Devane, William 1937(?)–

(Bill Devane)

PERSONAL

Born September 5, 1937 (some sources cite 1940), in Albany, NY; son of Joe Devane (a chauffeur); married, wife's name Eugenie, 1961; children: Josh, Jake. Education: Attended American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York City. Avocational Interests: Horseback riding, playing polo.

Addresses: Manager—Deborah Miller, Miller and Co. Management, 9255 Sunset Blvd., Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90069; (voice and commercial work) Nina Nisenholtz, N2N Entertainment, 1230 Montana Ave., Suite 203, Santa Monica, CA 90403.

Career: Actor, director, and writer. Devane's (restaurant), Indio, CA, owner. Appeared in television commercial for Maxwell House Coffee, 1997. Formerly worked as apprentice electrician and construction worker.

Member: American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Screen Actors Guild, Actors' Equity Association.

Awards, Honors: Emmy Award nomination, outstanding lead actor in a special program, 1975, for "The Missiles of October," ABC Theatre; nomination for Golden Apple, male new star of the year, Hollywood Women's Press Association, 1975; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding lead actor in a drama or comedy special, 1976, for Fear on Trial; Soap Opera Digest Award nominations, outstanding villain in a prime-time serial, 1986, 1988, and outstanding actor or actress in a comic relief role in a prime-time serial, 1986, Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actor in television drama series, 1987, and Soap Opera Digest Awards, outstanding supporting actor, 1989, and outstanding lead actor in prime time, 1990, 1991, all for Knots Landing.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

In the Country, 1967.

Pilot, The Pursuit of Happiness, Sony Pictures Releasing, 1971.

Lawyer Clement Samuels, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Warner Bros., 1971.

Jock Fenner, La mortadella (also known as Lady Liberty and The Sausage), United Artists, 1971.

Tom, The 300 Year Weekend, Cinerama Releasing, 1971.

Jimmy Pilgrim, My Old Man's Place (also known as Glory Boy), Cinerama Releasing, 1972.

Irish Whiskey Rebellion, Cinerama Releasing, 1972.

Assistant District Attorney Jackson, Report to the Commissioner (also known as Operation Undercover), United Artists, 1975.

Peter Janeway, Marathon Man, Paramount, 1976.

Adamson, Family Plot, Universal, 1976.

Major Charles Rane, Rolling Thunder, American International Pictures, 1977.

Mike Leak, The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, Paramount, 1977.

John, Yanks (also known as Yanks—Gestern waren wir noch fremde), Universal, 1979.

Roay Warner/Steve Dupree, The Dark (also known as The Mutilator), 1979.

Mayor Kirby T. Calo, Honky Tonk Freeway, Universal, 1980.

Tom Wetherly, Testament, Paramount, 1983.

Coach Ball, Hadley's Rebellion, CBS Theatrical, 1985.

Dr. Chatham, Vital Signs, 1990.

Lieutenant Barrett, Lady in Waiting (also known as Hollywood Madam), 1994.

Carter, Payback, Paramount, 1999.

Voice, Gaia Symphony II, 1999.

Ron Lake, Poor White Trash, Hollywood Independents, 2000.

Eugene Davis, Space Cowboys, Warner Bros., 2000.

Dr. Howard Kramer, Hollow Man (also known as Hollow Man—Unsichtbare gefahr), Columbia, 2000.

Richard Thornhill, Race to Space (also known as Race to Space—Mission ins unbekannte), Lions Gate Films, 2000.

Colonel Weldon, Threat of Exposure (also known as Control), Waldo West Productions, 2002.

L. T. Porter, The Wind Effect (short film), 2003.

Television Appearances; Series:

Master Sergeant Milt Warden, From Here to Eternity, 1980.

Gregory Sumner, Knot's Landing, CBS, 1983–93.

Lou Della Rosa, Phenom, ABC, 1993.

John Monroe, The Monroes, ABC, 1995.

Bernie Hobson, a recurring role, Early Edition, CBS, between 1997 and 1999.

Sergeant Joseph Turk, Turks, CBS, 1999.

Brady McKay, The Michael Richards Show, NBC, 2000.

Secretary of Defense James Heller, 24, Fox, 2005–2006.

Billy, Crumbs, ABC, 2006.

