William Devane
![]() |
William Devane | |
---|---|
Devane inThe Missiles of October(1974) | |
Born | William Joseph Devane September 5, 1939 Albany, New York,U.S. |
Alma mater | American Academy of Dramatic Arts |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1966–present |
Spouse |
Eugenie McCabe (m.1961) |
Children | 2 |
William Joseph Devane(born September 5, 1939) is an American actor. He is known for his role asGreg Sumneron the primetime soap operaKnots Landing(1983–1993)[1]and asJames Helleron theFoxserial dramas24(2001–2010) and24: Live Another Day(2014). He is also known for his work in films such asFamily Plot(1976),Marathon Man(1976),Rolling Thunder(1977),Payback(1999), andSpace Cowboys(2000).
Early life[edit]
Devane was born on September 5, 1939, inAlbany, New York,[2]the son of Joseph Devane, who had beenFranklin D. Roosevelt'schauffeurwhen he was governor of New York.[3]His father was of Irish descent and his mother Kate had Dutch and German ancestry.[4]Devane graduated from Philip Schuyler High School in Albany, and then theAmerican Academy of Dramatic Artsin New York City in 1962.[2]
Career[edit]
Devane began his acting career with theNew York Shakespeare Festival,where he performed in fifteen plays.[2]
In 1966, Devane portrayedRobert F. Kennedyin theoff-BroadwayspoofMacBird.[2]He gained acclaim for his role as PresidentJohn F. Kennedyin a televisiondocudramaabout theCuban Missile Crisis,The Missiles of October(1974)[2]and again when he playedblacklistedradio personalityJohn Henry Faulkin theEmmy Award-winning TV movieFear on Trial(1975). Devane starred as Master Sgt. Milt Warden in the miniseries remake ofFrom Here to Eternity(1979); he later reprised that role in a weekly series that was canceled after one season. Devane is widely known for his ten years as the ambitious and hardnosed politician-turned-corporate titanGreg SumneronKnots Landing.
In 1971, he starred off-Broadway as Randle McMurphy in the first stage revival ofOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestalongsideDanny DeVitoas Martini, who would go on to reprise the role in the acclaimedfilm of the same namealongsideJack Nicholson.[5][6]
In 1994, Devane appeared asAl CaponeinLois & Clark: The New Adventures of Supermanin an episode entitled"That Old Gang of Mine".He had a recurring role on the CBS showEarly Edition(1996–2000) as the lead character's father. Devane appeared in the filmsMcCabe & Mrs. Miller(1971);Lady Liberty(1971);Family Plot(1976), directed byAlfred Hitchcock;Marathon Man(1976);Rolling Thunder(1977);Yanks(1979);Testament(1983) with Jane Alexander;Timestalkers(1987) withLauren HuttonandKlaus Kinski;Forgotten Sins(1996) withJohn Shea;Exception to the Rule(1997);Payback(1999);Hollow Man(2000) andSpace Cowboys(2000).
Devane has played members of thePresidential Cabineton two evening dramas. In 2004, onThe West Wing,he guest-starred as thesecretary of stateand potentialvice presidentialnominee.[7]Devane appeared in several scenes withMartin Sheen;they also appeared together as President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert, respectively, 30 years earlier inThe Missiles of October(1974). In 2005, he joined the cast of24asSecretary of DefenseJames Heller for seasons four through six.[7]
Later career[edit]
In 2004, Devane appeared in three episodes ofStargate SG-1asPresidentHenry Hayesand appears in the direct-to-DVD movieStargate: Continuum.He also co-starred in the short-lived sitcomCrumbsand as Brian's real-estate broker father inWhat About Brian(2006–07). In 2008, he appeared in Russ Emanuel'sChasing the GreenalongsideJeremy London,Ryan Hurst, andRobert Picardo.He also appears as police officer turned psychologist Dr. Dix in theJesse Stonemystery movies withTom Selleck.[7]In 2010, he appeared in theNCISepisode "Worst Nightmare" as a grandfather who is not what he appears to be, and is actually a former U.S. deep-cover special-operations agent, of a child kidnapped fromMarine Corps Base Quantico.
