William Devane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Devane
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Devane in The Missiles of October (1974)
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| Born |
William Joseph Devane
September 5, 1939 Albany, New York, U.S.
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| Alma mater | American Academy of Dramatic Arts |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Eugenie McCabe
(m. 1961) |
| Children | 2 |
William Joseph Devane (born September 5, 1939) is an American actor. He has been in many popular movies and TV shows for over 50 years. You might know him as Greg Sumner from the TV show Knots Landing. He also played James Heller in the action series 24 and 24: Live Another Day.
William Devane has also acted in movies like Family Plot (1976), Marathon Man (1976), and Space Cowboys (2000).
Contents
Early Life and Education
William Devane was born on September 5, 1939, in Albany, New York. His father, Joseph Devane, used to be the driver for Franklin D. Roosevelt when Roosevelt was the governor of New York. William's family had roots from Ireland, the Netherlands, and Germany.
He went to Philip Schuyler High School in Albany. After that, he studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. He graduated in 1962.
Acting Career Highlights
William Devane started his acting journey in the theater. He performed in many plays with the New York Shakespeare Festival.
Early TV and Movie Roles
In 1966, William Devane played Robert F. Kennedy in a play called MacBird. He became well-known for playing President John F. Kennedy in a TV movie. This movie, called The Missiles of October (1974), was about the Cuban Missile Crisis. He also won praise for his role in the TV movie Fear on Trial (1975). In this movie, he played a radio personality who was unfairly banned from working.
He also starred in the TV miniseries From Here to Eternity (1979). He later continued this role in a weekly TV show.
Becoming a TV Star
William Devane is very famous for his role as Greg Sumner on the TV show Knots Landing. He played this ambitious politician and businessman for ten years, from 1983 to 1993.
In 1971, he acted in a play called One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. He played the main character, Randle McMurphy. Later, his co-star from the play, Danny DeVito, appeared in the movie version of the story.
More Notable Appearances
William Devane has appeared in many other TV shows and films. In 1994, he played the famous gangster Al Capone in an episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. He also had a regular role on the CBS show Early Edition (1996–2000), where he played the main character's father.
He has been in many movies, including:
- McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
- Family Plot (1976), directed by the famous Alfred Hitchcock
- Marathon Man (1976)
- Payback (1999)
- Space Cowboys (2000)
Playing Important Leaders
William Devane has often played important government officials on TV. In 2004, he was a guest star on The West Wing. He played the Secretary of State, a high-ranking government position. Interestingly, he had also acted with Martin Sheen (who played the President on The West Wing) 30 years earlier in The Missiles of October.
From 2005 to 2007, he joined the cast of the action series 24. He played James Heller, the United States Secretary of Defense. He later returned to this role in 2014 for 24: Live Another Day, where his character became the President of the United States.
Recent Work
In 2004, William Devane appeared in three episodes of Stargate SG-1 as President Henry Hayes. He also appeared in the movie Stargate: Continuum. He has been in the Jesse Stone mystery movies with Tom Selleck, playing a police officer who becomes a psychologist.
In 2012, he played the President of the United States in the movie The Dark Knight Rises, a Batman film. He also had a small role in the science fiction movie Interstellar (2014). More recently, he was part of the TV show The Grinder (2015) and appeared in the detective series Bosch: Legacy in 2022.
Personal Life
William Devane married Eugenie McCabe in 1961. They lived in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, and have two sons.
Images for kids
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Devane in The Missiles of October (1974)
See also
In Spanish: William Devane para niños
