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William Devane (born September 5, 1937) is an American film and television actor. Devane was born in Albany, New York, the son of Joseph (Joe) Devane, who was President Franklin D. Roosevelt's chauffeur when he was Governor of New York. Devane graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. A stage-trained actor with a trademark toothy grin and a feral, sinister quality, William Devane has often played members of the Kennedy clan as well as other political figures or authoritarian characters. The Albany, New York native trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC and began his career in bit roles in New York Shakespeare Festival productions. His first role of substance was as the Robert Kennedy-inspired character battling with the title character (played by Stacy Keach) and his wife (Rue McClanahan) in the 1967 Off-Broadway satire "MacBird!". Devane earned widespread praise for his portrayal of McMurphy in the stage revival of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1971), but the actor remained virtually unknown to American audiences outside of New York until he became an overnight sensation for his Emmy-nominated portrayal of President John F Kennedy in the 1974 "ABC Theatre" presentation "The Missiles of October", which focused on the Cuban missile crisis. Devane is perhaps most widely recognized for his ten years as the villainous Greg Sumner on the drama series Knots Landing, and his role as President Kennedy in the TV film The Missiles of October, about the Cuban Missile Crisis. Devane has also appeared in such films as McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), Family Plot (1976), Marathon Man (1976), Rolling Thunder (1977), The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977), Testament (1983), Forgotten Sins (1996), Payback (1999), and Space Cowboys (2000). Devane has played members of the United States Cabinet on two different evening dramas. In 2004, he guest-starred as United States Secretary of State and potential vice-presidential nominee Lewis Berryhill on The West Wing. In 2005, he joined the cast of 24 as United States Secretary of Defense James Heller in the show's fourth season. During the middle of the season, however, Devane was one of several cast members to be written out of the series. He returned for one more episode later that season, and again in the show's fifth and sixth seasons (2006). In his role on The West Wing, Devane appeared in several scenes with the show's fictional President Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen. Devane and Sheen also appeared together as President Kennedy and his brother Robert F. Kennedy, respectively, 30 years earlier in The Missiles of October. In 2004, Devane also starred in three episodes of Stargate SG-1, as President Henry Hayes. Most recently, he starred in the short-lived ABC sitcom, Crumbs and also plays Brian Davis' father, a real estate broker, in the ABC series What About Brian. And more recently in 2008, he starred in Russ Emanuel's "Chasing the Green" alongside Jeremy London, Ryan Hurst, and Robert Picardo. Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor, William Devane has crossed over from the small screen to the big screen with seeming ease. He recently appeared in two feature films, that include the hit movie, “Space Cowboys,” in which Devane played the “all business” flight controller who has the daunting responsibility of getting the cowboys (Clint Eastwood and James Garner) back home from their journey to space. Devane also had a powerful cameo in the Paul Verhove thriller, “Hollow Man,” as a victim who understands the hollow man (Kevin Bacon) all to well. Born in Albany, New York, Devane started acting in neighborhood theater while in high school. He went on to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and made his professional debut with the New York Shakespeare Festival in “The Merchant of Venice.” In 1971, he gave New York audiences a critically acclaimed performance in the Broadway revival production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Clive Barnes of the New York Times praised his portrayal saying, “He dominates the stage like a bank robber with a gun.” In 1974, Devane created television history when he starred as John F. Kennedy in the highly acclaimed “The Missiles of October,” about the Cuban missile crisis. He received two Emmy nominations for two consecutive years for his rich portrayal of the late president. He received a third Emmy nomination for his portrayal of John Henry Faulk in “Fear on Trial.” Several years later he went on to star as Sgt. Milt Warden in the mini-series “From Here to Eternity,” with Natalie Wood. He repeated this role in the series that followed, “From Here to Eternity: The War Years.” In 1983, Devane landed the role of enigmatic and unpredictable business tycoon Gregory Sumner on the hugely successful “Knot’s Landing” - a performance that US Magazine called “... cohesive and compelling, year after year...” During the show’s nine year run, Devane garnered a Golden Globe nomination and two Soap Opera Awards for Best Dramatic Actor. While working on “Knot’s Landing,” Devane starred in more than a dozen high-profile television movies including, “The President’s Child” in which he played opposite Donna Mills, as a power-obsessed man behind a Kennedyesque presidential candidate. He also starred in “Prophet of Evil” opposite Brian Dennehey, in a true-life religious cult story. In 1991, he received rave reviews for his starring role in the hugely successful mini-series “A Woman Named Jackie,” as “Black Jack” Bouvier, Jackie’s mercurial, alcoholic father. After much success as Greg Sumner on “Knot’s Landing,” Devane secured a major development deal with ABC and starred in two series for the network. In the series, “Phenom,” Devane played an irrepressible tennis coach who believes he’s found his next Tracy Austin in Judith Light’s daughter, a phenomenal tennis player. In “The Monroes,” Devane starred as an Eastern senator with presidential ambitions. Additionally, Devane’s television credits include the starring role of “Joe Turk” in the CBS drama “Turks,” a show which explored the professional and personal lives of a multigenerational cop family. In 2000, Devane starred opposite Michael Richards in the NBC comedy series, “The Michael Richards Show.” He also guest starred in the series “Judging Amy” and “Touched by an Angel,” and had a recurring role on “Early Edition.” He recently co-starred with Billy Bob Thornton and Patricia Arquette in the STARZ network movie “The Badge.” Devane has worked with an illustrious group of actors in feature films, including Dustin Hoffman and Sir Laurence Olivier in “Marathon Man,” and Vanessa Redgrave in “Yanks.” He worked with the legendary Alfred Hitchcock in the director’s final film, “Family Plot.” Devane also starred in the films “The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training,” “Rolling Thunder,” “The Dark,” “Report to the Commissioner,” and “Testament,” with Jane Alexander. “Wilderness Journal” is a PBS documentary that Devane starred in and co-produced. The documentary examined key environmental issues in five Western states and was one of the highest rated shows to air on public television. “Wilderness Journal” has been selected as one of PBS’s top shows for the last 20 years. As successful in business as he is in acting, Devane owns and manages a 140 acre working horse ranch. As if this wasn’t enough, he also owns and manages a casual Italian restaurant in Indio, California called “Devane’s.” As an avid golfer, he has appeared in several celebrity golf television specials as well as celebrity golf books and plays in tournaments across the country. William Devane, as both actor and business entrepreneur, continues to be attracted to topnotch, high quality projects. He recently finished filming for the TNT Original western, “Monte Walsh” which stars Tom Selleck and Keith Carradine. The movie is set to air January 2003 on TNT. Devane joined the cast of “24” (Fox, 2001- ) during its fourth season, playing Secretary of Defense James Heller. On a return run to Washington from Los Angeles, Heller takes a detour to visit his estranged son only to have his daughter and aide get kidnapped by Middle Eastern terrorists. He then appeared as a regular on the ABC sitcom, “Crumbs” (2005- ), playing the patriarch of a small-town Connecticut family who own and operate a restaurant. Devane was a philandering father whose peccadilloes drove his wife (Jane Curtain) off the edge and into the insane asylum. Meanwhile, his closeted gay son (Fred Savage) returns home after failing to become a writer in Hollywood and is forced to work with his estranged, skirt-chasing brother (Eddie McClintock). “Crumbs” was ordered to series midseason in 2006 and faired well enough in the ratings to get a network order of 12 episodes. |
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