In 2012, Devane began a recurring role as Grandpa Edward Grayson on the ABC primetime soap operaRevenge.[8]Devane also played the President of the United States in theChristopher NolanfilmThe Dark Knight Rises.Devane reprised his role as James Heller, now President, in the limited-run series24: Live Another Day,which premiered in May 2014.
Devane had a cameo role as Williams, as part of NASA, in the 2014 filmInterstellarand a year later, was also part of the regular cast of the sitcomThe Grinder.In 2022, he appeared in a four-episode guest arc on theAmazon Prime Videodetective seriesBosch: Legacy.
Personal life[edit]
He married Eugenie McCabe in 1961. They lived inSherman Oaks,Los Angeles, with their two sons:[2]Joshua, a real estate agent, and Jake, a lawyer. He has two grandsons. He splits his time between his ranches inCaliforniaandMontana.
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1967 | In the Country | Unknown | |
1969 | Gunsmith of Williamsburg | The Narrator | |
1971 | The Pursuit of Happiness | Pilot | |
The 300 Year Weekend | Tom | ||
McCabe & Mrs. Miller | Clement Samuels, Esq | ||
My Old Man's Place | Jimmy Pilgrim | ||
Lady Liberty | Jock Fenner | ||
1972 | The Irish Whiskey Rebellion | Lieutenant Ashley | |
1975 | Report to the Commissioner | Assistant District Attorney Jackson | |
1976 | Family Plot | Arthur Adamson / Edward Shoebridge | |
Marathon Man | Commander Peter "Janey" Janeway | ||
1977 | The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training | Mike Leak | |
Rolling Thunder | Major Charles Rane | ||
1979 | The Dark | Roy Warner | |
Yanks | Captain John | ||
1981 | Honky Tonk Freeway | Mayor Kirby T. Calo | |
1981 | Red Flag - The Ultimate Game | Major Phil Clark | |
1983 | Testament | Tom Wetherly | |
1987 | Hadley's Rebellion | Coach Ball | |
1987 | Timestalkers | Dr. Scott McKenzie | |
1990 | Vital Signs | Dr. Chatham | |
1992 | Obsessed | Ed Bledsoe | |
1994 | Lady in Waiting(Alternate title:Hollywood Madam) | Lieutenant Barrett | |
1995 | Falling from the Sky: Flight 174 | Captain Robert Pearson | |
1997 | Exception to the Rule | Lawrence Kellerman | |
1999 | Payback | Carter | |
2000 | The Man Who Used To Be Me | Sam | |
Poor White Trash | Ron Lake | ||
Space Cowboys | Flight Director Eugene "Gene" Davis | ||
Hollow Man | Dr. Howard Kramer | ||
2001 | Race to Space | Roger Thornhill | |
2002 | The Badge | The Judge | |
Threat of Exposure | Colonel Weldon | ||
2003 | The Wind Effect | L.T. Porter | |
Monte Walsh | Cal Brennan | ||
2008 | The Fall | Judge Stanley Seeban | |
Stargate Continuum | President Henry Hayes | ||
2009 | The Least Among You | Alan Beckett | |
Chasing the Green | Victor Gatling | ||
2010 | The River Why | "Dutch" Hines | |
The Kane Files: Life of Trial | Thompson | ||
2011 | Flag of My Father | Jake | |
2012 | Red Clover | "Pops" O'Hara | |
The Dark Knight Rises | The President | ||
2013 | Bad Turn Worse | "Big Red" | |
2014 | 50 to 1 | Leonard "Doc" Blach | |
Interstellar | Williams | ||
2015 | Truth | Gen. Hodges | Voice; Uncredited |
Television[edit]
- N.Y.P.D.(3 episodes, 1967–1969)
- Medical Center(1 episode, 1970 "Ghetto Clinic" )
- Young Dr. Kildare(1 episode, 1972)
- Gunsmoke(1 episode, 1973)
- The Bait(1973)
- Mannix(1 episode, 1974)
- Hawaii Five-O(1 episode, 1974)
- The Missiles of October(TV Movie, 1974)
