Richards Show

as    Brady McKay

2000
Hollow Man

as    Dr. Kramer

2000
Space Cowboys

as    Eugene Davis

2000
The Man Who Used to Be Me

as    Older Sam Ryan

2000
Poor White Trash

as    Ron Lake

1999
Payback

as    Carter

1997
Exception to the Rule

as    Lawrence Kellerman