Also appeared, according to some sources, in Where the Heart Is, CBS.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Jack Kilburn, Crime Club, 1973.

(As Bill Devane) Early Stokey, The Bait, 1973.

President John F. Kennedy, "The Missiles of October," ABC Theatre, ABC, 1974.

David Prine, Black Day for Bluebeard, 1974.

John Henry Faulk, Fear on Trial, 1975.

Frank Brolen, Red Alert, 1977.

Major Phil Clark, Red Flag: The Ultimate Game, 1981.

Harry Langford, The Other Victim, 1981.

Lieutenant William Quinn, Jane Doe, 1983.

Aaron Charney, With Intent to Kill (also known as Urge to Kill), CBS, 1984.

Dr. Scott McKenzie, Timestalkers, CBS, 1987.

Jack Litman, The Preppie Murder, NBC, 1989.

Alex Brandt, Murder CO. D., NBC, 1990.

Colonel Charnley, Chips, the War Dog, The Disney Channel, 1990.

Sheriff Jim Metts, Nightmare in Columbia County (also known as Victim of Beauty), CBS, 1991.

Ed Bledsoe, Obsessed, ABC, 1992.

Elliot McSwain, The President's Child, CBS, 1992.

Nick Caldwell, Death Train (also known as Alistair MacLean's "Death Train" and Detonator), 1993.

Daniel "Dan" Fields, Prophet of Evil: The Ervil LeBaron Story, CBS, 1993.

Harry Orwitz, Rubdown, USA Network, 1993.

Tom Walsh, For the Love of Nancy, ABC, 1994.

Captain Bob Pearson, Falling from the Sky: Flight 174 (also known as Freefall: Flight 174), ABC, 1995.

Caldwell, Night Watch (also known as Alistair MacLean's "Night Watch" and Detonator 2: Night Watch), USA Network, 1995.

Dr. Harbuck, Virus (also known as Formula for Death, Robin Cook's "Formula for Death", and Robin Cook's "Outbreak'), NBC, 1995.

Dr. Richard Ofshe, Forgotten Sins, ABC, 1996.

Senator Emmett Hunter, The Absolute Truth, CBS, 1997.

Lawrence Kellerman, Exception to the Rule (also known as Nach gefaehrlichen regeln), HBO, 1997.

Dr. Karl Sorenson, Doomsday Rock (also known as Cosmic Shock), The Family Channel, 1997.

Tom Kincaid, Miracle on the Mountain: Kincaid Family Story, CBS, 2000.

Sam Ryan, The Man Who Used to Be Me (also known as Race through Time), Fox Family Channel, 2000.

George Boyajian, A Christmas Visitor, Hallmark Channel, 2002.

The judge, The Badge, Starz!, 2002.

Cal Brennan, Monte Walsh, TNT, 2003.

Grove McCarthy, Deceit, Lifetime, 2004.

Doctor, Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise, CBS, 2006.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

John Manly, Black Beauty, 1978.

Master Sergeant Milt Warden, From Here to Eternity, NBC, 1979.

John Vernou "BlackJack" Bouvier III, A Woman Named Jackie, NBC, 1991.

Gregory "Greg" Sumner, Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac, CBS, 1997.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Judgment: The Court Martial of the Tiger of Malaya—General Yamashita, 1974.

NBC team member, Battle of the Network Stars V, ABC, 1978.

NBC team member, Battle of the Network Stars VI, ABC, 1979.

The Celebrity Football Classic, NBC, 1979.

NBC team member, Battle of the Network Stars VII, ABC, 1980.

Jack London, Jack London with William Devane, PBS, 1982.

CBS team captain, Battle of the Network Stars XV, ABC, 1983.

CBS team captain, Battle of the Network Stars XVI, ABC, 1984.

CBS team captain, Battle of the Network Stars XVII, ABC, 1985.

New York host, CBS All-American Thanksgiving Day Parade, CBS, 1985.

Broadcaster, America's Polo Championship, CBS, 1986.

The Wildest West Show of the Stars, CBS, 1986.

Narrator, The Most Dangerous Game, CBS, 1990.

Host, Ancient Secrets of the Bible, CBS, 1992.

Knots Landing Block Party, CBS, 1993.

Host, Secrets Revealed, ABC, 1994.

Hollywood Diaries, AMC, 1997.

Narrator, Intimate Portrait: Donna Mills, Lifetime, 1998.

Knots Landing Reunion: Together Again, CBS, 2005.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Boyfriend, "Woman of the World," Directions, 1967.

"The Screaming Woman," N.Y.P.D., 1967.

"Candy Man: Parts 1 & 2," N.Y.P.D., 1969.

"An Afternoon in the Fall," The Interns, 1970.

Dr. Ray Waltham, "Ghetto Clinic," Medical Center, 1970.

Dr. Ray Waltham, "Gladiator," Medical Center, 1972.

Chambers, "Riddle Me Death," Ironside (also known as The Raymond Burr Show), 1972.

Dr. Ray Waltham, "Nightmare," Medical Center, 1973.

Smiley, "Downhill All the Way," Ironside (also known as The Raymond Burr Show), 1973.

Moss Stratton, "Kimbro," Gunsmoke (also known as Gun Law and Marshal Dillon), 1973.

Fallon, "Killer at Sea," Hawaii Five-0 (also known as McGarrett), 1974.

Kordic, "The Dark Hours," Mannix, 1974.

Al Capone, "That Old Gang of Mine," Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (also known as Lois & Clark and The New Adventures of Superman), ABC, 1994.

Himself, "One Sorry Mother," Hope & Gloria, NBC, 1996.

Older Detective Langdon, "The Heist," Timecop, ABC, 1997.

Benjamin Parker, "Sandcastles," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1997.

Voice, Invasion America, The WB, 1998.

Richard McCarty, Who Shot Dick?," Judging Amy, CBS, 2002.

General Mark Suveg, "The Truth," The X-Files, Fox, 2002.

Secretary of State Lewis Berryhill, "Dogs of War," The West Wing, NBC, 2003.

Secretary of State Lewis Berryhill, "Jefferson Lives," The West Wing, NBC, 2003.

President Hayes, "Inauguration," Stargate SG-1 (also known as La porte des etoiles), Sci-Fi Channel, 2004.

President Hayes, "Lost City: Parts 1 & 2," Stargate SG-1 (also known as La porte des etoiles), Sci-Fi Channel, 2004.

Guest, "Chicago Tour," Dweezil & Lisa, Food Network, 2004.

Himself, "Breakout and Disappearing Star," TV Land Confidential, TV Land, 2005.

Also appeared in an episode of Insight.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Narrator and Jake Rubidoux, The Big Easy, ABC, 1982.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Presenter, The 18th Annual People's Choice Awards, CBS, 1992.

Presenter, The 20th Annual People's Choice Awards, CBS, 1994.

Television Director; Episodic:

Directed episodes of Knot's Landing, CBS.

Stage Appearances:

Knight, attendant, and other roles, King Lear, New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, New York City, 1962.

Messenger to Macbeth, Macbeth, New York Shakespeare Festival, Heckscher Theatre, New York City, 1962.

Horse courser and archbishop, The Tragical Historie of Doctor Faustus, Phoenix Theatre, New York City, 1964.

Musician, Othello, New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, 1964, then Martinique Theatre, New York City, 1964–65.

Third serving man, Coriolanus, New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, 1965.

Robert Ken O'Dunc, MacBird!, Village Gate Theatre Upstairs, New York City, 1967–68.

Gregory and chief watchman, Romeo and Juliet, New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, 1968.

Ranchman, The People vs. Ranchman, Fortune Theatre, New York City, 1968.

The Watering Place, Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1969.

Chester Lee, "The Chinese," The Chinese and Dr. Fish, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1970.

Iachimo, The Tale of Cymbeline, New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, 1971.

Randle Patrick McMurphy, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Hansberry Theatre, New York City, 1971–73.

Made stage debut as spear carrier, The Merchant of Venice, New York Shakespeare Festival, New York City.

Stage Director:

G.T Point, Playhouse Theatre, New York City, 1979.

Videos:

Plotting "Family Plot," Universal Studios Home Video, 2001.

WRITINGS

Television Episodes:

"The Way Things Were," Knots Landing, CBS, c. 1992.

ADAPTATIONS

The television movie The Million Dollar Rip-Off, broadcast in 1976, was based on a story by Devane.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

TV Guide, January 12, 1985, p. 8; July 18, 1987, p. 2.