William Devane

Meet William Devane Secretary of Defense James Heller on 24

Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated William Devane has crossed over from the small screen to the big screen with seeming ease. He recently appeared in two feature films � �Space Cowboys,� in which he 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 in space, and the thriller �Hollow Man,� in a powerful cameo as a victim who understood the �hollow man� (Kevin Bacon) all too well. Born in Albany, NY, 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 of �One Flew Over the Cuckoo�s Nest.� 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 owns and manages a 140-acre working horse ranch and a casual Italian restaurant in Indio, CA, called �Devane�s.� 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.