William Joseph Devane, born September 5, 1939, is an American film, stage, and television actor. His career rose to prominence in the 1970s, earning him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his portrayal of President John F. Kennedy in the television film *The Missiles of October* (1974). He achieved his greatest popularity playing politician and businessman Greg Sumner in the soap opera *Knots Landing*, a role he held from 1983 to 1993 and for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. On the big screen, he has appeared in notable films such as John Schlesinger's *Marathon Man* (1976), Alfred Hitchcock's *Family Plot* (1976), and Clint Eastwood's *Space Cowboys* (2000). More recently, he is known to audiences for his role as James Heller, Secretary of Defense and later President, in the television series *24* and its sequel, *24: Live Another Day*. His career is characterized by frequent portrayals of authority figures and political characters.