- Fear on Trial(1975)
- Red Alert(1977)
- Black Beauty(1978)
- From Here to Eternity(1979)
- From Here to Eternity(11 episodes, 1980)
- Red Flag: The Ultimate Game(1981)
- The Other Victim(1981)
- The Big Easy(unsoldTV pilot,1982)[9]
- Insight(1 episode, 1982)
- Jane Doe(1983)
- With Intent to Kill(1984)
- Timestalkers(1987)
- Murder C.O.D.(1990)
- A Woman Named Jackie(1991)
- Nightmare in Columbia County(akaVictim of Beauty,1991)
- Knots Landing(269 episodes, 1983–1993)
- Phenom(21 episodes, 1993–1994)
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman(1 episode, 1994)
- For the Love of Nancy(TV Movie, 1994)
- Falling from the Sky: Flight 174(TV Movie, 1995)
- Virus(TV Movie, 1995)
- Night Watch(TV Movie, 1995)
- The Monroes(8 episodes, 1995)
- Doomsday Rock(TV Movie, 1997)
- Timecop(1 episode, 1997)
- Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac(1997)
- Touched by an Angel(1 episode, 1997)
- Turks(13 episodes, 1999)
- Early Edition(5 episodes, 1997–1999)
- The Michael Richards Show(7 episodes, 2000)
- Judging Amy(1 episode, 2002)
- The X-Files(1 episode, "The Truth"2002)
- A Christmas Visitor(2002, TV Movie)
- The West Wing(2 episodes, 2003)
- Stargate SG-1(3 episodes, 2004)
- Crumbs(13 episodes, 2006)
- Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise(2006)
- What About Brian(6 episodes, 2006–2007)
- 24(20 episodes, 2005–2007)
- Jesse Stone: Sea Change(2007)
- Jesse Stone: Thin Ice(2009)
- Jesse Stone: No Remorse(2010)
- King of the Hill(1 episode, 2010)
- Psych(1 episode, 2010)
- NCIS(1 episode, 2010)
- Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost(2011)
- Good Morning, Killer(2011)
- Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt(2012)
- Revenge(2 episodes, 2012)
- 24: Live Another Day(12 episodes, 2014)
- The Grinder(22 episodes, 2015)
- Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise(TV Movie, 2015)
- Bosch: Legacy(4 episodes to date as of May 11, 2022)
References[edit]
- ^"Biography for William Devane".IMDb.
- ^abcdef"DeVane's claim to fame" I'm a damn good actor ".Lawrence Journal World. May 11, 1985.RetrievedOctober 12,2017.
- ^Weinraub, Bernard (October 15, 1995)."COVER STORY;They Told Devane He'd Be Typecast As a Kennedy (But Which One?) – New York Times".The New York Times.
- ^Biancolli, Amy (April 18, 2013)."William Devane talks heritage: Irish and Albany".Times Union.
- ^"60. Danny DeVito, Everybody: The Always Sunny Podcast".YouTube.RetrievedJune 6,2023.
- ^Leiter, Samuel."372. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. From my (unpublished) ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE NEW YORK STAGE, 1970-1975".slleiter.blogspot.RetrievedJune 6,2023.
- ^abc"William Devane".TVGuide.TV Guide.RetrievedApril 21,2020.
- ^Jeffery, Morgan (December 14, 2011)."'24' star William Devane joins ABC's 'Revenge'".Digital Spy.
- ^"The Big Easy (syndicated unsold pilot)".TV Archives: Unsold Pilots.March 31, 1972.
External links[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
- 1939 births
- Living people
- Male actors from New York (state)
- American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male stage actors
- American people of Dutch descent
- American people of German descent
- American people of Irish descent
- Actors from Albany, New York
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors